Another action to foster the social appreciation of concrete heritage and let people know more about it has been the 100 from the 20^th selection, a selection of 100 relevant examples of 20^th Century concrete buildings that span the 28 European Union countries. This selection process was coordinated by Fundación DOCOMOMO Ibérico, with the collaboration of ICOMOS, Instituto Eduardo Torroja-CSIC, and the University of Lodz. TECHEDGE, the project’s technological partner, has designed and developed the website and is managing it.

This database compiles 100 exemplary constructions, not in the interest of establishing a definitive list in terms of importance or relevance, but with the aim of drawing attention to a series of aspects highlighted by how the selection is organized. All the elements on the list are outstanding examples of 20th-century architecture and engineering, either from a technical, social and/or aesthetic point of view. As a whole, they reflect innovative aspects in the use of the material or structural techniques, as well as methods and construction details tied into the evolution of the use of concrete. They often exemplify uses and typologies that were fundamental to the social, cultural and economic development of their time, and they are significant in the history of architecture and engineering in the context of wider currents and architectural innovations during the 20th century. In addition, the varied state of the constructions’ current conservation is a reflection of how exposed concrete ages over time, of the problems associated with its conservation, and its perception by society.

INNOVACONCRETE partners decided to put this selection online, giving the opportunity to the public to exploit this selection and sharing its contents. The online platform in the form of a website is open and compatible with mobile devices (Android or iOS). It contains all 100 examples, serving as a repository and as a database. The search engine allows for its use intuitively or via specialized searches focused on specific aspects: special attention has been paid to the ease of navigation so that elements can be grouped by geographical searches – using a map – or according to relevant aspects related to concrete technology, building typology, designer, etc. The database also includes a description of each building and an image bank, as well as a map for easy localization.

The content was selected to be of interest to specialists and researchers, as well as to the general public, always with an informative intent. For each of the buildings, there is a description of heritage and technical aspects, with special attention to concrete technologies. In that vein, to support comprehension, the website also includes an illustrated glossary – using non-specialized language – which defines a series of technological and constructive aspects and uses related to concrete.

The website was officially launched on September 30^th , 2019 at the Viking Ship Hall of Roskilde (Denmark), a representative building of the 20^th Century architecture at risk to be demolished because of a low public understanding of the modern concrete architecture. Raising awareness and communicating that there is an international movement towards a more respectful attitude to historic concrete that opens up for new and sustainable solutions to concrete conservation was the aim of this press conference.

The website “100 from the 20^th” is linked to the InnovaConcrete project website and it is visible at https://100of20.innovaconcrete.eu/