We're gonna go out on a limb here and admit that we're a little bit over the industrial warehouse look. We're bored with steel and exposed beams, tired of concrete floors and cool marble. But guess what? Against our better judgment, we've fallen deeply, madly and unabashedly in love with a home made entirely of concrete. Can't really get much more industrial than that, eh? We dare you not to fall in love, too. More photos below the jump.
Architect Gregory Katz designed a group of three townhouses in a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa to be built as a showcase for the simplicity, strength and endurance of concrete. We're crazy for the little details that soften up the intensity of cool concrete: the bright yellow cabinetry (selected by the architect's wife, Caryn Katz) that brings life to the neutral setting, the large open expanses of window-walls to let light spill in and the clever use of the material to build "floating shelves" throughout the space.
We love that Mr. Katz has fully embraced the material and used it to its full advantage. The staircase is a marvel of engineering and a perfect example of what can happen when a material is truly and completely used to its full potential.
See more photos and read the full article in the May issue of Dwell or see the online article here.
images: Elsa Young for Dwell, May 2008
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
I love it. I've always been attracted to the strength and character of concrete. There are many options now to give it color and texture. It does imply lots of embedded energy, but the structure can endure time and the elements (I'm from Florida and hurricanes come to mind).
view Kenneth's profile
I love the way concrete takes the shape and texture of what it's poured into - so that the wood graining of the formwork is traslated to the final finish.
I could so easily live in a space like this (with lots of wood furniture and furry rugs)
view bepsf's profile
I love concrete - the interior of the library at my high school was almost all concrete, and it was not at all cold - quite the opposite. It didn't muffle sound so well, though.
view meg_ues's profile
Shayna, sweetie? "its" not "it's" is the possessive form of it.
view Jezebella's profile
I just read this article the other day - that home is stunning! I especially love how they are able to completely open up their downstairs to the backyard with the wall of sliding doors.
view twenty twenty-one's profile
This place is Brutal.
view Ramstone's profile
Too much concrete.
view Gustaf's profile
jezebella,
thanks for your edit. corrected.
it's true...even the best bloggers forget to proof every once in a while :)
shayna
view shayna r's profile
almost all of my college is made of concrete. it was expanded in the 70's, and designed by i.m. pei.
suny fredonia?
i've had more than enough sterile concrete aesthetic to last me a lifetime.
view indiasoup's profile
Love the concrete, hate the sod. Of course, over time one could grow some vines up the walls pretty spectacularly or a tree.
view alinia's profile