Specifying visual concrete: An engineer’s view

Concrete used as part of the final finish of a building generates debate on aesthetics; in this paper a structural engineer gives his views on how to produce and view good quality concrete. The notes apply to both in-situ and pre-cast work, outlining the key issues for any project of: managing the expectations of all parties; clear and effective communication of those expectations; teamwork — everybody on the project must work positively together; the material quality, primarily good shuttering. There are notes on the main alternative forms of specification used by structural engineers — the National Building Specification (NBS) and the National Structural Concrete Specification (NSCS). These are followed by a discussion on the advantages of using reference projects to establish the standards for a project and what can be gained from using sample panels to establish clear benchmarks. Further technical detail is given on topics that include formwork, the concrete mix and concreting process and post concreting issues. Points are illustrated with projects including Juergen Teller’s photography studio in West London which was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize (see Figure 1).