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Collection by Kelsey Keith

Concrete Proof: 9 Ways to Design with Cement

Concrete may seem brutalist to some, but consider its many applications: buff, polished, waxed, and turned into panels for a facade. Here are nine Dwell homes that make incredible use of the material.

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Builder Ross Percival helped finesse the finely tuned detailing that separates the internal slope from the rock outside (opposite). The Pedro wire stool is by Craig Bond for Candywhistle.
Builder Ross Percival helped finesse the finely tuned detailing that separates the internal slope from the rock outside (opposite). The Pedro wire stool is by Craig Bond for Candywhistle.
The perforated concrete panels on the façade of Casa Delpin.
The perforated concrete panels on the façade of Casa Delpin.
The dining room features a mobil custom table made by Gilles van der Brempt, and an assortment of Ikea Urban and Hee Welling dining chairs. Photo by: Frederik Vercruysse
The dining room features a mobil custom table made by Gilles van der Brempt, and an assortment of Ikea Urban and Hee Welling dining chairs. Photo by: Frederik Vercruysse
Architect Lukáš Kordík gave his own 516-square-foot flat in Bratislava a modern makeover. For just a little more than $23,000, he transformed his home from a thicket of small rooms into a continuous, light-filled abode. Busting through a few walls took up much of the scant budget, but Kordík—who works for the Bratislava firm Gut Gut—also managed to redo the electrical, pipes, sewage, and heating while imbuing the place with a hip, old-meets-new vibe.
Architect Lukáš Kordík gave his own 516-square-foot flat in Bratislava a modern makeover. For just a little more than $23,000, he transformed his home from a thicket of small rooms into a continuous, light-filled abode. Busting through a few walls took up much of the scant budget, but Kordík—who works for the Bratislava firm Gut Gut—also managed to redo the electrical, pipes, sewage, and heating while imbuing the place with a hip, old-meets-new vibe.
Naturally subtle tones predominate in the bathroom, with Walker Zanger stone floors complemented by sanded concrete walls and dark mahogany cabinets topped by a slab of white marble.
Naturally subtle tones predominate in the bathroom, with Walker Zanger stone floors complemented by sanded concrete walls and dark mahogany cabinets topped by a slab of white marble.
Rocks dug up during construction were saved and incorporated into the poured-concrete floors and walls. Hydronic heating coils in the floor are augmented by a wood stove during the damp winters.
Rocks dug up during construction were saved and incorporated into the poured-concrete floors and walls. Hydronic heating coils in the floor are augmented by a wood stove during the damp winters.
The wood-and-steel open staircase wends its way up three stories, supported by a concrete structural wall embedded with PVC tubes and bare lightbulbs. Read more about this 21st-century Argentine home here.
The wood-and-steel open staircase wends its way up three stories, supported by a concrete structural wall embedded with PVC tubes and bare lightbulbs. Read more about this 21st-century Argentine home here.
Architect Lorcan O’Herlihy created a residence for himself and his wife, Cornelia, in Venice, California.
Architect Lorcan O’Herlihy created a residence for himself and his wife, Cornelia, in Venice, California.