Research and Design Is Changing the Shape of the Material World
Concrete—that gray, monolithic building material—is getting a face-lift. Inventors are reshaping it to do more, last longer and show off. A new kind of “translucent” concrete uses fiber optics to carry light and shadow. New light-sensitive terrazzo flooring can reflect a rainbow of colors. And high-strength concrete placed inside buildings and bridges can flex like hard rubber to dampen earthquake shocks. The possibilities seem endless.
Innovation is infusing other traditional building blocks, such as steel, glass and wood, with renewal, while nanotechnology and “green” building has brought a host of hybrid materials. A heightened interest in building smart, clean and fast is driving this rapid research across the material world.