Igneous: Sculpting Spaces with Polyconcrete
Lightweight, durable polyconcrete empowers designers to create sculptural, low-maintenance forms that enhance public spaces, leisure destinations, and commercial environments.
Igneous Concrete has evolved substantially over the past 15 years, developing an extensive range of lightweight polyconcrete seating furniture, pots and planters, public space installations and paneling. This forms the backbone of its standard catalogue. The resin-based polyconcrete, originally conceived to provide a moveable yet substantially weighted, weather resistant and water repellent material, has been shaped and refined to suit luxury leisure destinations, commercial and retail centres across South Africa, as well as significant open public spaces including major new government head offices.
Over the years, this material has allowed architects and designers far greater freedom in creating sculptural forms and organic silhouettes that traditional concrete cannot achieve. The lightweight but durable nature of polyconcrete enables expansive and elegant shapes without compromising stability, while its UV resistance and low maintenance properties have made it a preferred choice for long term public realm installations. This combination of material intelligence and design versatility continues to elevate Igneous Concrete’ s role in placemaking projects across the region.
The company recently completed its largest custom designed project. This multi level exposed rooftop installation in Cape Town included custom planters with integrated modular seating, water troughs, bamboo inlays, extension table tops, benches and paneling that concealed essential drainage infrastructure. For practicality, the system incorporated built in electrical points for lighting, pre programmed irrigation, drainage and water supply. All components were connected through the planter bench assemblies, creating an under deck mechanism that supports both in planter and vertical wall gardens. The reduced weight of polyconcrete offered significant benefits for craneage
and placement on site, particularly where troughs and planters carried large volumes of water and planting, while also reducing the possibility of leakage.
Igneous Concrete’ s export footprint has steadily expanded, with completed projects across West, East and Southern Africa, the Indian Ocean islands and the UAE. As a result, the company’ s logistics capabilities have grown to support wider operations across the continent, enabling new collaborations with South African clients as well as architects, designers and specifiers in individual countries. Ownership of in house CNC technology provides further opportunities for customisation, including mixed material inlays, lighting and other practical requirements. The quality and longevity of the company’ s material and workmanship remain central to its reputation, supporting continued expansion in both capability and geographic reach.
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