Fair-FacedConcrete
Concrete designed and cast to remain bare, without plasters or cladding. Transforms the load-bearing structure into the building's definitive skin, where colour, grain and formwork impressions become pure aesthetic expression.
The formwork acts as a true mould. Result quality depends on the absence of trapped air and aggregate particle size at the interface.
Fair-faced concrete transforms the raw structure into a prestigious finish. Having become the symbol of Brutalism, today it is a material of high aesthetic engineering that tolerates no site errors: once the formwork is removed, the work is final.
The visual result depends entirely on the formwork and the release agent used. Phenolic panels yield very smooth surfaces; rough boarding transfers grain and knots; single-use elastomeric matrices allow 3D textures to be imprinted. Calibrated application of the release agent prevents tearing and chemical staining. Fundamental rule: never carry out a fair-faced pour without first producing a 1:1 scale sample wall (mock-up).
To avoid defects such as honeycombing (gravel nests) or trapped air bubbles, a reduced maximum aggregate diameter is preferred, along with the use of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC): extremely fluid, it fills the formwork while expelling air without mechanical vibration, perfectly copying the matrix details. In architectural concrete, the cost of the material accounts for only 20-30% of the final result.
Standards
European and international references applicable.
Physical properties
Usage environment
Apply calibrated release agent to prevent tearing and chemical burns. Seal the surface at maturation with silane-siloxane impregnants (transparent, colour-neutral) to make the wall water-repellent against smog, acid rain and graffiti.
Documented applications
TAV. DMonumental facades
Load-bearing walls for museums, churches and public architecture with strong Brutalist character.
Exposed infrastructure
Viaduct piers, retaining walls and bridge abutments realised with structured matrices.
Interior design
Monolithic partition walls and stairwells left bare inside lofts and contemporary offices.
Exposed aggregate (washed)
Horizontal surfaces treated with surface deactivator to expose washed round aggregates.
Visual Surface Quality Achievable (by formwork type)
TAV. EThe achievable visual quality depends entirely on formwork type and release agent calibration. Material cost (cement, aggregates) accounts for only 20-30% of the final result: most budget is absorbed by formwork engineering, concealed tie cones and skilled craftsmanship. Mock-up 1:1 is always mandatory.
Operational documents from this sheet
Specification clauses, site checklists and compliance dossiers generated from the graph — and kept in sync when a cited norm changes. Join the waiting list.
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