The recent Concrete Institute of Australia biennial national conference Concrete 2023 was held in Perth and was attended by a wealth of International and National concrete practitioners, designers, suppliers and afficianandos. The conference was a fantastic event, showcasing the advances and diversity of concrete technology in Australia with a specific focus on moving the material forward into a new sustainable age.
Dr Anthea Airey (Associate Director for Science) of Airey Taylor Consulting was there in full colours! She attended the conference and chaired several sessions on Durability and Sustainability, as well as presenting her paper on the adaptive re-use of a Heritage listed building in Hay Street, Perth. Prior to the conference she also acted as one of the official judges for many of the Academic papers submitted for the Concrete Institute of Australia Concrete PhD Research Award; helping the National Award be selected for 2023. Many congratulations to Dr Ravendran (Arun) Arunothayan of Swinburne University of Technology for his thesis : “Investigation of Ultra High Performance Concrete for 3D Construction Printing.”
This theme of 3d construction printing carried over to the Excellence Awards; with the National Award winner for Innovation and Technology, the First 3D-Printed Concrete Building – Contour 3D submitted by Contour 3D, Ali Kashani, UNSW and Group Architects. This technology (while in its infancy) has the capacity to completely change the landscape of the construction industry and potentially help solve our nation’s housing crisis. More details about the Awards winners (both State and National) are here.
While our 2023 WA winner of the Innovation and Technology category, Koora-Yeye-Boordawan-Kalyakoorl sculpture and Entry Statement, Wadjemup (Rottnest Island) did not win the National award, we were honoured by the project featuring on the National Concrete in Australia magazine supplied to all conference attendants and Concrete Institute members around Australia. Several attendees took the daytrip over to Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) to view the astonishing project and take in the sights. Once again, we’d like to thank the Rottnest Island Authority (RIA), artists Jahne Rees + Sharon Egan, SCAPE-ism fabricators, Mateenbar and BGC concrete for the opportunity to colloborate and create this monument of national significance using the best technology available for concrete durabillity.
Congratulations to all Concrete Institute of Australia members and administrators for a very successful conference that will be talked about for years to come.
