Architecture & Environment

Chronos Chromos Concrete

Christopher Glaister, Afshin Mehin, Tomas Rosen, RCA Industrial Design Engineering, 2004

Chronos Chromos Concrete is a system that is able to dynamically display patterns, numbers and text in concrete surfaces. Application could include anything from products for the home to large scale architectural installations.

Chris Glaister, Afshin Mehin, and Tomas Rosen at the Royal College of Art have developed embedded devices which allow graphics, words and numbers to be displayed through concrete.

First, thermochromic ink is mixed with concrete. Second, nickel chromium wires, which heat up when electric current is passed through them, are set beneath the concrete surface. The area above the wire changes colour when a certain temperature is reached. The arrangement of these wires beneath the concrete allows the display of graphics and information.

For further information contact InnovationRCA.