A Collection of Concrete

A Collection of Concrete Emily Bell Virginia Tech 2017

Concrete a mixture of chemicals a building material an inverse of a mold a expression of texture a designed form

the process of creating concrete forms influences my design work, whether or not a mold is made for a specific project. the forms shown in the book are from two distinct periods of time and hold two different viewpoints on the material. a successful pour is never just one of these definitions. the idea of the final form, the plan for the mold and the conditions of the mixture must each be considered separately, each given as much attention as the previous. even so, each form becomes something unexpected once it emerges from the mold.

Nature of the Material Spring 2015: the first pour tries to achieve a simple goal; subtraction through the form. the second, intersection of subtractive voids. the pours are rough, made with ready mix of gravel aggregate. the texture of the undercuts and the smoothness of the sides contrast. the forms exhibit qualities of concrete as a material, rather than a designed form.

a third pour alters the scale of the subtractions and explores the affect on the character of space

four additional pours, each exploring a different method of subtraction

mass bisected by regular voids

directional void creates enclosure

mass subtracted to minimum then extrusions pulled up to reflect light

subtraction pulled regularly across two axes to create a space for light to interact

a new problem fall 2016

question of the rule comes back in a more disciplined inquiry

final thoughts form making can be done in two ways:

by adhering to rules, without consideration of form or by in an iterative process, sensitive to form

The variable elements in form-making are endless, even when the starting point is a platonic solid, or single point. The form maker must construct a set of limits in order to arrive at a decision. Firstly, the method must be decided before the factors of design are at play.

A teleological process will result in a very different final form than a set of rule independent of the final result.

the end