Inflatable concrete shelter concept (image courtesy: Concrete Canvas)Industrial designers and business partners Peter Brewin and William Crawford discuss their journey to produce concrete shelters for disaster zones with Rupal Mehta.

The small railway station of Treforest Estate, 14km northwest of Cardiff, UK, where I was met by Peter Brewin, gave the illusion of a tranquil countryside village where not much happened. But as we drove up to Treforest Industrial Estate, I realised that Brewin, Co-Managing Director of Concrete Canvas Ltd, was not exaggerating when he said the team was busy.

A vast factory space, drilling in the background, machinery and a full-scale prototype greeted me as I arrived at the hub of operations. Far removed from a sleek design studio, the next phase in the Concrete Canvas chapter is all about getting their hands dirty.

‘We are putting together the production line for our concrete cloth,’ explained Brewin, as he led me into a room that is being refurbished for office space. He and his business partner, William Crawford, met at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London, UK, in 2005, where they completed a postgraduate industrial design course. There, they conceived the Concrete Canvas, a rapidly deployable hardened shelter that only requires water and air for construction and has a design life of a decade (see box overleaf). It is intended to provide greater environmental protection and durability than the tents currently used to house people during emergencies/disasters.

Both men attended the RCA with engineering undergraduate degrees and the clear vision of running their own businesses. ‘After studying at Bristol University, [UK], I got a place on a graduate scheme with a multinational, GKN,’ explains Crawford. ‘It was a great experience. But having worked for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) before university, I realised that working for a big corporation was not satisfying. In a large engineering company, you don’t have oversight of the whole project and are not in the position to implement your own ideas. I saw going to the RCA as a way of applying my engineering skills and taking it forward into my own business.’

Brewin echoes this view. ‘In a big firm, if you want to spend money, you have to prepare reports and convince a chain of managers before you get anything done. We sit down and argue it out between the two of us. You don’t have to explain it three times in Chinese whispers!’

Competitive sport

Brewin and Crawford collaborated on a number of projects at the RCA, gaining a better understanding of the total product solution.

The Concrete Canvas concept grew out of their somewhat unusual approach to design – by entering around 16 student design competitions to help conceive and fund their ideas. One of the first contests they entered was the British Cement Association’s award for innovative use of concrete. Crawford says, ‘It was all about the material’s properties. Concrete is strong in compression and it sets when you add water, so we thought about other shapes in nature that are good in compression – we tried to recreate spheres and eggshells.’ Eventually they came up with the idea to use inflation as a framework for compressive concrete forms.

The personal touch

Armed with a product design and their winnings from the competition, they went to Uganda to complete vital market research. Brewin explains, ‘The earlier in the process you are, the less scientific it is. The real skill for industrial designers is to carry out the feasibility studies effectively. But there’s no point testing the technical feasibility if there is no market for it. We talked to a lot of NGOs and found that emergency shelter has been an ongoing problem. Also [Crawford’s] background with the MOD helped us to consider military uses.’

Although the canvas is a more functional design, the course at the RCA gave them an understanding of the importance of aesthetics and ergonomics. Brewin adds, ‘We have thought about how the user will interact with it. We have made the structure pale on the inside so it appears larger and less claustrophobic. It is about making a coherent product in terms of style and how it communicates its function.’

The science bit

The resulting concrete cloth for the shelter has been several years in development. The material is a 3D fibre matrix containing a specially formulated dry concrete mix. A PVC backing on one side ensures it is waterproof, while hydrophilic fibres on the opposite surface aid hydration by drawing water into the cement. Once hydrated, the cloth is flexible for four hours, and can be easily nailed, stapled, or coated with an adhesive before setting.

‘We tend to work in a practical way in terms of prototyping, trying out different materials, weaves and cements, and combining them with different processes,’ explains Crawford. ‘We spoke to materials experts to discuss ideas and what problems could occur.’

They now foresee a range of other applications for the cloth beyond the canvas, including roof repair, rapid roadways and use in water tanks and flood defences. Brewin says, ‘You can put the cloth down anywhere and spray it and set it, and then you have a concrete surface that is fibre reinforced. It’s very hard and fireproof, and the fibres hold the material together even if it’s damaged. We’ve put it down on sand to make a track and driven an eight tonne forklift on it!’

Close to market, the material is being scaled up, while the shelter is about eight months away from volume production. Commercially, the team at Treforest already has NGOs on board, and is now looking to build additional industry contacts. The Royal Engineers have already conducted ballistic-resistance trials using the material.

Down to business

With the view that the next five years, at least, are to be dominated by all things concrete, Brewin and Crawford have extended their repertoire beyond design and engineering to the murky and complex world of industrial production, legalese, budgets and management, and they appear to love every minute of it.

Once again, student competitions have stood them in good stead. Brewin says, ‘We entered a lot of business plan competitions and we got mentoring as a result. It forced us to learn and think about our intellectual property (IP), if our IP costings were too low, our annuity payments, and the nuts and bolts of raising funds. It helps you identify the gaps.

‘Also it’s good experience as it’s competitive and equips you to deal with people in industry who may criticise your designs. There was credibility for our CV and the cash allowed us to pay the rent and set up our company.’

This strategic approach continues as they have gleaned advice from lawyers, accountants and recruitment consultants among their friends, and continue to build their empire, having enlisted three people to their team in the past year. ‘It’s a huge learning curve, but it’s great fun. The production line is completely bespoke. We built about 1,500 prototypes!’ says Crawford.

With funding from the Welsh Assembly, a good factory space and ports nearby, commercially, the location is ideal. But the key to their ongoing enthusiasm appears to be the right work-life balance. They are adamant that weekends are their own to take advantage of the serene surroundings and the proximity to Cardiff. ‘We are both outdoor people,’ says Brewin. ‘If you work too hard, you get to the stage where you hate your work. Remember why you set up your own business in the first place.’

Further information:

Concrete Canvas Ltd
Royal College of Art