We’ve got a lot of “waffles” in the library here at Wentworth, as part of the ever-present Brutalist/mid-century modern style of Beatty Hall. Just look up, you’ll likely see a waffle slab.

The grid-like pattern of the waffle slabs is a design element from the building’s original plans, perhaps for sound-proofing, or simply as an economical way to construct the building’s ceilings.

Perkins + Will is highlighting the waffle slab in the best possible way – visible high atop the open ceiling in the main part of the library, but surrounded by a perforated metal scrim to create a clean visual line while hiding pipes and such. The perforated metal will likely have a subtle, much smaller waffle-esque pattern, echoing the building’s original components. With new LED lighting to draw the eye just so, the metal scrim will appear to be a floating translucent edge atop the library space.

Concrete waffle slabs are part of the history of concrete usage in building construction, as well as in the mid-century modern/Brutalist architectural designs common when Beatty Hall was built in the mid-1960’s.

We’ve put together a list of some of the many library resources available on the topics of concrete construction, design, and Brutalist architecture to get you inspired like we are here in the library!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

• Benjamin, B. S.  “Shuttering.” Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, accessed January 26, 2016, from Grove Art Online.
• Engelsmann, Stephan, Stefan Peters, Valerie Spalding, et al. 2014. Designing structures withstructural concrete. In Modern Concrete Construction Manual, 70-105. Berlin, Boston: DEGRUYTER. Retrieved 26 Jan. 2016, from De Gruyter.
• Forty, Adrian. Concrete and Culture : A Material History. London, GBR: Reaktion Books, 2012. Accessed January 26, 2016. ProQuest ebrary.
• Pasnik, Mark. Heroic: Concrete Architecture and the New Boston 1960-1976. New York, NY: Monacelli Press, 2015. WENTWORTH FACULTY!!
• Roth, Manuela. Concrete : architecture & design. Salenstein, Switzerland: Braun, 2012.
• Hall, William. Concrete. London: Phaidon, 2012.