The Mixer 
Projects Space 1, Tent London 2015
Collaboration: Cemento / Setworkshop / Kate Varner Rieppel / Building BloQs 

‘The Mixer’ is a tectonic and tactile temporary installation sponsored by Cemento for Tent London 2015 Project Spaces that celebrates the work of contemporary concrete creators and the emerging 'concrete revolution'. 

The collaboration takes the form of a bar that encourages ‘punters’ to interact with materials in a hands on way on both a sensory and practical level. The sculptural back bar, envisaged as a cabinet of curiosities for material experimentation, forms a dramatic backdrop for the activities. The layout invites visitors of the ‘bar’ to observe, participate and discuss materials; encouraging and facilitating a better understanding of their potential. 

The Mixer will offer a diversity of regular activities following the theme of material mixology. The bar itself is clad completely in concrete incorporating monolithic rapid-set concrete counter tops by setWorkshop, and faced with bespoke artwork panels combining different textures from the revolutionary concrete product known as ‘Cimento’. 

The sculptural back bar display is fabricated from stacked modules of hand-painted industrial steel rebar. The cellular structure is punctuated with a collection of beautiful slim cast concrete 3D relief tiles created using digitally printed moulds by artist Kate Rieppel. Between the tiles, the cells are curated with an array of material samples, pigments, aggregates and made objects. The Mixer is an engaging and dynamic installation which reveals different views depending on the angle at which it is approached.