Deborah Smith Projects | Contemporary Arts Organisation

Concrete Inspirations

Concrete Inspirations celebrates the innovative uses of reinforced concrete historically as well as in contemporary practice.

The exhibition focuses on two of Arup’s most interesting projects from the founding years of the firm in the late 1940s: Busáras, Dublin’s main bus station, and the monumental Brynmawr Rubber Factory, Wales. Both were in their day groundbreaking designs. The exhibition also explores the ingenuity of those responsible for the soon to open Taichung Metropolitan Opera House, Taiwan, designed by Toyo Ito and Associates, Architects, and engineered by a multi-disciplinary, multi-national Arup team.

Alongside these achievements from the world of architecture and engineering Concrete Inspirations shows the work of artists Bernd and Hilla Becher, Thomas Demand, Luisa Lambri, Simon Phipps and Rachel Whiteread who have all been inspired in different ways by the material and provide fresh perspectives on its use.

The exhibition includes sketches from the Arup archives, on display for the first time, as well as photographs, films and architectural models within the surrounds of an extraordinary concrete structure designed by Interrobang Architecture and Engineering.

Co-curated with Jennifer Greitschus, Head of Exhibitions, Arup.

 

Arup, 8 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 4BQ
14 July – 7 October 2016

Concrete Inspirations (installation view), July 2016

Images

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