Fabric-Formed Concrete Countertop & Wall
Phoenix
2009
Some projects test more than design - they test nerve. The fabric-formed concrete wall and countertop at Green Restaurant in downtown Phoenix was one of those moments. We built the loose fabric forms off-site, hauled them in, and pumped in thousands of pounds of concrete, hoping the fabric would hold. It did. The concrete gods blessed us that day, and the result was an iconic order counter for one of Phoenix’s most beloved vegan restaurants.
The design carried a subtle nod to nature: a beehive motif in the wall, echoing the hexagonal geometry of hives, paired with the restaurant’s focus on health and sustainability. What makes fabric forming with loose fabric extraordinary is the tension it captures - liquid concrete stretching fabric to its limits, creating ripples and wrinkles under thousands of pounds of force. When the fabric is stripped away, those ripples remain as embodied energy, frozen forever into the concrete.
It’s more than a countertop. It’s a story of forces locked in balance. A battle between form and material made visible, and a reminder of the honesty and drama that only concrete can deliver.
Start the Story of Your Space.
Big things begin small. A note, a sketch, a thought - that’s all it takes to set something timeless in motion. Tell us what’s on your mind, and we’ll help it take shape in concrete.