Original use
Commercial/shop
Current use
Commercial/shop
Architects
Sigurd Lewerentz
Concrete by reinforcement
Concrete is a relatively brittle material that is strong in compression but less so in tension.
To increase its overall strength, steel rods, wires, mesh or cables may be embedded in concrete before it sets. This reinforcement, often known as rebar, resists tensile forces. By forming a strong bond, the two materials are able to resist a variety of applied forces, effectively acting as a single structural element .
Construction method
In this case, the concrete can be made by mixing the components directly on site, or it may be transported from a production plant in concrete-mixer trucks.
This method has the disadvantage of leaving the concrete exposed to the elements while it is setting. Whereas, with other methods, the environmental conditions can be controlled during setting, providing greater control over the outcome, with cast-in-place concrete a series of tests and protocols are necessary to verify its final strength.
Architectural concrete
- textured walls
- wooden formwork finish
- stamped concrete
- exposed aggregate concrete, colored concrete, etc.
Structural types
Beams are the horizontal load-bearing elements of the frame. Columns are the vertical elements of the frame and act as the building’s primary load-bearing element. They transmit the beam loads down to the foundations.
State of Conservation
Description
The work of Sigurd Lewerentz was not widely recognised outside Scandinavia until years after his death. His introverted nature and the fact that his modest though extensive work kept its distance from the more orthodox currents of modernity contributed to his being outshined by his partner and friend Erik Gunnar Asplund. At the end of the 20th century, several monographs called attention to his work in the architectural community, and it became a point of reference beyond the local sphere. Today he is widely recognised as a designer, and some of the designs that were initially attributed to Asplund are now considered under shared authorship.
The flower kiosk for the Eastern Cemetery in the city of Malmö was part of a commission to provide a new entrance and parking area for a funerary complex, a project that Lewerentz took on at a very advanced age.
The result is a simple small concrete box, with an inclined sheet metal roof, which extends beyond the volume of the building creating a narrow outdoor porch. As for its architectural resolution, the imaginative details of the constructive elements stand out, especially the windows and doors. The windowpanes are flush on the outside with the concrete walls – which are formed by two separate panels with insulation between them – without any frames; they are simply kept in place by two metal clips on each side and sealed with putty around the edges. Air circulation in the interior is achieved through the two doors, which are strategically placed to ensure cross ventilation. The eaves keep the sun off the display window, set at a height – under 1.5 meters – that cuts off views from the inside out to the street.
The interior is characterised by details typical of Lewerentz’s designs, some of which were later picked up by other architects, such as the expressive use of building services elements against bare concrete surfaces.
Sweden
Scheelegatan 38 F
Skåne (County), Malmö Municipality and Burlöv Municipality 213 64 Malmö