Benton Johnson, Structural Engineer and Principal at SOM, joined leading architects, researchers, and writers at the University of Illinois Chicago’s School of Architecture for Concrete Culture—a symposium examining the cultural and technical future of one of the world’s most enduring materials. The closing panel of the two-day event, “What We Might Do,” explored the future of concrete in architecture and urbanism through speculative ideas, emerging technologies, and inventive design. 

In his presentation, Toward Higher Performance: Innovations in Concrete Material Science, Johnson examined how concrete has evolved to enable new approaches to design and construction. Citing SOM’s recent work on 400 Lake Shore and 220 North Ada in Chicago, he illustrated how advancements in material science are allowing structures to reach higher levels of efficiency, performance, and expression.

He also shared SOM’s research that explores the next frontier of concrete innovation. This includes the role of concrete within hybrid systems such as cross-laminated timber (CLT); 3D printing research with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop new structural applications; and SOM’s collaboration with Prometheus Materials to create bio-concrete, an algae-based alternative to traditional cement. Together, these investigations demonstrate how rethinking material chemistry and construction techniques can dramatically reduce embodied carbon and open new architectural possibilities.

Hosted by UIC’s School of Architecture, Concrete Culture convened experts from across disciplines to consider the role of the material in shaping society and its impact on our shared future. The symposium highlighted how rethinking concrete—culturally, technically, and environmentally—can inform more sustainable and expressive approaches to design in the decades ahead.