A versatile building material with a long pedigree, concrete also has associations with ugliness and totalitarianism. Its reinforced variety, widely used today, can conceal a costly flaw.
From ancient Rome to modern China, concrete is one of humanity's favorite building materials. Tim Harford looks at concrete's history and how we view it. "Architecturally, concrete implies lazy, soulless structures: ugly office blocks for provincial bureaucrats; multistory parking garages with stairwells that smell of urine. Yet it can also be shaped into forms that many people find beautiful—think of the Sydney Opera House, or Oscar Niemeyer's cathedral in Brasilia."
Concrete is versatile, but it isn't easily repurposed. "That's the fundamental contradiction of concrete: incredibly flexible while you're making something, utterly inflexible once it's made." It's also long-lasting, and will outlive materials like wood and metal.
But that's not necessarily the case for all buildings constructed from concrete. Harford writes, "Reinforced concrete is much stronger and more practical than the unreinforced stuff. It can span larger gaps, allowing concrete to soar in the form of bridges and skyscrapers. But here’s the problem: if cheaply made, it will rot from the inside as water gradually seeps in through tiny cracks in the concrete and rusts the steel."
There are methods to prevent that decay, but it's already causing problems in the U.S., and will soon cause issues in China's "concrete forests" of high-rise housing. Harford suggests that perhaps concrete is best used where it can immediately improve needy people's lives, and gives us several examples.
FULL STORY: How Concrete Cemented Its Place in History
Where 2024 Presidential Candidates Stand on 12 Issues Important to Urban Planners
Whether you’re yet undecided or have already cast your early vote, here is a roundup of the key positions of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on important urban planning policies.
Commentary: New Bill Holds Key to Solving US Housing Crisis. We Just Have to Pass It.
Two bills currently moving through Congress could make mass production of prefabricated, affordable housing possible on a large scale.
America’s 10 ‘Greenest’ Cities
A new analysis ranks cities based on their environmental quality, energy consumption and production, transportation, density, and other factors.
How Seattle Achieved Safe Routes to School Goal
SDOT has installed safety improvements at more than 260 public schools since 2015.
Auto Insurance Rates Spike Due to Extreme Weather
Car insurance costs around the country are going up as insurers receive more claims from areas struck by storms and other climate disasters.
California Approves $10 Billion Bond for Water, Clean Energy, and Environmental Projects
Funds will be used to support water, wildfire prevention, environmental, and park projects, reflecting strong public support for climate resilience.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
University of Southern California
City of Meridian
University of Calgary
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
Detroit Regional Partnership
San Joaquin LAFCo
City of South Portland