The city is not just about rushing, but also about the art of slowing down

The urban public space does not necessarily have to represent just haste, noise, and necessary travel; on the contrary, it should offer enough stimuli for stopping, resting, playing, and simple interpersonal contact. For this purpose, coherent systems of urban furniture serve, which can ease architects' work, allowing them not to design individual and expensive solutions. In this regard, concrete has proven to be a durable construction material, astonishing generations of builders with its properties.

The history of concrete dates back far into our past. The Romans began to use it on a larger scale as early as the second century BC. The so-called Roman concrete had excellent properties, as evidenced by many structures from that time that have survived to the present. Thanks to it, the Romans created a number of significant engineering constructions, bridges, dams, and aqueducts. Today's concrete also features a long lifespan, but only provided that certain rules are followed during its production. Its main component is Portland cement, along with aggregates and, of course, water, which merely scratches the surface of the list of ingredients. To improve the quality and final properties of the products, manufacturers also add a range of other additives to concrete mixtures.

Outdoor Equipment for a More Comfortable Life in Cities

Concrete is most valued for its durability and resistance, both in compression and tension (in the case of reinforced structures). With the proper manufacturing process, concrete can resist changing weather and temperature fluctuations over long periods, as well as harsh treatment. These properties are absolutely essential for urban furniture, not only because it is outdoor equipment but also due to its frequent subject to vandalism.
The Czech company Presbeton has several types of coherent series of furniture in its portfolio, ranging from conservative to freely combinable modern sets. Among the most interesting in this segment is certainly the H-E-X system, which is inspired directly by the hexagonal geometry of basalt column formations. The system includes not only atypical hexagonal tiles but also benches, seats, flower pots, tables, bicycle stands, trash cans, dividing bollards, and lighting fixtures.


Another system intended for the conceptual cultivation of urban environments in streets, pedestrian zones, squares, corporate areas, or parks is the G-ROW series. It can be applied in a conventional way as individual finished products (such as benches, bicycle stands, flower pots, etc.) or as freely combinable sets. Due to the identical footprint module of the base (800 × 800 mm), the individual elements contained in the basic products can be interconnected and assembled into shape and functionally different forms.
It is also impossible to overlook the Modern series, whose shapes derive from the simplest geometric shapes, which refresh spaces around both new and historical developments. The system includes benches, tables, flower pots, and trash cans, as well as smooth concrete blocks, which can be used either as seats or as elements encouraging play – for example, in skateparks and playgrounds.

Impregnation for Easier Maintenance

Some products are already provided with additional impregnation during production. The company Presbeton, which offers one of the widest ranges of finished concrete products in our country, applies three types of additional impregnation to selected products (for subsequently easier maintenance and cleaning). The most basic, Protect System IN, is created by adding an active substance to the concrete mixture, thereby minimizing the absorbency of the final product throughout its volume. The other two variants – Protect System TOP and Perfect Clean TOP (PCT) – seal the surface of the product from the outside. The PCT impregnation is ensured by spraying a special composite substance that is subsequently cured by radiation and high temperature. In addition to maximum durability, which goes hand in hand with the idea of sustainability, the manufacturers themselves are involved in recycling waste concrete and reintegrating it back into production.

Text by Petra Kutinová
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www.presbeton.cz