Famous Concrete Structures: Why Britain Chose Concrete

Walk through any city or town in the UK, and you will almost certainly come across a wide range of concrete structures. 

In fact, concrete is so readily used in all construction projects that, for most of us, it probably fades into the background and we barely notice it.

Here in the UK, concrete is the most commonly used material and in this article, the Chorley Concrete team will take a look at some of the country’s most famous concrete structures.

Why Britain Chose Concrete

Concrete is the most frequently used man-made material on the planet, with water the only resource that is utilised more.

With this in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise that Britain, along with many nations around the world, has embraced concrete wholeheartedly. 

Concrete has a rich history, and it was the Romans who first used the material the way we think of it today all the way back in the 5th Century. However, following the fall of the Roman Empire it actually took hundreds of years for concrete to have a resurgence which occurred in the 18th Century. 

The Industrial Revolution spurred an urge for a fire-resistant material to be used when constructing mills and factories and concrete was the obvious choice. 

In 1892, French inventor Francois Hennebique introduced a reinforced concrete system to the world and it quickly became the most commonly used here in Britain. 

The first concrete structure to use this technique was Weaver’s Mill in Swansea and concrete has become a staple of the construction industry ever since.

Concrete Structures

In modern times, concrete continues to be used to build a wide range of structures in both domestic and commercial environments.

Let’s take a look at some of Britain’s most famous concrete structures:

Southbank Centre, London

The Southbank Centre in Central London is a complex of artistic venues that can be found on the banks of the River Thames. Millions of people visit the various venues each year including the likes of the Royal Festival Hall, the National Poetry Library, and the Queen Elizabeth Hall. All of the Southbank venues were built with concrete and have become iconic in the capital’s creative arts scene. And, in the 1960s, an elevated concrete walkway system was built that connects the Royal Festival Hall with the Shell Centre.

National Theatre, London

The National Theatre in London is perhaps the country’s most iconic concrete structure that is famed for its bold design. It includes brutalist elements like block-formed balconies. 

Opened in 1976, some of the world’s most famous stars have performed at the venue and its unique, concrete appearance has seen it become a sight-seeing attraction in its own right.

Centre Point, London

The Centre Point skyscraper in central London is more than 30 storeys tall and features shops, offices and a variety of retail spaces. When it was first built in the 1960s, the concrete structure represented hope and optimism as London recovered from its run-down, post-war state.

Modernist in architectural style, it was one of London’s first skyscrapers and was refurbished in 2010. The concrete in the design has been used in a way that gives it a unique, honeycomb look through a tessellated facade.

At Chorley Concrete, we regularly supply domestic and commercial customers with a wide range of concrete products. This includes ready-mix concrete, volumetric concrete and much more. Serving Wigan, Chorley, Preston, Warrington and the surrounding areas, get in touch with our team today to find out more.