12 COMMENT
The devil is in the brickwork detail COMMENT
What are the modern techniques that enable housebuilders and developers to produce details in masonry facades that take buildings to new levels in terms of design and aesthetics? Scott Denham from IG Masonry Support investigates
D
eep reveals, soffits, flying beams and arches transform a building into a thing of beauty. Traditional facades that have withstood the test of time are much-applauded
feature details, but are increasingly being ignored in favour of building cheaper and more quickly. This results in buildings that are bland in appearance.
Brick has been around for centuries and has been the go-to material for use in the construction of many homes across Europe. Its consistent shape, compressive strength and ability to absorb water – not to mention its ability to hit the mark on aesthetic – has made brick a solid choice when it comes to the creation and refurbishment of buildings.
While trends towards other materials come and go, housebuilders’ love affair with brick continues. Over the past decade however, and in line with the advent of modern methods of construction, brick has been competing with other solutions. Brick was the popular material in the UK and Ireland, but the likes of the modern cladding system have become quick and cost-effective ways to create bright and modern looking buildings. However, it comes at a cost and this is partly due to the long-term aesthetics, as modern cladding systems can look tired and dated over time. There can be no denying however that many brick facades look as impressive today as they did when they were created decades ago. Currently, brick is experiencing something of a resurgence and with this has come a wave of housebuilders returning to brick and the many qualities it has to offer. Architecturally, the intricate detailing that brickwork enables is like no other. Brick detail in the form of arches, brick soffits, deep reveals and flying beams, continually make for stunning exteriors, enabling housebuilders to create truly unique facades.
Quality is achieved As a result of brick’s popularity and design potential, there has been a need for a solution that enables intricate brickwork patterning to be achieved in many iterations. And what is this solution? Prefabrication.
Prefabricated brick solutions can help the industry in a host of ways including the skills shortage. There is a huge skills shortage in the brickwork sector, with the average age of a bricklayer being 59 years old. To overcome this issue, prefabricated solutions have been tipped as a potential answer, as they negate the need for a
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK ADF NOVEMBER 2021
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