In this innovative study, Nelo Magalhães asserts that ubiquitous use of concrete is a severe symptom of late-stage capitalism.

After World War II, thousands of miles of road sprouted from the land to support the intensified traffic and link urban areas to industrial, maritime, airport zones as well as power plants and tourist areas. This was the start of a "Great Acceleration" that turned the production of space upside down. Though the damage was soon felt in the very air we breathe, the frenzy for cement paving has not let up: we must tirelessly extend this infrastructure though it devours acres of land and public funds. Even as controversies multiply over the teamster model and the concrete industry, this book identifies a few key fixtures that make the entire structure so burdensome. A prerequisite for rethinking our built environment from a lighter point of view.