Original version

BBC World Service East Asia

The Forum

Documentaries

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

The programme that explains the present by exploring the past

The programme that explains the present by exploring the past.

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

The Forum: Concrete: Foundation of the modern world

Discussion & Talk

The ceiling of the Pantheon in Rome is an example of Roman concrete construction. (Getty Images)

15/10/2016 GMT

Concrete: Foundation of the modern world

BBC World Service - The Forum, Concrete: Foundation of the modern world

How concrete has evolved from Roman bridges and amphitheatres to gigantic, modern, engineering projects.

It has been around since before 6,000BC, the Ancient Egyptians used a version of it and so did the Romans. Nowadays it is the most common man-made building material in the world, used for some of the planet's biggest engineering projects - and some of the smallest. It has not always been loved by the public but architects and designers see both practicality and beauty. There is also an environmental issue - the production of concrete has a major environmental impact. So what of its future? Bridget Kendall explores concrete with architect Anupama Kundoo, design critic and writer Stephen Bayley and engineer and scientist professor Paulo Monteiro.

(Photo: The ceiling of the Pantheon in Rome is an example of Roman concrete construction. Credit: Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Forum

Concrete: Foundation of the modern world

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service East Asia

About BBC World Service