Yergan x Boral | FutureBuild 2026

We’re incredibly proud to have partnered with Boral Concrete for FutureBuild Sydney 2026 at ICC Sydney.

Boral engaged Yergan to design and construct an exhibition display that would showcase their products in a way that felt immersive, interactive and transportable. The brief for the project centred around three key elements – the display needed to be modular, transportable and engaging for visitors walking through the event space. What made this project particularly challenging was the timeframe. From the initial engagement through to opening day at FutureBuild, the entire display was designed, fabricated in South Australia, freighted interstate and constructed onsite in just seven weeks. The project began in our South Australian workshop with concept drawings, formwork construction and fabrication. Every concrete element featured throughout the display was formed, poured and finished by our team before being packed onto eight pallets and transported to Sydney.

One of the most exciting parts of this project was the opportunity to work with materials and finishes we hadn’t previously used before. Throughout the build, the team explored a wide range of Boral products and applications, including Colori® coloured concrete, ENVISIA® low carbon concrete, Exposé® exposed aggregate concrete, ENVIROCRETE® recycled glass concrete, Permcon permeable concrete, calcined clay concrete and recycled asphalt. It was incredibly rewarding to see these materials come together within a single installation, each contributing a different texture, finish and level of interaction throughout the display.

Working within winter conditions in South Australia also created another challenge for the team, with some of the concrete taking much longer to cure and set than initially anticipated. With such a short turnaround, timing became critical throughout the construction process.

At the centre of the display sat two custom concrete “jelly bean” benches, surrounded by decorative steppers featuring coloured concrete, permeable concrete, exposed aggregate and asphalt finishes. Framing the space were two matching concrete podiums, each featuring a large arched opening through the centre. These became a major feature within the display and were used as mix-and-match sample tables where visitors could interact with and explore Boral’s material palette firsthand. Two concrete planters softened the space with layered planting, while coloured concrete obelisks and stools were scattered throughout either side of the stepping areas to create movement and encourage people to pause and interact with the installation. The planting palette combined native and Mediterranean-inspired species to bring softness and texture to the display. Feature Backhousia citriodora (Lemon Myrtle) trees were layered amongst Miscanthus sinensis ‘Yakushima Dwarf’, Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ and a mix of structural planting throughout the space.

Once construction was complete, the concrete elements and planting were freighted from SA to NSW. Originally allocated two days onsite for installation, transport delays reduced the build timeframe down to just one day. Despite the pressure, the display came together through an enormous team effort from Jason and Tahlia, working alongside Susan from Boral. This project would not have been possible without the incredible effort of the entire Yergan team. We’re incredibly proud of the amount of hard work, creativity and care that went into every stage of the build. A particular credit goes to Janek, who played a major role in constructing the formwork, leading many of the concrete pours and completing a large portion of the burnished finishes throughout the project.

We’re incredibly grateful to Boral for the opportunity to collaborate on such a unique and innovative project, and to the many suppliers, nurseries, drivers and logistics teams who helped bring the installation to life.

Photography: Tahlia Webster