WINTER 2015 the Brick Architecture

B B R R I I C C K K B B U U L L L L E E T T I I N N

The brick architecture of Kirkland Fraser Moor | First person: Alex Gordon of Jestico & Whiles Masonry masterpieces: 2015 Brick Awards | Satish Jassal Architects in London; SO-IL in New York WINTER 2015 Sutherland Hussey Harris in St Andrews | Acme’s prefabricated ‘pleated’ brick panels in Leeds 2 • BB WINTER 2015 Brick Bulletin winter 2015

contents 4 NEWS/FIRST PERSON New brick projects by Sergison Bates and Herzog &deMeuron; First Person –Alex Gordon of Jestico &Whiles on brick’s ability to harmonise modern interventions with traditional contexts. 6 BRICK AWARDS 2015 Showcase of all 15 category winners. 12 PROJECTS Diego Arraigada Arquitectos, Alma-nac, Feilden Fowles, PollardThomas Edwards, Sutherland Hussey Harris, SO-IL,Make, Satish Jassal Architects, and TDO Architecture. 20 PROFILE David Kirkland discusses Kirkland Fraser Moor’s fascination with clay building products and vernacular design. 26 PRECEDENT Geraint Franklin on HKPA’sHouses for Visiting Mathematicians at the University of Warwick. 28 TECHNICAL The wave-likefacade of Marlies Rohmer’s Sportblok in Groningen, Holland, is constructed from brick-slips. 30 TECHNICAL Prefabricated ‘pleated’ brick panels articulate the exterior of amajor retail-led development in Leeds by Acme. extraordinary from the ordinary The ubiquity of brick means that it is all too easy to overlook its aesthetic qualities, performance benefits and historic importance. Not so David Kirkland of Kirkland Fraser Moor (p20-25), who marvels at the cleverness of being able to takeclay from the ground and, by way of making bricks, produce architecture. Ingenuity is expressed across arange of projectsinthis issue,fromthe expressivebondsofSatishJassal’s Brick House to the wave-like facade of Marlies Rohmer’s Groningen Sportblok,while thewinning projects from the BrickAwards (p6-11) furtherunderline brick’sextraordinariness. Viviane Williams MA, FRSA, Design & Marketing Manager at the BDA

Forfurtherdetailsonthe bricks/pavers in featured projects,please email [email protected] 020 73237030. BDA member companies

AJ Mugridge t+44 (0)1952 586986 www.ajmugridge.co.uk Bovingdon Brickworks t+44 (0)1442 833176 www.bovingdonbricks.co.uk Bulmer Brick &Tile Co t+44 (0)1787 269232 [email protected] Carlton Brick t+44 (0)1226 711521 www.carltonbrick.co.uk Coleford Brick &Tile t+44 (0)1594 822160 www.colefordbrick.co.uk Forterra t+44 (0)1604 707600 www.forterra.co.uk Furness Brick &Tile Co t+44 (0)1229 462411 www.furnessbrick.com HG Matthews t+44 (0)1494 758212 www.hgmatthews.com Ibstock Brick t+44 (0)1530 261999 www.ibstock.co.uk Ketley Brick Company t+44 (0)1384 78361 www.ketley-brick.co.uk Michelmersh Brick Holdings t+44 (0)844 931 0022 www.michelmersh.co.uk Northcot Brick t+44 (0)1386 700551 www.northcotbrick.co.uk Matclad t+44 (0)1978 291133 www.matclad.co.uk The York Handmade Brick Co t+44 (0)1347 838881 www.yorkhandmade.co.uk WH Collier t+44 (0)1206 210301 www.whcollier.co.uk Wienerberger t+44 (0)161 4918200 www.wienerberger.co.uk

Executiveeditor: Viviane WilliamsMA, FRSA, Design &Marketing Manager at the BDA Brick Development Association, The Building Centre, 26 StoreStreet,London, WC1E 7BT t: 020 7323 7030 e: [email protected] The BDArepresents manufacturers of clay brick andpavers in theUKand Ireland and promotes excellence in the architectural, structuraland landscape applicationsofbrick and pavers.The BDAprovides practical, technical and aesthetic advice and information through its websitewww.brick.org.uk, in its numerous publications andoverthe phone.

Frontispiece ISSN 0307-9325 Published by the BDA©2015 Editorial/design: ArchitectureToday plc Brick House,rosario, Argentina, by Diego Arraigada Arquitectos (ph: Gustavo Frittegotto). cover Sportblok, Groningen, Holland, by Architecten- bureau Marlies rohmer (ph: Daria Scagliola). BB WINTER 2015 • 3 NEWS FIRST PERSON

Brick scores at Stamford Bridge stadium

Designed by Herzog &deMeuron in association with Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, the new StamfordBridge stadium in Londonhas been submitted for planning consent by Chelsea Football Club. The envelope comprises aseries of brick piers that form acovered walkway around the building perimeter and extend over the roof to support a steel ring above the pitch. The appearance of the masonry structureisintended to change from lightweight and open to solid and textured, depending on the anglefromwhich it is viewed. One of the principal aims of the project is to 2015 Think Brick Award winners announced increase the ground’sseating capacity from 42,000 to 60,000 (cgi: Herzog &deMeuron). The Hello House in Melbourne, Victoria, by OOF! Architecture(above,ph: Nic Granleese) has won the HorburyHunt residential awardatthe 2015 Think Brick Awards, organised by Think Brick Australia. Alex Gordon of Jestico &Whiles Occupying acorner site opposite alocal cafe, the reflects on the potential of brick principal street facadedisplays the word‘hello’ in to harmonise modern interventions storey-high, projecting white brickwork. Designed in with traditional contexts. collaboration with artist Rose Nolan, the ‘hello wall’ is intendedtopresent acheerful and robust public face to the street,while concealing and protecting the occupant’s private life. The Horbury Hunt commercial awardproduced joint winners: Bunbury Catholic College Mercy Campus in Western Australia by Coda Studio and Broderick Architects (below,ph: Peter Bennetts); and the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building at the University of Technology Sergison Bates’ housing for older people While thereisnosingle material that is immediatelyidentifiable with the Currentlyonsite, Fitzjohn’sAvenue in Hampstead, work of JesticoWhiles, we havea north London, by Sergison Bates, is specifically long associationwith brick andhave designed to accommodate older people who been usingitsincethe practicewas wish to liveindependently, but also as part of founded in the late 1970s. Unlike acommunity with shared services and facilities. manyofthe lightweight panelised Commissioned by developer Pegasus Life, the materialsthat areavailabletoday, £19m scheme comprises 33 dual-aspect brick offers the great advantageof apartments arranged oversix storeys. Drawing longevity; maturing and improving inspiration from the mansion blocks that with age. Its useenables abuilding characterise the surrounding townscape, the to simultaneouslyembracemodernity Sydney Business School in New South Wales, facade is conceived as aseries of projecting and tradition, in searchofamore by Gehry Partners with Daryl Jackson Robin Dyke timelessquality. Architects and Aecom (below,ph: Andrew masonry bays that create astrong vertical rhythm. Worssam); Other winners included Langtree Mall Brick walls with deep reveals and layered details In recentyears, thedurability and Mildura, Victoria, by the Hansen Partnership areintended to provide asense of permanence, robustness of brick has found (landscape award); and Actfor Kids Child and with rough and smooth precast concrete increasingfavour withhousingand FamilyCentreofExcellence in Townsville, North elements adding visualdefinition and elaboration. publicsector clients, wherelong-term Queensland, by M3 Architecture(masonry award). The project is due to complete in 2017. maintenance costs areaserious consideration.Much of our workin the housing and education sectors is built in brick for this reason. We work hardtofind ways of adding visual interest and depthtoour elevationsinthe faceofubiquitous stretcher bond,which is commonly enforced by commercial pressures. We do this typicallythrough the use of texture and surface manipulation, with masonry appearing as bondedor loadbearing brick, rather than veneered brick. Forus, brick should appear heavyand grounded, with

4•BBWINTER 2015 carefully considered apertures ensuring provide visual richness andeffective that all the new buildings aredeferential endeavoured to giveeach its own solid and void workbeautifullytogether. protectionfromsolar gain and glare. to the listed structures,allowing the characterthrough the use of threedif- At Cardinal Pole Catholic Schoolin We arecurrentlyworking on Tower latter to remain the primary focal ferentbrick types and varied detailing. Hackney,east London, we weretasked Works, amixed-use regeneration point,while balancing thiswith Aunifying English Garden Wall bond with designinganew schoolonasite projectincentral Leeds that will also thedeveloper client’s requirement to willbeemployedthroughout,echoing surrounded by afragmented context of makeextensive use of brick. Located maximisedensityacross the site. As that used within thesite andthe pre- andpost-war building types. Brick adjacenttothe Leeds LiverpoolCanal, such,views of the towershavebeen surroundingHolbeckarea. seemed theobvious choicetounite this the former industrialsite incorporates a carefullyconsideredand respected Referencingboth Louis Kahn’s disparatecontext,and to meet the client range of listed red-brick structures, within and around the site to ensure Indian Institute of Management in brief for acalmand restrained building including threelandmark Italianate that they will continue to dominate Ahmedebad,and thenearby factories in contrast to the brightlycoloured, towers and the remnants of the old the city skyline post-development. and mills, the elevations are lightweight-cladschool architecture of factory wall. With ten new masonry buildings deliberatelysimple and muscular,with recent years. Recessesand splays Our approach has been to ensure proposed acrossthe site, we have large punchedwindows incorporating deep reveals.Brick was, from our perspective,the onlychoice for this development.Wehopeitwill create a sense of permanence, allowing the heritage and characterofthe area to liveonfor many years to come,with the modern and thetraditionalsitting harmoniouslyside by side.

Alex Gordon is an associate director of London-based Jestico +Whiles.

Above left/below left Cardinal Pole Catholic School in Hackney,east London, is designed to uniteits fragmentedmasonrycontext and provideasense of gravitas and permanence (phs: Peter Cook). Above right/below right TowerWorks is amajor regeneration scheme occupying aformer industrial site in Leeds (cgi: Forbes Massie). Partly inspired by Louis Kahn’sIndianInstitute of Management in Ahmedebad(ph: Scott Norsworthy), the muscular new brick buildings feature punched windowswith deep reveals.The project is due to complete in 2020.

BB WINTER 2015 •5 BRICK AWARDS

Winnersofthe 2015 BrickAwards wereselected from over 400 entries.

MUMA’s reworking of the Whitworth Art Gallery at the University of Manchester (1) was named the supreme winner of the 2015 Brick Awards, held at the London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel in November.Drawing inspiration from the existing building and its artworks, the Stirling-Prizeshortlised scheme features arange of specialist masonry details, including corbelled brick reveals to the entrances and windows, vertically-laid stretcher bond at cornice level to create a‘wovencuff’, bricks laid at 45 degrees to resemble pleated fabric, and the use of brickand faience to evoke‘slashwork’ –adecorativetextile technique, which involves cutting ahole 1 in apiece of fabric and then stitching it back together with aprecious thread. The jury,chaired by RichardLavington of Maccreanor Lavington Architects, praised the quality of the internal and external spaces, as well as the scheme’s attention to detail and level of workmanship. Winner of the best housing development (1-5 units) category was House on Church Road, near Belfast,Northern Ireland, by Hall McKnight Architects (2). Located on asteeplysloping site, the buildingisconceived as three interlinked mono-pitched forms rendered in red brick. Connections between the different elements areexpressed using areas of recessed brickwork. ‘The design and realisation of this house is impressive’, commented the jury.‘The brickwork elements arewell proportionedand integrated to dramatic effect.’ Joint winners of the best housing design awardwereTrafalgar Placein London by De RijkeMarsh Morgan Architects (3), and DarbishirePlace in London by Niall MacLaughlin Architects (4). Describedbythe jury as ‘an excep- tional piece of urban design on an intimate scale’, Trafalgar Place employs pre-mixed brickbatches –graduating from dark coloursatthe base to lighter reds, oranges, yellows and blues at the top –tomimic the colours of the 4 6 • BB WINTER 2015 3 2

surrounding PeabodyEstate housing 1 Whitworth ArtGalleryatthe University of Manchester;architect: MUMA; brickworkcontractor: association building located opposite. CaraBrickwork; brick: Northcot Brick –Whitworth DarbishirePlace features arigid grid of Blend,matching handmade selectedbricks; mortar: punched window openings and recessed CPI EuroMix. balconies that arelined with GRCblocks 2 Church Road; architect: Hall McKnight Architects; and set within abuff-coloured brick brickworkcontractor:Strong Construction; brick: Wienerberger –MellowedRed Sovereign Stock; facade. ‘A fine example of awell execut- mortar:RTU. ed residential development that is firmly 3 Trafalgar Place; architect: De RijkeMarsh Morgan rooted within the local vernacular’, was Architects; brickworkcontractor:Lee Marley the jury’s assessment. Brickwork; brick: Ibstock Brick –Staffordshire Slate Blue Smooth, Laybrook Multi Orange; Michelmersh Elder &CannonArchitectswon the Brick Holdings –Freshfield Lane DanehillYellow, best urban regeneration awardfor Selected Light, First Quality Multi, Synthesis Blend; Laurieston Phase-One in Glasgow (5). mortar:CPI EuroMix. 5 The project is intended as acontempo- 4 Darbishire Place; architect: Niall McLaughlin Architects; brickworkcontractor,mortar:Sandwood rary reinterpretation of atraditional Design &Build; brick:Wienerberger –Marzaile four-storey Glasgow tenement,where 5 Laurieston Phase One; architect: Elder&Cannon identity is derived from the careful con- Architects; brickworkcontractor:McTaggart trol of proportion, scale and materiality. Construction; brick: Ibstock Brick –Nevado Gee; Daas Baksteen –Silverstone; mortar:Hugh King. Deep brick reveals provide privacy and 6 City Mills; architect: PRP Architects; brickwork solar control, while high masonry contractor:LandmarkBrickwork; brick: Ibstock parapet,endow the scheme with a Brick –Marlborough Stock, Slate Blue Brindled sense of solidity and permanence. Smooth, Crowborough Multi Stock, Ivanhoe Cream; mortar:Remix DryMortar. The volume housebuilding award went to Taylor Wimpey East London for three developments: City Mills, London, by PRP Architects (6); Praecedo phase two Colchester,Essex,byTraer Clark; and The Quarters in Essex by BDG Design South. The jury praised all three schemes highly, and was particularly impressed by the way PRP Architects used brick to break down the massing 6 and scale of City Mills. BB WINTER 2015 • 7 11

7 8 • BB WINTER 2015 10 9

Designed by Gottstein Architects, Duggan Morris Architects (8). The latter, noticeably to extend and remodel a varying in colour and height (from Haven Hostel in Killarney,Ireland, won which includes astudio theatre, art and partlydemolished rear extension. The 50mm to 73mm) wereused to repair the best commercial building award(7). design workshops, music rooms and jury described the project as ‘a highly the wall, while the belvederefeatures Redbrick was chosen to define the acafe, is conceived as aseries of inventivedomestic refurbishment that arange of special handmade clay hostel’spublic and private spaces for interconnectedcubic forms that are utilises the existing buildingnot as a mouldings, including arches,gables reasons of visualwarmth, textureand wrapped in asoftlytextured brick skin blank canvas, but as apicturetobe and complex window surrounds. robustness. The facade is expressed as a and articulated with oversized picture expertlyrestored and reworked.’ PollardThomas Edwards was the series of brick columns that givethe windows and metal rooftop ‘lanterns’. The awardfor best outdoor space recipient of the innovativeuse of brick impression of asolid wall when ‘Brick forms the narrativeofanadaptive went to the Belvedereatthe Queen and clay products awardfor City Park approached obliquely. ‘Although modest and archeological approach that Elizabeth Walled Garden in East West in Chelmsford, Essex (11). Sited in scale, the scheme possesses atimeless carefullyplaces the new alongsideand AyreshirebyDovecot Architecture& on the former Anglia Ruskin University monumental quality’, commented within the old’,was the judges’ appraisal. Design (10). Considered apotential (ARU) campus, the mixed-usedevelop- the jury. The project also jointlywon the winner in several categories by the ment makes extensiveuse of brick slips. The public and education awardalso refurbishment category together with judges, the scheme comprises the Most strikingly, monotone slips are produced joint winners: MUMA’s House of Trace in south London by restoration of adilapidated walled installed verticallyusingaone-third redevelopment of the Whitworth Art Tsuruta Architects (9). garden and ornatebrick belvedere bond with bucket handle jointsonapair Gallery (1), and Richmond Adult Brick is employedboth internallyand forming part of the Dumfries House of curved buildings that form agateway Community College in London by externallyonthe House of Trace –most estate. Bespokehandmade bricks to the scheme.

7 The HavenHostel; architect:Gottstein Architects; brickworkcontractor:Griffin BrothersContracting; brick: Ibstock Brick –Birtley Olde English, Birtley Olde Linear Range. 8 Richmond Adult Community College; architect: Duggan MorrisArchitects; brickworkcontractor: Bouygues UK; brick: Michelmersh Brick Holdings – Freshfield Lane,First Quality Multi Synthesis Blend, Charnwood, Horsham Red Multi; mortar: CPI EuroMix. 9 House of Trace; architect:Tsuruta Architects; brickworkcontractor:BoguslawZarzyczny brick:Wienerberger –Sheerwater Silver Ye llow Stock; mortar:BespokeSite Mix. 10 The Belvedere at the Queen Elizabeth Walled Garden; architect: Dovecot Architecture &Design; brickworkcontractor:Sam Te mpleton; brick:The Yo rk Handmade Brick Company–Dumfries Blend Handmade; mortar:Singleton Birch. 11 City Park West; architect: Pollard Thomas Edwards; brickworkcontractor:ConneelyFacades; 8 brick:Wienerberger –Corium; mortar:Parex. BB WINTER 2015 • 9 15 12

Essex-based Swift Brickwork bold massing and expressivebrick 12 Urbanest St Pancras (CamleyStreet); architect: Allford Hall Monaghan MorrisArchitects; brickwork Contractors was named specialist brick- detailing,including tightly curved wall contractor:Swift BrickworkContractors; brick: work contractor of the year for three panels and projecting ‘pilasters’. Ibstock Brick –Kingscoat Grey; mortar:CPI projects: Turnmill in London by Piercy The internationaland worldwide EuroMix. &Company; Imperial College London by category was won by Piercy &Company 13 Jafar Gallery and Jafar Hall at Eton College; CJCT;and Urbanest St Pancras (Camley for Turnmill in London (15). ARoman- architect: John Simpson Architects; brickwork contractor:Lee Marley Brickwork; brick: Street), London, by AllfordHall format brick specified in three tones is WH Collier –Richmond Gold; mortar:ECO Right. Monaghan Morris (12). The jury was intended to express horzontality and 14 Eight Artillery Row; architect: MakeArchitects; impressed by all three projects, as well movement across the facade. Laid by brickworkcontractor:8Build; brick: Michelmersh as the company’sapproach to crafts- hand, brick is used to form sills, soffits Brick Holdings –Charnwood Special Blend; mortar: Ta rmac. manship, trainingand health and safety. and curved corners. Recessed horizontal 15 Turnmill; architect: Piercy &Company; brickwork Recipient of the craftsmanship award mortar joints arecontrasted with flush contractor:Swift BrickworkContractors; brick: was Jafar Gallery and Jafar Hall at Eton vertical joints to emphasise the linearity Peterson Te gl –Kolumba F56,F58, F59; mortar: College in BerkshirebyJohn Simpson of the design. The jury praised the build- The Lime Centre. 16 The Shields Centre; architect: Anderson Bell Architects (13). The scheme features ing for its subtlety and skillful avoidance &Christie; brickworkcontractor:McCann Builders; self-supportingfull-brick Flemish bond of visible movement joints. brick:Wienerberger –MellowRichmond; mortar: masonry construction with an independ- Finally, the architect’s choice award CPI EuroMix. ent internal frame. Lime mortar is used went to The Shield CentreinGlasgow by Jury Richard Lavington (Maccreanor Lavington Architects), Alison Brooks (Alison Brooks Architects), David Cole throughout with apennystruck joint. Anderson Bell &Christie (16). Adouble- Adams (Worshipful Guild of Tylers&Bricklayers), George The centrepieceofJafar Hall is a7.7- height brickcolonnade announces the Clark(Craft Committee,Tylers&Bricklayers Livery metre-wide by three-metre-high double healthcarebuilding’s scale and mass, Company), Jonathan Dawes(Cottrell &Vermeulen vaulted brick and reconstructed stone while also establishing aclassical rhythm Architects), Michael Driver (Director of Studies at Christ’s arch which frames acopper fountain along the street.The mortar is colour- College Cambridge), Alex Gordon (Jestico &Whiles), Shelagh Grant (The Housing Forum), Alexis Harrison used to provide evaporativecooling. matched to the brickwork in order to (Arup), Michael Hammett (brickworkconsultant), Joe DesignedbyMakeArchitects, Eight create aunified aesthetic. Weatherstruck Morris(Duggan MorrisArchitects), Nick Rogers(Taylor Artillery Row, London, won the BDA pointing is also employedtobring depth Wimpey), and Andrew Taylor (Utterford District Council). chairman’saward(14). Formerlya1980s and texturetothe facades, as well as Photos The Brick Development Association. office building,this muscular residential- contrast with the flat,reflectivesurfaces •For more information on the winning projects and led, mixed-use development features of the curtain walling used elsewhere. finalists please visit www.brick.org.uk/brick-awards/. 16 10 • BB WINTER 2015 14

13 BB WINTER 2015 • 11 PROJECTS NEW WORK IN BRICK

Diagonal composition An English crossed bond permitshigh levels of transparencywithin the perforated walls of afamily house.

Brick House by DiegoArraigada structural loads to travel diagonallyat Conceived as alogical system, the Arquitectos is athree-storey,single- 45 degrees,permittingthe maximum brick bondwas digitallymodelled into an family dwellinginRosario,north-east possible perforation ratio (35 per cent algorithmtoformulate thematerial and Argentina. Positioned perpendicular to transparency). The other facadesrepeat structural arrangement of thebuilding the street,the principal structural the motif as abas-relief,creating a system. ‘The projectemploys an expres- elements comprise three load-bearing continuous unifying lattice. Aperturesof sive, self-regulating constructiveunit masonry walls.The perforatednorthand different sizes accommodate doors and that repeats itself in different configura- south facades aredesignedtofilter day- windows withinthe diagonal grid of the tionsaccordingtothe needs of space, light, as well as screen views in and out. walls. Tempered glass windowpanes stabilityand light’, says the architect. An English crossed bondallows the appear to be set directlyinto the walls. Photos Gustavo Frittegotto. 12 • BB WINTER 2015 BB WINTER 2015 • 13 Family values Asuburban house in north London has been extensively remodelled in brickbyAlma-nac.

Alma-nac’stransformation of atired and dated house in north London has resulted in aspacious familyhome with astrong connection to the external spaces. Alarge open-plan living room has been created to the rear of the property,with feature lightwells and full-width sliding glazed doors opening onto abroad terrace. The terrace is angled to follow the line of a staircase to the garden below.Astepped planter is intended to ease the transition and bring vegetation closer to the house. Additional internal accommodation is provided at roof level. Brick was chosen for the rear extension and terracetodifferentiate the new and existing elementsofthe scheme, and to create an inviting outdoor space. The rough-hewn bricks haveasoft red colour,which is intended to evokethe predominant brick tone used within the neighbouring Hampstead Garden Suburb Conservation Area. The bricks werealso chosen for their frost-resisting properties, enabling them to be confidently used for sills and copings. Photos Peter Landers, Alma-nac (existing house) Setting thescene Occupying aprominent corner site in acourtyard. The primary external materi- respond to the wave-likeprecast canopy Walthamstow town centre, east London, al is areflectiveglazed brick-slip,which is of the Central Parade building opposite. Iridescent brickslips catchthe light on The Scene by PollardThomas Edwards laid verticallytoaccommodate tight bull- The specially-formulated brickfinish alandmark mixed-use project in east Architects is alandmark mixed-use nosed cornersand gently curving wall varies between ametallic shimmer and a London by PollardThomas Edwards. development comprising amultiplex planes. ‘Traditional’stretcher bondis soft matt grey appearance depending on cinema, restaurants and 121 mixed- employedonthe Hoe Street facadeto the lighting conditions. tenureflats and houses organised around emphasise horizontal movement and Photos Tim Crocker.

14 • BB WINTER 2015 Site specific West Burn Lane is aprivate residential streets. The six town houses and eight latter is intended to provide areference developmentcomprising 14 housing flats areorganised around aseries of pri- to the tall rigg walls. Anumber of sample Amasonryresidential development units in the centreofStAndrews, Fife. vate and public courtyards. Responding panels wereprepared prior to construc- in St AndrewsbySutherland Hussey Designed by Sutherland Hussey Harris, to the immediate context,while also tion to ensurethat the stone, brickand Harris respects its historic context. the £3.5m scheme occupies anarrow ensuring longevity,the facades employ mortar combinations complemented plot defined by medieval stone rigg walls brickonthe first and second floors one another. that extend perpendicular to the main with tooled sandstone at street level. The Photos Keith Hunter.

BB WINTER 2015 • 15 Contextual lesson Designed by Feilden Fowles, the walls of the listed Hazlegrove House, signal thepublic entrance within the Fitzjames Teaching and LearningCentre which forms part of the school campus. colonnade. Working with ceramicist Feilden Fowles’ sensitively designed at Hazlegrove School in Sparkford, The architect worked closelywith its pre- Marek Drzazga-Donaldson, the architect extension to alistedSomerset school Somerset,comprises six classrooms with ferred brick manufacturer to develop the developed nine unique glazes which were uses glazed bricktoexpressive effect. associated breakout spaces and acentral specification for the handmade bricks, applied to the clay beforefiring. Some of resource area. Planned around acolon- which include hand-glazed black headers the bricks weremade by the school’s naded courtyard, the tones and textures that help to animate the elevation. pupils in aglazing workshop. of the building reference the redbrick Handmade glazed bricks arealso used to Photos David Grandorge.

Making artfrombrick SO–IL’s reworking of an existing art space for art”, says the architect.“However,the thisongoing history; recontextualising on West 21st Street in Chelsea, New York, area’sindustrial past is still prevalent pre-existing galleries and transforming Brickcorbelling redfines the historic has provided the Tina Kim Gallery with a within the urban fabric. Over time, the theentrance to provide an unexpected fabric of aconverted filling station in dedicated place for showcasing interna- brick facade of the century-old building experience of the familiar.The corbelled NewYork CitybySO-IL. tionalcontemporary art.“The gallery, has undergone numerous changes.Traces entrance gentlypulls the street inward, which historicallyfunctioned as afilling of this ever-evolving life arelegible in the turning the rigid wall into an expressive station for pleasurevehicles, is located in various brickpatterns on the external momentofthreshold.” aneighbourhood characterised by spaces skin. The current space is anotherlayer of Photos JeremyHaik.

16 • BB WINTER 2015 Bond theme Brickisused both internally and externally on afinely crafted London house by Satish Jassal Architects.

The Haringey Brick House by SatishJassal Architectisaone-bedroom dwellingsited on aformergarage plot in northLondon. Measuring just 3.6 metres wideby8.6 metreslong,the two-storey housetermi- nates aVictorian terrace.Responding to its neighbour’s architecture, the facade establishes arhythm of horizontallines and vertical windows. “Weused threebrick bonding types:stack,vertical and horizontal running bonds to define the building form both internallyand externally”, explains Jassal.Laid withraked joints to emphasisethe brickbonds, the brick walls aredelineatedand augmented by oak windows and cladding panels, stonecopings and anodised aluminiumrails.“The materiality of thebuilding was very important to us”,says Jassal. “Hand-made bricks, antiquebrassand oakall have theinherent qualityofgetting better with age. There arealsomoments where the steelwork and concretesoffits areexposedtoexplain how the building is constructed. This is our first new build house and we wereableto testour ideasfor futureprojects.” Photos Paul Riddle.

BB WINTER 2015 • 17 Shock of thenew Sited on anarrow,mid-terrace plot on reinterpretation of the street’s Georgian fenestration. Queen closers areincorpo- Old Church Street in Chelsea, London, and Victorian fenestration patterns – rated into the Flemish bond to align the Abrick and bronzehouse by TDO Town House by TDO Architecture both in terms of itsproportion and brickwork setting out from ground to Architectureextends the modernist extendsthe thoroughfare’stradition of rhythm. Bronzepanels located adjacent parapet level. Contrasting with the mulit- traditions of astreet in west London. contemporary residential buildings, to to the windows provide natural ventila- layered front elevation, the rear facade which Maxwell Fry, Walter Gropius, and tion. Brick was chosen for the facades features simple punched windows open- Serge Chermayeff contribute.The front to reflect the primarymaterial of the ings with deep reveals and cills. elevation is conceived as acontemporary street,and to contrast with the bronze Photos Ben Blossom.

18 • BB WINTER 2015 Collegiate conditions employed,includinghit-and-miss brickwork. The latter is used in thedining hall, Brickisused inside and out on a whereperforated walls provide acoustic student amenities building forthe attenuation. Constructedonsite by spe- University of Nottingham by Make. cialist subcontractors, thebrickbalustrade to the mainstaircase is formed from cut and bonded brickwork.

Photos Martine Hamilton Knight. Forming akey part of the University of Nottingham’sSuttonBoningtoncam- pus,The BarnbyMakeisa4,250 square metreamenitiesbuilding that includesa dininghall, bar andstudent concourse. Brick was chosen as themain construction material for its robustness, appearance, durability and thermal mass. Aseries of parallel walls constructed from the locally- sourced brick define the mainspaces and provide alegible and coherent layout for studentsand staff.The walls also house keyservices. Fresh air,for example, is supplied at low velocity at the base of the walls via timber panels, withexhausted air returnedathigh level via perforated brick screens.Arange of different bonds are

BB WINTER 2015 •19 PROFILE

Kirkland Fraser Moor

DavidKirklanddiscusses KFM’s brick architecturewith JohnRamshaw.

20 • BB WINTER 2015 As formeremployees of ‘high-tech’practices and self- thismaterialdemands.’ Being aMiesian,Ithought confessed ‘glass and steel’men, DavidKirklandand theremustbesomething in this.Ishould reallylook KennethFraser’s first commission upon forming into it.” Kirkland FraserMoor took them firmlyout of their Since that first domestic project,brick andclay tiles comfort zone: ahighly crafted masonry house in havebecome akey partofKirklandFraser Moor’s Berkhamsted for thechief executiveofawell-known material palette. However,itisthe materialityofclay brick manufacturer. rather than clay products per se that appeals to “The practice had little experienceofdesigning with Kirkland. “Brick is an expressionofclay,but what Iam brick”, recalls Kirkland. “But by chance Ihad received a reallyinterested in is clay’splasticity,and how this can solid groundinginmasonry construction while study- be adapted to complement individual contexts.” ing at the Illinois Institute of TechnologyinChicagoin Sustainability and vernacular design arealso central to the 1980s.Mymain interestatthe time was in thesteel the practice’sinterests, althoughKirkland is wary of architecture of Mies van der Rohe, who had designed negativeconnotations associated withthe latter.“If the campus and directed theschool of architecture youuse awordlikevernacular,most architects run a from 1938-58. Oneofthe semester-long projects was mile”,hesayswith asmile.“But to us it’s an extension to design ahouse in brick–amaterial Mieshad used and an evolution of local architecture –not astyle that early in his career –with the final presentation drawings stopped 200 years ago.” renderedinpencil on AO-sized watercolour board. Headlands House in Berkhamsted,Hertfordshire With some of the otherstudents, Iboughtlittlewood- (2005),and Ockington country house inthe Forest of en blocks called Mies’ Pieces to investigate how specif- Dean,Gloucestershire, (due to complete in summer ic brickdetails would workonour schemes. Looking 2016) arecharacteristic examples of the practice’s back, it was averyhands-on approach aimed at teach- approach to materiality,context and the vernacular ing students the craftofputting materials together.” tradition. Both projects adopt organic, curvilinear Years later,and faced with the prospect of designing forms thatembrace the landscape and arecladwith and detailing arealbrickhouse,Kirkland turnedtothe richly-colouredhandmade clay tiles. Basedonacom- Masonry Construction ManualbyAchtziger, Pfeifer, plex,non-flattenabletwisted surface, the geometryof Ramckeand Zilch (2001). “I openedthe firstpage and saw aquotefromMies. It read, ‘the brick is adifferent Opposite Designed to embrace the landscape,Headlands House in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire (2005), combines red bricks with master. How ingenious: asmall, handy,useableformat richly-coloured handmade claytiles (ph:Edmund Sumner). for everypurpose. Whatlogic thereisinthe bonding. Below left/middle Explodedaxonometric and traditional brick What spiritedness in the joints. What wealththereis construction at Headlands House. Below right David Kirklandisafoundingprincipal of London- and even in the simplest wall surface. But what discipline Hertfordshire-basedKirkland Fraser Moor.

BB WINTER 2015 • 21 Headlands House necessitated rigorous 3D modelling ‘If youcan take dirt out of the Kirkland’spreference for handmadebricks and clay to establish rainwater flowsand eliminate cut tiles and tilesisderived in part from his appreciation of local potentiallyweak detailing. “You need craftsmen to be ground and,byway of making Chilternarchitecture,localtoKFM’sHertfordshire abletoproduce abuilding like this”,concedes Kirkland. bricks, turn it into acathedral, office.“Subconsciously, Ithink the reason we love “Wefind that youcan learn alot moreand achievebet- historic masonry buildings is because they utilise terresults if youwork closelywith bricklayers and roof- thenthat’s reallyclever; its as incrediblehandmadebricksand lime mortar.Of ing contractorsratherthan by dictating to them.” clever as designing adrone or course, handmade bricks arealways going to cost Akey lessonlearnt from Headlands House that has slightly more, but it’s amarginal increase relativetothe been subsequentlyapplied to Ockington country the world’slargest bridge.’ overall cost of the building. Iwouldrather spend houseisthat developable surfaces, that is, onesthat money on the bricks and keep the building simple in can be flattened,are easier to build and thereforemore favoured by theplanners. “Weresisted pre-patinated ordertomeet the budget. What’s alsogood about cost-effective. Theproject comprisesapair of open-air tilesasthey look fartoo dark after acouple of years on handmadebricks is that themouldsused to makethem courtyards partiallyenclosed by asinuous undulating site”,says Kirkland.“The roof tiles used in traditional canpotentiallybeany shape, allowingfor greater clay-tiled roof.Fulfilling keycriteria of PPS7 (now NPPF Chilternvillages nowhaveabeautiful rich colour,but expression and plasticity of form.” Para 55),the ‘floating’roof conceals the house’s they werebright orange whenthey werefirstlaid 100 Above Asinuoustile-clad roof at Ockingtoncountryhouse (summer domestic lifefrompublic view,while presenting aclean yearsago. It’s impossible to acquireinstant‘in-keeping’ 2016) in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire,isdesigned to conceal architectural aesthetictothe landscape. –you need timefor materials to weatherand age the building’sdomestic lifefrom public view while presentingaclean, The building is clad with new handmadeclaytiles, gracefully. Forme, the fundamental question is always, high-qualityarchitectural aesthetic to the surrounding landscape. Opposite Waterend HouseinHertfordshire (2015)employs rather than the darker pre-patinated tilesoriginally ‘is it the right material?’” Roman-stylebricks with arandom bond and recessed joints. 22 • BB WINTER 2015 BB WINTER 2015 • 23 Inspired by black-timberedagricultural barns,the East Sussex(2010), also employs black bricks, but these non-loadbearing brick ‘skins’,asitisboth ‘honest’and recentlycompletedWaterendHouse in Hertfordshire arehighly regular machine-made components cost-effective. “Wewould love to use different bonds employs charcoal-coloured, Roman-style bricks on the designedtocomplementthe flint walls of the sur- to express loadbearing masonry, but the opportunity first floor and gable-end walls,with floor-to-ceiling rounding grade-one and-two listed campusbuildings, has not arisen yet”,says Kirkland. glazing on the groundfloor.Fromadistance the as well as the wider urban settting. “It’sabout context”, KFM’sinterest in vernacular architecturealso extends masonry appears angular and precise, while up-close, reflects Kirkland, “whetherit’surbanorrural, isolated to walled gardens. “What Ilikeabout English garden the handmadebricks, which areover500mm long, or accessible, brick fits everytime; thereisnothingit walls is the way they extend out into the countryside”, reveal themselvestobeunevenand textured. Aran- can’tdo”.Incommon with most of the practice’sbrick explains Kirkland. “Thereisalso anaturalness and time- dom bond with recessedjoints in adark-coloured buildings stretcher bond is used throughout the lessness to them, likeItalianhilltop towns and Greek mortar is intended to emphasisethe elongated nature project. Kirkland says this is derived fromMiesianlogic, villages.”Knights Hill house in Fyfield, Essex (2014) of the bricks and provide a‘stone-like’ aesthetic. whereconstruction detailsare expected to express clearlyexpresses this influence. Carefullycomposed The Skidelski Building at Brighton CollegeSchool in their function. Stretcher bondisconsidered idealfor brick facades and perimeter walls merge seamlessly, blurring the distinction between inside and out,house and garden. However,Mies’ very non-vernacular and unbuilt country house project in Neubabelsberg(1924) is aparticular favourite. Perhapsinacknowledgmentofhis ownand Kenneth Fraser’s high-tech past,Kirkland says the practice remains fascinated by process and ingenuity.“If you can takedirt out of theground and,byway of making bricks, turn it into acathedral, then that’s reallyclever; it’s as cleverasdesigning adrone or the world’slargest bridge.Idon’t think we shouldforgetjust how clever it is. Mies clearlydidn’t, andasone of thepioneersof the modern movement,hehonoured thepeople who invented andused brick over6000 years ago.”

Top Aimed at further improving brick’senvironmental credentials, Te nOaks in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire,employs potentially carbon-neutral wood-fired bricks on the exterior and acombination of unfired clayand cob bricks internally. Unfired clayissaid to possess anumberofhealth attributes, includingthe ability to absorb toxins and moisture,aswell as provide protection from electromagnetic frequencies and radiation. It also provides an effectivemeansof achieving thermal mass.The project is due to complete in 2017. Left The Skidelski Building at Brighton College School in East Sussex (2010), uses black brick to complementthe flint walls of the listed GilbertScott campus (ph:Killian O’Sullivan). Opposite Brick facades and perimeter walls at Knights Hill House in Fyfield, Essex (2014), are designed to blur the distinction between insideand outside,house and garden (ph: David Kirkland). 24 • BB WINTER 2015 BB WINTER 2015 • 25 PRECEDENT HISTORIC BRICKWORK

The Houses for Visiting Mathematicians Rejecting the potentiallymore straight- toilet. From the request for an unbroken Winning at Warwick University (1968-70) were forwardsolution of asingle apartment run of blackboards came the characteris- the fruit of agenial and creative collabo- block, Howell conceived a‘think village’ tic radiused corners, which were, at the ration between architect Bill Howell encircling asweet chestnut tree. Abal- University’s request, applied throughout. formulae (1922-74) of Howell Killick Partidge ancingoftogetherness with privacy and Howell’s ‘brickhenges’ were faced in Amis, and Christopher Zeeman, mathe- academic work with family life was Stourbridge buff-faced stocks with thick matical maverickand founding professor achieved by orientating each house clock- (11/16-inch) joints, raked pointing and of the university’s mathematics depart- wise into apatio screened by the back of curved specials. The curves are reversed ment. Zeemanlaunched aseries of the next one and alow, curved boundary at openings,forming projecting reveals Geraint Franklin on HKPA’s research symposia in which international wall. The group was capable of expansion which are pierced by precast concrete circular cluster of Houses for mathematicians might visit for aweek, a with further loops of clip-on houses, lintels. Agreater contrast with YRM’s Visiting Mathematicians at the month or ayear. Following the example echoing the open-endednessofCedric contemporary rectilinear, tiled buildings of the Princeton Institute of Advanced Price’s ‘Potteries Thinkbelt’project. elsewhereonthe campus couldn’t be University of Warwick. Studies (designed by Marcel Breuer) and Howell planned five houses and ablock imagined. Today, listed at grade-two star, the Institut des Hautes Études with two flats, the former each with two the houses form part of the university’s Scientifiques in Paris, Zeeman raised bedrooms above aliving area, and a Mathematics Research Centre, and con- funds for on-site housing. linked study with its own entrance and tinue to inspire visiting academics.

26 • BB WINTER 2015 Above HKPA’s Houses for Visiting Mathematicians are located at Gibbett Hill, on the south side of the University of Warwick’s central campus (phs: STAIRS ©Historic England/James O. Davies). Above left Perspective by RoyWorskett of the BIN COATS KITCHEN STUDY ‘think village’ .Interior view of atypical study,with WC painted brick walls and awraparound blackboard which, architect Bill Howell (pictured, 1922-74) PORCH claimed, would ‘avoid inspiration coming to ajud- BLACKBOARD dering halt in the corner’. Left Aerial view showing the cluster arrangement (ph: University of Warwick); ground-floor plan of a LAUNDRY LIVING ROOM typical house –the staircase leads to twobed- rooms and abathroom. Details The Houses for Visiting Mathematicians will feature in Geraint Franklin’s forthcoming study of Howell Killick Partridge &Amis in Historic England’s Twentieth CenturyArchitects series, with photos by James O. Davies. See Franklin’s blog: howellkillickpartridgeamis.wordpress.com

BB WINTER 2015 • 27 TECHNICAL

Located in Groningen, northern Holland, imperatives: the need to bring daylight vertical centres and bolted back to the On a wave Sportblok is atwo-storey1160-square into the sports halls while avoiding glare, primary steel frame. Supported off and metreleisurecomplex designed by and adesiretocreate visualinterest on spanning between the steel sections is a A visually-striking sports complex Architectenbureau MarliesRohmer. The the street,despite the‘black box’ nature timberframe infilled withmineralwool in Groningen by Marlies Rohmer principle spacescompriseapair of sports of the programme. insulation.The inner faceofthe frameis is constructed from brick slips. halls that arestacked one abovethe The undulating form of the brick linedwith19mmplywood,whilethe other to maximise spatial efficiency and facade creates an indent at eachfloor outerface comprises8mm fibrecement reducethe building’s footprint.Intended level and at the eaves for concealed dou- boards supported on vertical 28mm to embedthe schemeinto the urban fab- ble-glazed rooflights. At night,internal timberbattens. ric,are twosmall setbacks on thestreet luminaires placed close to the glazing Bonded to the cementious boards are frontage,each framingasingletree, that uplightthe external walls, emphasising brickslips with 5mm recessed mortar buttress thetriple-heightmasonry block. thecurvaceousform. The facade termi- joints and aseeminglyrandombond. Aslender brick arch signalsthe entrance natesatground level in along brick “Our original idea wastouse traditional and provides accesstoacycle shed at bench whichfurther contributes to the bricks ratherbrick slips”,explains project the rear. public realm. architect Ronald Hageman, “But they The distinctivewave-likeappearance The waveprofilesare formed from would have been too heavy,resulting in of the mainelevation arose from two steel sections located at 2.5-metre increased technical challenges, larger

28 • BB WINTER 2015 1

8 2

1 steel sections,and higher costs.” 2 Matching the bricksusedelsewhere 7 3 on the facade, the slipswerechosen for their rich colour and diversityoftone. Thebrickblend was made-upinthe fac- torybeforebeingdelivered to site. Laid 4 by hand, the brickwaves werecomplet- ed in under threeweeks.

Above Steel sections and timber framing are used 6 to support the undulating brick skin. Above right The brick slips are bonded to curved cement fibre boards. Right Section; ground- and first-floor plan. Far right Detail section through facade.Key: 1 double-glazed rooflight, 2 brick slips fixed to fibre cement board, 3 timber frame,4steel support structure,6brick bench. Photos Daria Scagliola (opposite and top).

BB WINTER 2015 •29 TECHNICAL

Designed by Acme, Victoria Gate is a supporting the loadbearing,brick-faced and steps,was an important factor in the Stitch in time major retail-led development in Leeds precast concrete cladding panelsabove. decision to form theexternal facade CityCentre, incorporating aflagship John Each panel is connectedtothe primary from brick-facedprecastconcrete pan- A retail-led development in Leeds Lewis department store and acovered steel frame via brackets cast into the els, writes Acme.Aswedeveloped and by Acme is constructed from arcade with30shops and restaurants. back of the panels. refined the complex geometry of the prefabricated ‘pleated’ brick panels. Varying in rhythm and scale, the Everybrick wasdrawn individuallyand masonrywedevised aseries of repeating building’s ‘pleated’ brick facades are located –about 360,000 in all. The modules. The panels measureseven, intended to respond to the surrounding entireprojectteam, includingmostof nine, 11 or 13 bricks wide, but their height Victorian and Edwardian brickand the subcontractors, used Revit,orother varies acrossthe facade. terracottabuildings, including some compatible 3D software, which signifi- We wereawareearly-on that the designed by Reginald Blomfield. At cantlyhelped coordination. brickswouldneed to satisfy anumberof groundlevel, storey-height white and The three-dimensional texture of the performance and visual criteria, particu- polished black cast stoneforms aplinth brickwork, and theabilitytoformpleats larly as most havefiveexposedfaces.

30 • BB WINTER 2015 St1eel Cross Bea

2Flat Brick openings coursing.

Wi6ndow H alternate

mm Pavers4

1003 mm P back of C integral V

ROOF LEVEL 4525.0004,525

140mm Composite Slab 5

ROOF BOS 53575.00053,575

Among the keyrequirementswere panel pattern.Each brickwas placed into dimensionalstability,anabsense of frogs the mould, followed by reinforcement, or inferior faces,low waterabsorption then concrete pouredontop to depths of and highfrost resistance, high strength, 150-400mm, with brackets, fixingeyes the ability tocomplement the surrond- and openingsfor windows cast in place. ing vernacular, and manufactured in the Once removedfromthe mould, all the UK. The red, ClassAengineering brick pointing was carried out in Thorp’swork- chosen forthe project is madeinthe shop. Prior to fabrication, thecompany West Midlands from EtruriaMarl clay. produced sample panels that showed Using our3DRevit model and draw- that agood standard of pointingwith a ings, specialist subcontractor Thorp simpleflush profilecould be achieved. All Precast refined thesetting out and thepanelswerepointed prior to delivery worked withustodevelop the interfaces, on site. Following installation, the 10mm joints and adjacencies. Thorpremodelled joints betweenthe panels weresealed the facade usingTekla softwareand then with acolour-matched silicone. importeditback into the BIM modelfor Windows, shop fronts and doors co-ordination with the structural and arebeing installedonsite with EPDM steel subcontractor’s 3D models. membranesadhered to the back of the Thorpoptimisedthe panel design so concrete to complete the airtight and that they could be lifted safelyand insulated envelope. Thedevelopment is transported on astandardlow-loader due to open in late summer 2016. lorry.Approximately550 panels were Above Detail wall section, elevation and fabricatedintotal. Usingplywood axonometric.Key: 1 steel beam to parapet, 2 flat moulds for each panel type,the compa- brick panels above window openings, 3 100mm ny developed amodularcassette system PIR insulation fixed to back of concrete panels with integral vapour control, 4 60mm pavers,5140mm which was laidinto the base of the composite slab,6window head above top panel to mould,forming anegativeofthe pleated have 12.5mm stepping on alternate courses.

BB WINTER 2015 •31 We chose this brick for the elegant two – storey piers to reﬂ ect light, create layering and texture, but also because of its longevity.

Robert and Jessica Barker – Architects of Rockbourne Mews

Architects know a good thing when they see it. That’s why they make brick their choice in their designs.

Brick. See the material difference. Call us today on 020 7323 7030 email [email protected] or visit www.brick.org.uk @BricksUK #everythingconstructive