Allan Haines was invited to talk to 4th year students about the potential of building with concrete, as research and new developments in its production are aiming to reduce the carbon footprint. The presentation described a variety of case studies in which the tectonic, textural appearance of concrete was exploited for its qualities, either for entirely defining a space or for providing the background for more colourful, dynamic or expressive design elements. Allan also mentioned new approaches when dealing with new and old constructions which employ concrete.
Some examples, such as the Abedian School of Architecture by Crab Studio, describe the effortless structural and plastic qualities of concrete when employed in a creative way (above).
Allan spent the rest of the day with the students in studio, advising them on structural and environmental strategies for their design projects.