3.2 by 1.2m piece of visual precast concrete with paving slab pattern and a brass inlay of a prehistoric Taktaalik for the Natural history Museum, London

About project

Period: 2024

Client: Carey

Project: Natural History Museum

Design & supply of the visual precast concrete multi-pavers with CNC’d brass inlays, and a exposed aggregate finish.

Result

The multi-pavers fit into the single pavers seamlessly, clearly resembling individual paving slabs; ready to welcome over 5 million people a year.

Purpose

In order for the brass inlays to be a seamless and robust fit, they need to be inset into the mould before concrete was poured.

As the brass was part of a paved pathway the finish had to have continuity with the rest of the paving around.

For the Taktaalik (reptile) piece, it crossed to geological timelines, requiring to separate concrete mixes in the same casting.

Process

At 3.2 by 1.2m, each piece was steel reinforced and fitted with lifting sockets.

A custom form liner was produced from CNC’d templates to produced the paving joint lines and location points for the brass.

Face mixes poured, then back with a stronger, steel reinforced backing mx.

Once cured, the whole surface could be polished as one.

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