Concrete

Gerry Quinn · 29 Oct 2010, 22:04 · from 2010-October.txt.gz

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From: gerryq at indigo.ie (Gerry Quinn)
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2010 23:04:24 +0100
Subject: (urth) Concrete
References: <3A4DC20A-3224-499F-95D8-04741C1939AD at butcherbaker.org>
Message-ID: <E34735D14E714A7E90CB3FB87ABB9BBC@jill>


From: <Sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org>
> Concrete.  Is there some reason that I've not yet thought of that would 
> prevent concrete casting from being a viable technology on Urth in Ymar's 
> or Severian's time  It strikes me that concrete casting is a method that 
> humanity would not lose, and I can't think of any reason why it wouldn't 
> be used on Urth.
>
> This came to mind when reading the Innovation comic, where the Oubliette 
> is pictured with medieval stone masonry.  The thought of a spaceport built 
> on walls of rounded stone just seems wrong to me.  No, the citadel would 
> have tons and tons of concrete along with it's unsmeltable metal.

I agree.  Unless some futuristic technology makes it really easy to cut 
perfectly-shaped stone blocks!

(I always liked how in World of Warcraft the blasted fortress of Auchindown 
is seen to be constructed of reinforced concrete - it was a slight surprise 
in a fantasy world but I thought it worked very well.)

- Gerry Quinn

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