Red Dot Gala: Product Design 2025 Start Livestream: 8 July, 5:45 pm (CEST)
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Building Element

Nagare Curved Retaining Walls

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The Perfect Wave

With its gentle contours, Nagare blends seamlessly into its surroundings, offering both structure and support. These functional retaining walls, made from concrete, follow the natural flow of the landscape – merging with it, yet standing out with striking clarity. The material’s understated aesthetic is central to Nagare’s appeal, showing that even ordinary concrete can be sculpted into a design statement. Tailored for a wide range of applications, the retaining elements are prefabricated with precision and efficiency in reusable steel moulds. Each unit is cast to perfection in minimal time with virtually no manual intervention – reducing both cost and waste. Locally sourced raw materials and an optimised concrete blend with a lower cement content further underscore the product’s eco credentials. The result is reminiscent of the terraced rice fields of Japan, which also served as functional inspiration for the design team. The flowing lines promote biodiversity, optimise water drainage and enhance soil quality. In addition, the curves’ radii are scaled across different heights of the elements, allowing seamless transitions and a harmonious, elegant overall look. The jury was equally impressed: “Nagare has a poetic appeal. The precast concrete elements offer a surprising diversity of landscape shapes. They are flexible, easy to install and universally scalable.” Seamless integration into both rural and urban environments was especially important to the designers: “In infrastructure and public space, functionality often dominates aesthetics. But we believe the two should go hand in hand.” With thoughtful planning, these retaining wall elements become a natural part of their environment, embodying their Japanese name – which translates as “flow”, “current” or “movement”. “Nagare proves that intelligent design can elevate even the most utilitarian elements of our environment. It is a calm, confident answer to a complex challenge – and one that deserves recognition for its subtle brilliance,” the jury concluded.

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