Formwork is temporary molds that hold concrete in shape until it cures. Concrete is a liquid when it is placed. It needs a mold to contain it and give it the desired shape. Formwork is that mold. It is made of wood, steel, aluminum, or plastic. It is built to the dimensions of the finished element. It is braced to resist the pressure of the wet concrete. It is oiled so the concrete does not stick. After the concrete cures, the formwork is removed. It is reused many times. In the kitchen, the equivalent is the cake pan. It holds the batter in shape until it bakes. It is the mold. It is the form. It is the formwork of the cake. It is the formwork of the kitchen.

Formwork is a major cost in concrete construction. It can account for 40 to 60 percent of the cost of a concrete structure. The design of the formwork affects the speed, the quality, and the safety of the pour. A well-designed form is strong, stable, and easy to strip. A poorly designed form can blow out, causing a collapse and a dangerous spill of wet concrete. In the kitchen, the cake pan must be the right size. It must be the right shape. It must be greased. It must be lined. It must be sturdy. A poor cake pan leaks. A poor cake pan sticks. A poor cake pan ruins the cake. The formwork is the pan. The pan is the formwork. The same is the same.

Formwork systems come in several types. Traditional timber formwork is built on site for each element. Engineered formwork systems use prefabricated panels that are assembled quickly. Flying forms are large table forms that are lifted by crane from floor to floor. Slip forms move continuously as the concrete is placed. In the kitchen, the cake pan comes in many types. A round pan. A square pan. A loaf pan. A Bundt pan. A springform pan. Each has its own shape. Each has its own use. The formwork is the pan. The pan is the formwork. The formwork is temporary. Its effect is permanent. The cake is the building. The building is the cake. The formwork is the same. The same is the kitchen. The kitchen is the formwork. The formwork is the cook. The cook is the formwork. The formwork is the same. The same is the meal. The meal is the formwork. The formwork is the same.