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As part of an experimental urban furniture project in Chemnitz, a sculptural concrete seating element in the shape of a “C” was realized using carbon-reinforced concrete. The project was initiated and executed in collaboration with Medicke, who manufactured the concrete element and integrated carbon reinforcement into the prefabricated component.

Research and development support was provided by the Technische Universität Chemnitz, while the recyclable cardboard formwork was developed together with Richter & Heß Verpackungen.

Reinforcement Concept

For the concrete structure, solidian GRID Carbon was used as internal, non-corrosive reinforcement.

Carbon grid reinforcement enables slim concrete geometries and surface-near placement while ensuring controlled crack behavior. This made it particularly suitable for a curved, exposed concrete element with high demands on durability and visual quality.

Special Project Aspects

A distinctive aspect of the project was the use of a recyclable cardboard formwork system tailored specifically to the geometry of the seating element.

In combination with carbon reinforcement, this approach enabled an efficient production process with very low material and resource input, making it suitable for one-off elements and experimental applications.

Result

The finished seating element demonstrates how carbon-reinforced concrete can be applied in prefabrication to realize expressive architectural forms with reduced material thickness and long-term durability.

The reinforcement does not imprint on the concrete surface, underlining the suitability of textile reinforcement for high-quality architectural concrete applications.