The World According to Concrete, a book about the world of the Amsterdam design firm Concrete, will be published on 15 June.

In addition to a detailed overview of the firm’s most important projects, The World According to Concrete provides insight into the vision, the working method, the commitment and the sources of inspiration upon which the various projects are based. The thinking behind Concrete’s work is discussed and put in perspective by authors from diverse disciplines. They highlight various aspects of Concrete’s work, such as designing for commercial spaces and nightlife venues, the experience and emotional aspects of commercial environments, branding and the leading role interior design is now playing in the development of plans and the debate within architecture.

Motivations and sources of inspiration are portrayed by established and up-and-coming artists and photographers, including Erwin Olaf, Joachim Baan, Mr Pen, Fritz Kok, Marc Räder, Damien Hirst, Tom Sachs and Wim Schermer.

In imitation of Concrete’s discipline-transcending outlook, the publication also strives to function as a medium that transcends disciplines. On the one hand it is a traditional book, yet at the same time the book is conceived like a magazine, in which flashes and fragments and moments of inspiration are given a place. To achieve this, Concrete challenged two unconventional design firms - Thonik and …,staat - to produce this as a joint effort. This collaboration has resulted in a unique publication, in which the designers have designed a book within a book, the same way Concrete designs a space within a space.

Concrete is one of the most innovative agencies of the moment and has acquired worldwide fame for its startling interior designs for the nightclub/restaurant Supperclub (Amsterdam, Cruise, Rome, San Francisco, Bodrum, Istanbul), the De Lairesse pharmacy (Amsterdam), most recently the restaurants and shops of the Mercedes Benz Museum (Stuttgart) and the bank shops for Hyundai in Seoul, among others.

The result is a stimulating work of reference, a book that opens eyes, extends beyond familiar disciplinary boundaries and thus primarily provides food for thought rather than answers.
The World According to Concrete
Aaron Betsky, Raphael van Amerongen, Guus Beumer, Pieter Desmet, Timo de Rijk, Marcel Wijnstekers, Timo de Rijk (ed.)

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