RESTON, Va.— Last month the 2018 Brick in Architecture Awards honored 19 winners for outstanding design that incorporates clay brick. Judged by a jury of independent design professionals, the Brick Industry Association’s (BIA) preeminent design competition awarded five Best in Class, five Gold, five Silver and four Bronze awards from 88 total entries.

“Fired-clay brick offers unlimited aesthetic flexibility, and is an integral part of any sustainable, low maintenance building strategy,” said Ray Leonhard, BIA’s president and CEO.

According to the Brick Industry Association, brick can assist in achieving LEED® (USGBC), ASHRAE 189.1 (Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings), etc. The association reminds us that brick contributes to energy performance and reduces energy costs. Better yet, brick is resilient! Clay is abundant in nature and brick can easily be reused.

The BIA honors outstanding buildings that incorporate creativity with clay. As demonstrated below, clay brick offers architects attractive design opportunities in addition to being sustainable and resilient.

Commercial

Fort Mill Welcome Center – Fort Mill, SC
Three brick colors reflect inherently local clay pottery from the Catawba Indian tribes
Architect: Liollio Architecture
Landscape Architect:  Warren Pruitt
Builder:  JM Cope
Manufacturer:  Meridian Brick
Mason Contractor:  CB Masonry

Fort Mill Welcome Center – Fort Mill, SC. Photos: © Paul Warchol Photography

Fort Mill Welcome Center – Fort Mill, SC.

Photos: © Paul Warchol Photography

Photos: © Paul Warchol Photography

 

Education (Higher Education)

Dr. Nettie Stevens Science Center
Westfield State University – Westfield, MA
A brick blend matches the original mid-century buildings with required low maintenance
Architect:  CambridgeSeven
Landscape Architect:  Shadley Associates
Builder:  Walsh Brothers
Manufacturer:  Glen-Gery Corporation
Distributor:  Spaulding Brick Company, Inc.
Mason Contractor:  Cantarella & Son, Inc.

Dr. Nettie Stevens Science Center at Westfield State University, Westfield, MA. Photo: ©Anton Grassl/Esto

Dr. Nettie Stevens Science Center at Westfield State University, Westfield, MA. Photo: ©Anton Grassl/Esto

Photos: ©Anton Grassl/Esto

Educational (K-12)

Robert J. Richardson Middle School – Chicago, IL
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple accent brick panels pop against white brick walls
Architect:  STR Partners LLC
Landscape Architect:  Jacobs/Ryan Associates
Builder:  K.R. Miller Contractors
Manufacturer:  Glen-Gery Corporation
Mason Contractor:  ALL Masonry Construction Company, Inc.

Photos: Steve Hall © Hall+Merrick Photographers

Photos: Steve Hall © Hall+Merrick Photographers

Paving & Landscaping

University of the District of Columbia Student Center – Washington, D.C.
Modern design uses linear brick for its fine texture, recycled content and sustainability/care
Architect:  Cannon Design in Collaboration with Marshall Moya Design
Landscape Architect:  Lee and Associates, Inc.
Manufacturer: Whitacre Greer Co.
Distributor:  Capital Brick & Tile, Inc.
Mason Contractor:  Imperial Stone Paving

University of the District of Columbia Student Center

University of the District of Columbia Student Center

University of the District of Columbia Student Center

University of the District of Columbia Student Center

Residential – Multifamily

The Hine Project – Washington, D.C.
Meets historical requirements in Victorian neighborhood; black, brown, gray and red brick
Architect:  Weinstein Studio/Esocoff & Associates and Gensler
Manufacturer:  Endicott Clay Products Company
Manufacturer:  The Belden Brick Company
Manufacturer:  Carolina Ceramics Brick Co.
Manufacturer:  Meridian Brick
Distributor:  Potomac Valley Brick & Supply Co.
Mason Contractor:  Diverse Masonry

Photos: Gensler

Photos: Gensler

Photos: Gensler

 

This year’s judges include Bill Bonstra, FAIA, LEED AP – Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS; John W. Bryant, AIA, LEED AP – Sweet Sparkman Architects; Ralph Cunningham, FAIA – Cunningham | Quill Architect PLLC; P. Justin Detwiler – John Milner Architects, Inc.; Charles Rose, FAIA – Charles Rose Architects Inc. and Gee-ghid Tse, AIA, LEED AP – Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc.

Best in Class winners will receive national recognition through a special Brick in Architecture insert in the December 2018 issue of Architect magazine. BIA’s website includes a complete photo gallery.The Best in Class winners can also be viewed in this brief video.

For more information about brick’s sustainability, visit http://www.gobrick.com/why-choose-brick/Sustainability.

Founded in 1934, BIA is the nationally recognized authority on clay brick construction representing the nation’s distributors and manufacturers of clay brick and suppliers of related products.