Concrete - A Yearning for the Monolithic

With their simple forms, monolithic buildings radiate a sense of great strength. Archaic buildings, like the stone huts in Ticino, where the roof, walls and stairs are constructed from a single material, often provide the inspiration for modern minimalist architecture. Today, however, a large number of unseen measures are necessary if one wishes to realize a building that is a homogeneous whole and at the same time meets the requirements of modern building physics. Illustrated with examples of present-day construction, the article shows just how diverse architectural strategies can be in creating in-situ and precast concrete structures of monolithic appearance.