Material18 September 20266 min read
Why we leave the concrete alone
Finishes hide decisions. Leaving a material as it comes off the formwork means every decision has to be right the first time.
Inês ValmorFounding partner
On most buildings, concrete is something to be covered up. Plaster and paint forgive a lot, and contractors know it. Decide at the outset that nothing will be covered and the conversation on site changes.
The formwork is the finish
Once the concrete is the finish, the carpenters who make the formwork become the most important people on the job. We draw every board. We meet them before we meet anyone else.
It also costs less than you would expect. What you spend on formwork you save on every layer you no longer need.
If you can't leave it unfinished, it wasn't finished.
What it asks of a client
It takes nerve. Unfinished concrete shows every pour line. We show clients a full-size sample in the first month, and we leave it in the rain for a year.
