The carefree experimentation with concrete that was seen in the 1950s and 1960s is long gone. The 1970s and 1980s were turbulent decades as a result of the oil crisis and then a construction crisis, but in this period futuristic urbanisation plans were in the making. The architects’ brief was to erase the past and its various styles from view to make way for the future.
Concrete nevertheless remained the material of choice because it was synonymous with strong style, rapid transformation, relatively low cost and innovative construction processes, i.e. the ingredients required for this new modernity.
However, combining the functionality of a building with the structural and aesthetic qualities of concrete remained a challenge. This pure material was sought for its essential raw geometry, as well as its playful, slightly undulating rhythm with prefabricated elements, without sacrificing monumentality. Be that as it may, it is still concrete.
This era of contradictions left its mark on public buildings and those of major investors, although more modest projects, even shops, were also inspired by concrete... We will go in search of concrete, looking for the beauty in all its forms and colours. Whether crushed or glorified, concrete remains a man-made material with great potential for the future.