BEAUTIFYING CONCRETE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2268, 26 April 1921, Page 4

BEAUTIFYING CONCRETE.

The extensive use of ferro-ocon-erete in building has raised the problem of relieving the unattractive appearance of dull grey masses of Portland cement. Professor Pite, in a lecture recently delivered at Hanley, said it provided a great opportunity for a ceramic centre like the Potteries district, and suggested that they should pass on from decorating pots and other vessels to the decoration of a whole building. The ceramic industry, in his opinoin, has a unique opportunity of performing a real service to the community. The ferro-oconcretc carcase is ready 'to be clothed with a garment of permanent and beautiful colour, capable of great variety. Regular patterns could be used without fear. With complete disregard of architecture, the structure might be covered with the rich colouring of an Ottoman or Persian carpet, as no doubt it would have been in like circumstances by the Persians. The completion of ferro-oconcreto buildings supplies opportunities for-art-ists, colourists, and ceramists, and the lecturer hoped they would attempt to seize them. Also, there are opportunities of modelling in relief. It behoves them to try to solve this ferro-concrete building 'problem by providing appropriate decoration, which is very much wanted. The lecturer asserted, speaking as an architect, that the much thinner ceramic coating required would he cheaper than a stone dressing, besides being moro effective.