Concrete and Steel as Form-givers in Art, Architecture and Engineering

Abstract

This paper contains selected sculptures and structures in the fields of Art, Architecture and Engineering, where concrete and steel have been used to express outstanding and evocative forms. The aim of this paper is to highlight how concrete and steel have been used to create forms and landmarks in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, that appease the senses of observers. They are the results of how artists, architects and engineers used concrete and steel to create forms in their areas of expertise. This study was achieved by studying existing artworks and structures to highlight their design elements. The paper is structured as follows: Introduction, Literature Review, Case Studies (with Discussions), Recommendations, Conclusion and References. It reviewed literature on works of concrete and steel, with examples from famous artists, architects and engineers around the world. The research methodology was based on visual survey and the internet, with appropriate case studies on the subjectmatter. The tools employed in the study are working drawings, measuring instruments and the android camera. The paper made two (2) studies of art works from the Department of Fine Arts and two (2) other architectural/engineering works – one from the Department of Architecture and the other from the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), all in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. It concludes that concrete and steel have unique qualities and properties that assist artists, architects and engineers in achieving specific forms.