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Formwork
BUILDING MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTIONintermediate
Definition
Temporary moulds — usually made of timber, plywood, or steel — into which wet concrete is poured and held until it has cured and gained strength. The quality and design of formwork directly affects the surface finish of exposed concrete. After stripping, the imprint of the formwork often remains visible.
Example
Tadao Ando uses carefully designed plywood formwork to achieve his signature smooth, pin-dotted concrete surfaces, visible in the Church of the Light in Osaka (1989).