If one were to ask 100 people what their least favourite building material was, a majority would probably say concrete. There’s a couple of possible reasons for this general antipathy towards concrete. Firstly, it’s so damn grey, and grey is arguably the most miserable and least inspiring colour there is. Secondly, concrete is inextricably linked with the looming, oppressive edifices of Brutalist architecture — not the everyday-man’s cup of tea.

David Chipperfield, Joachimstrasse
© Simon Menges

Hospitals, schools, prisons. Places we don’t generally want to be, all concrete by default. And yet those most celebrated of builders, the Romans, were the foremost exponents of concrete construction, and you won’t hear anyone pouring scorn on their public buildings and monuments. The Pantheon’s dome? Concrete. The Colosseum? Largely concrete.

There are plenty of amazing modern buildings that make great use of concrete, too. The outstandingly adaptable material has been used in recent times by world-leading architects such as Zaha Hadid and Herzog & de Meuron, and up-and-coming names who are finding new ways to manipulate and sculpt the “liquid stone”. 100 Contemporary Concrete Buildings is an appropriately weighty two-volume tome from TASCHEN, selecting the best examples from across the world. This giant publication includes photographs, architect biographies and architectural drawings on each of the selected buildings. Guaranteed to put a welcome strain on your coffee table.

@TASCHENBooks

studio mk27, MiCasa Vol. B
© Nelson Kon and Fran Parente

Chiaki Arai, Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Chiaki Arai

Zaha Hadid, Pierresvives
© Iwan Baan

Tadao Ando, Roberto Garza Sada Center for Arts, Architecture and Design
© Shigeo Ogawa

Reiulf Ramstad, Selvika National Tourist Route
© Jiri Havran

BNKR, Sunset Chapel
© Estaban Suarez

Bing Thom, Surrey City Center Library
© Nic Lehoux

UNStudio, Ardmore Residence
© Pontiac Land Group

Lucio Morini + GGMPU, Bicentennial Civic Center
© Leonardo Finotti