Concrete Ornaments

The task of the practical exercise supervised by Daniel Horn in the Building Materials Technology 2 course in the 2020 summer semester was to create an individually designed exposed concrete slab as an abstract ornament. The approximately 150 students were divided into groups with specific geometric shapes. The themes were to serve as a guide and become part of an overall ornament through combination, variation, duplication and alienation. The motif was initially sketched and later realized as a CAD line drawing according to specifications. As it was not possible for the students to work together in the laboratory due to the pandemic situation in summer 2020 and the associated university closures, the ornaments were then laser-cut from EPS panels and inserted into pre-assembled wooden formwork. The dimensions of each ornament panel are 30 cm x 30 cm and a height of 1 cm. Finally, self-compacting concrete (Flowstone fine-grain mix) was poured and the formwork removed.

The aim of these practical exercises was to train perception for a better understanding in later practical working life, as well as to raise awareness of concrete as a material and to acquire design and CAD drawing skills.

This resulted in over 120 individual ornaments in exposed concrete quality, which will be presented to the public at various events and exhibitions as soon as the pandemic situation allows.

Patrick Ernst, Daniel Lethert

Dyckerhoff GmbH (cement), GCP Germany GmbH (concrete admixtures)