Scholarly record

FAULTY WORKMANSHIP AFFECTING THE AESTHETICS OF BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED IN MONOLITHIC FAIR-FACED CONCRETE TECHNOLOGIES – DIAGNOSIS AND PREVENTION

P. Bigaj

Abstract

The image, which emerged in the last century, showing the transformation of concrete from a material of purely utilitarian (structural) properties into a kind of ideological matter with expressive aesthetic identity, allows one to perceive this building material as a refined one, which is used in the construction of a number of prestigious buildings, significant for today’s architectural art. The construction of structures with the use of fair-faced concrete is a complex process involving a large number of people whose knowledge, skills, precision and professional experience at design and each implementation phase have a critical impact on the final look and aesthetic expression of the building’s form. The creator-architect is required to accurately specify the visual properties of this material based on the knowledge of its application technology. Lack of awareness in this area can result in irreversible errors and misunderstandings at the construction phase. The purpose of the research presented in the article is to diagnose basic errors and faults accompanying the creation of fair-faced concrete surfaces, as well as to indicate the causes and means to prevent them. This is to serve as a basis for raising designers’ awareness about the way of shaping the form and its detail in a practical aspect of the implementation of structures with the use of monolithic architectural concrete technology. The ability to use concrete matter should be considered as an essential element of architect’s skills, allowing to prevent the occurrence of faulty workmanship during the construction of facilities. The analysed cases of construction errors and faults in the implementation of structures with the use of fair-faced concrete indicate the need to take into account the possibility of their occurrence already at the stage of design and project coordination. The aesthetically appropriate shape of the concrete surface has the raison d’être only if it is in line with the structure’s idea proposed by the creator, which is underpinned by the awareness and reliable recognition of the methods of obtaining the different surfaces (textures) and colours of this material. Understanding the plastic nature of this “liquid stone of the present” influences the buildings’ implementation success and minimizes the risk of unexpected and often irreversible visual defects, which in consequence allows one to avoid additional costs and repair claims on the part of the investor. It is worth emphasizing that a number of architects consciously choose to use the defects and deficiencies of concrete casting to achieve the desired texture and colour effects, making them an important element of the designed architectural work’s aesthetic expression.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2017/52/S21.072

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