Refashioning Concrete

A beautifully photographed book on the cutting edge Chinese design firm Bentu, known for their attention to sustainability, reusability, and usage.

Bentu is an award-winning, cutting-edge Chinese design company founded in 2011. It is known for innovative and engaged product and lighting design and manufacturing, with an emphasis on day-to-day functionality and attention to raw materials. The design teams have experimented extensively with the detritus of industry, including concrete, ceramic, metal and plastic pipes, and terrazzo.

In this beautifully photographed book, the evolution of a product is shown, more than told. A stunning series of photos of raw materials and work sites follows the process from beginning to end, creating a visual storyline of environmental impact, innovative design, sustainability, reusability, local sourcing, and usage.

Auteur
Xu Gang is the design director of Bentu. As part of the founding team, Xu Gang has led designers in material research and product design. His focus has been on sustainability, and on finding ways for the normal waste of the industrial age to re-enter everyday life in the form of well-designed furniture and fixtures. Bentu has won numerous awards, including the Best of the Best at the Red Dot Awards.