8.0

2005 / Ductal concrete

8.0 is an exploration of using the high strength concrete Ductal by Lafarge, conventionally used in large infrastructure applications, at the scale of furniture. Ductal relies on tiny organic strands for its tensile strength, and thus does not require conventional steel reinforcing. The linear strands orient themselves in the direction of concrete flow, giving the concrete “grain” similar to wood. 8.0 chairs are cast on their side, with the concrete entering the mold at the hub and from there flowing into the starburst shape. This flow pattern ensures longitudinal orientation of the strands in the direction yielding maximum strength, allowing an extremely thin profile and cantilever for the seat and back.

Photography Shannon Loewen