6-Summer-2001

Cannon canRebuilding the TateCelebrating the Jubilee

BR ICK11Project:DublinCorporationhousing

Viewpoint:Simply ediblebrickwork

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COVERLanchesterLibrary,CoventryUniversity

Project:Engineering diversityat Strathclyde

2 8Summer 2001

1 9Project:Eclectic influencesat Corpus Christi,Tring

UK £5.00

BR ICK

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Some time ago, the BDA’smembership was enlarged by

the welcome addition of all theclay brick companies in the IrishRepublic, which has a rich anddiverse tradition of building inbrick. So it is a real pleasure to seethe role of brick arc h i t e c t u re inI reland reflected in this issue ofB r i ck Bulletin with the feature onsocial housing designed by DublinCorporation Arc h i t e c t sD e p a rtment. We look forw a rd toshowcasing more projects fro mI reland in the future. Long may itsc o n s t ruction boom continue.

Two Irish schemes werefinalists in the 2000 Brick Aw a rd s .Some of these impressive pro j e c t shave already appeared in B r i ckB u l l e t i n; others are explored inthis number. The quality anddiversity of projects were atestament to the creativity andcraftsmanship of our buildingp rofessionals – aided by thep roducts and, often, by thespecialist services available fro mBDA members. In this issue wegive a survey of membercompanies’ CAD facilities,invaluable for detailing andc reating special feature s .

How exhilarating it must havebeen for the Ikon Gallery team tobring back to life that dere l i c tVictorian school. The gentlecleaning of the fabric, thepainstaking re c reation of originalf e a t u res and a wonderful newfacility for Birmingham.

I t ’s interesting to note that theI k o n ’s original clock tower helpedventilation – a principle exploitedto the full 155 years on inC o v e n t ry University’s LanchesterL i b r a ry, whose tall cliffs ofbrickwork bring new drama to thec i t y. There ’s drama on a smallerscale at the minimalist ClarkeHouse in Egham and in theglorious interior of Corpus ChristiC h u rch in Tring. Indeed, all thep rojects featured share this quality.

It all says to me that brick canchallenge, stimulate and excite. Itis not the cosy option.

Con Lenan, chief exe c u t ive, B DA

U P D AT E3 - 5 The Brick Aw a rd s

Engineering updateThe Guild of Bricklayers competitions take offNew masonry code of practiceR e t i rement of Michael HammettNew senior architect for BDABrickmaking video publishedCommendation for ‘BDA Guide to Successful B r i c k w o r k ’

V I E W P O I N T6 - 7 No voussoirs in Vegas, but Sutherland Lyall re c a l l s

delicious brickwork memories closer to home

PROJECT PROFILES8 - 1 0 Public building

C o v e n t ry ’s new university library breaks newg round in energy eff i c i e n c y

1 1 - 1 3 H o u s i n gHow Dublin Corporation is pre s e rving city-centrel i v i n g

1 4 - 1 5 C o m m e rcial buildingClarke House introduces new order in re d b r i c ko ff i c e s

1 6 - 1 8 H o u s i n gBlackwall Basin stands up to its neighbours

1 9 - 2 1 Religious buildingSolid brickwork, solid craftsmanship at CorpusChristi, Tr i n g

2 2 - 2 3 H o u s i n gSolaria on the Severn at Te w k e s b u ry

2 4 - 2 5 S t ructural brickworkThe problems of a difficult site elegantly re s o l v e dat Monmouth

2 6 - 2 7 R e f u r b i s h m e n tIkon Gallery deploys craft skills to create cutting-edge art showcase

2 8 - 2 9 L a b o r a t o ry buildingBlue and red bricks engineer harmony atStrathclyde University

TECHNICAL NOTES3 0 - 3 1 Specialist CAD s e rvices on offer from brickmakers

BDA MEMBERS3 2 Contact details for BDA member companies

Summer 2001

The BrickD e v e l o p m e n tAssociation LimitedWoodside HouseWi n k f i e l dWi n d s o rBerks SL4 2DXTel 01344 885651Fax 01344 [email protected]

EditorSue Duncan

Technical editorMichael Hammett

Co-ordinating editorRuth Slavid

ISSN: 0307-9325

Published by

151 Rosebery AvenueLondon EC1R 4GB

Printer

Cradley Print

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The Brick Aw a rds 2000 were noexception to a well-establishedtradition of excellence and werep resented in some style at the CaféRoyal at a gala dinner attended by 400g u e s t s .

Congratulations to the team behindthe Building of the Year – CoventryU n i v e r s i t y ’s new library – (one ofseveral shortlisted schemes featured inthis issue). And thanks to thedistinguished panel of assessors.

BUILDING OF THE YEAR C o v e n t ry University LanchesterL i b r a ry & Resource Centre (See a rticle p8)A rchitect: Short and AssociatesBricks: Marshalls Clay Pro d u c t s

C AT E G O RY WINNERSCRAFTSMANSHIP C h u rch of Corpus Christi, Tring (Seea rticle p19)A rchitect: Anthony Delarue AssociatesBrickwork: E W RaymentBricks: Sussex Brick, Charn w o o dF o rest Brick, Chelwood Brick, DuntonBrick

PUBLIC BUILDING C o v e n t ry University Lanchester Library& Resource Centre

A rchitect: Short and AssociatesBricks: Marshalls Clay Pro d u c t s

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGCanon (UK) Headquarters, Reigate A rchitect: David Richmond & Partners Bricks: Ibstock Brick

P R I VATE HOUSINGBlackwall Basin, London E14 (Seea rticle p16) A rchitect: David Richmond & Partners Bricks: Ambion Brick, Ibstock Brick

PUBLIC HOUSINGBeveridge Hall, Queens University,Belfast A rchitect: Roger McMichaelBricks: Baggeridge Brick

SINGLE HOUSEBallihoo, Caversham A rchitect: Adrian James Bricks: Bovingdon Brick

S T RUCTURAL BRICKWORK World of Glass, St Helens A rchitect: Geoff rey Reid AssociatesEngineer: BDPBricks: Ibstock Brick

L A N D S CA P ECanon (UK) Headquarters, Reigate Landscape Design: Holden LiversedgeBricks: Baggeridge Brick, Ibstock Brick

R E F U R B I S H M E N TThe Ikon Gallery (See article p26 )A rchitect: Levitt Bern s t e i nBricks: Ibstock Brick

E X P O RT Tallaght Regional Hospital, Republicof Ireland A rchitect: Robinson Keefe & Devane Bricks: Ambion Brick

Panel of Assessors P rofessor Tony Monk (Chairm a n )Professor of Architecture, Unive rsity ofL u t o nDr Sutherland Lyall A r ch i t e c t u ra lw r i t e rBob Baldwin President of the Guild ofB r i ck l aye rsB ryn Bird Founder partner: WhitbyBird and Pa r t n e rs, engineersEileen Thomas Planning Officer,Epsom & Ewell Borough CouncilTe rry Anderson Landscape arch i t e c t

1. John O’Grady of contractor TottyGroup, Jennifer Jeffries and Elaine Toogoodof Short and Associates take the Building ofthe Year Award. Right of picture, BDAChairman Richard Manning

2. BDP’s Alan Jones (right) receives theStructural Award from judge Bryn Bir d

3. Architect Anthony Delarue (right)accepts the Craftsmanship Award fromjudge Bob Baldwin

4. Guests at the Awards dinner

BRICK AWARDS NIGHT

BRICK AWARDS 2001● E n t ry deadline: 13 July● Aw a rds dinner: 14 November● F o rms from: Aw a rds Office, BDA,

or www. b r i c k . o rg . u kor from your brick re p re s e n t a t i v e

1 2

3 4

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BDA Reader in Brickwork MasonryDr Pav Bingel was appointed from October 2000 by Leeds Metropolitan University,with support from BDA, as The Brick Development Association Reader in BrickworkM a s o n ry.

Dr Bingel is senior lecturer in civil engineering within the School of the BuiltE n v i ronment at LMU. An important part of his workload focuses on brickworkre s e a rch and innovation issues. This currently includes collaborative project work onclay brickwork movement characteristics and on the development of advanced designtechnologies for brickwork cladding to framed building stru c t u res. An example of thisis the experimental full-height brick cladding panels to the seven-storey concre t e -framed test building at BRE Card i n g t o n .

Brick wind-shielding As part of its contribution towards thepilot six-storey brick-clad timber-framed building at the BRE Card i n g t o nL a rge Building Test Facility, BDA hasrecently completed a Department of theE n v i ronment, Tr a n s p o rt and theRegions Partners in Innovation contractinvestigating the wind-shielding eff e c tof brickwork cladding on timber-framed buildings.

The current codified design practicefor timber-framed building stru c t u re s

accepts the principle of wind loadshielding to walling elevations aff o rd e dby the brick cladding, but practical use of this wind-shielding effect toa ff o rd economies and improvements inoverall design efficiency is curre n t l yl i m i t e d .

Completion of this project workwill help to fill gaps in knowledge andshould allow the full effect ofbrickwork wind-shielding to be takeninto account in future design coderevisions as well as in other designguidance documentation.

In measurements taken from thep roject work, the brickwork claddingwas found to be shielding the timberframe by an amount in excess of one-t h i rd of the total lateral load applied tothe walling of the test buildings.Another finding was that the out-of-plane stiffness of brick-clad timber-framed walls is considerably higherthan current structural calculationp ro c e d u res would indicate.

The project was carried out jointlyby BDA and Ceram BuildingTe c h n o l o g y.

M a s o n ry support systems – best practice sheetsTwo new best practice information sheets havebeen published for the specification and site useof stainless-steel masonry support systems.These systems typically consist of shelf andbracket angles, commonly used methods for the

s t o rey-height support ofbrickwork and otherm a s o n ry from framedbuilding stru c t u re s .The two sheets, SCI-P297and SCI-P298, giveguidance for contractorsand specifiers re s p e c t i v e l y.Both have been issued bythe Masonry SupportI n f o rmation Group anda re available from theSteel Constru c t i o nInstitute at SilwoodPark, Ascot, Berks (tel:01344 623345).

Taking up the trowel This spring, students at constru c t i o ncolleges across the county competed inthe Guild of Bricklayers Competitionsregional heats, where demanding testpieces, built against the clock, calledfor quality of the highest ord e r.Winners pro g ress to the Skill BuildNational finals at Ballymena in June,with the prospect of going for gold atthe 2003 international Youth SkillsO l y m p i c s .

Substantial sponsorship comes fro mmany member companies and this yeart h e re is the added support of a newc ro s s - i n d u s t ry action group – the BetterBrickwork Alliance. Reinvigorating andi n c reasing support for the competitionsis one of several BBA initiatives toexpand the skills base by encouragingnew entrants to a career in bricklaying.

M a s o n ry Code of Practice An amended version of BS 5628: Part 3:2000 ‘Code of Practice for the Use ofM a s o n ry: Structural use of re i n f o rc e dand pre s t ressed masonry’ was re c e n t l ypublished by the British Standard sInstitution and copies are nowa v a i l a b l e .

Reinforced brickwork freestanding wall at theGillingham Northern Link Relief Road

London Regional Senior winner, Craig Greenleaf ofReading College of Arts & Design

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Michael Hammett re t i re sIn April, BDA senior architect MichaelHammett re t i red after 21 years with theassociation. To say that his re t i re m e n twill leave a yawning gap is no slight onhis colleagues since Mike’s knowledgeof, enthusiasm for and energ e t i cp romotion of all ‘matters brick’ isawesome. It would be hard to cite anya rea – technical, marketing, education –that has not benefited from hise x p e rtise, invariably shared in the mostg e n e rous manner.

Mike joined BDA in 1979, havingworked in private practice and thenwith Wycombe District Council, where

he had been a principal architect. Whatis not widely known is that arc h i t e c t u rewas in fact a career change. In the late1950s, Mike was a biologist workingfor MAFF on searc h - a n d - d e s t ro ymissions for insect pests. Inspired bythe work of Arne Jacobsen and AlvarAalto and encouraged by his wifeMoya, he changed direction, studieda rc h i t e c t u re at the Nort h e rnPolytechnic (1959-64) and leftentomology to others.

He joined BDA’s education team,whose remit included every sector ofthe construction industry – practisingand student architects, contractors,bricklayers and construction colleges,distributors and brickmakers. Hisduties included lecturing up and downthe land.

Over the years, technicalcommittees and working parties toon u m e rous to mention have benefitedf rom his participation – notably the BSIcommittee responsible for masonrycodes.

Add to that a wide range oftechnical publications, press art i c l e sand his guiding editorial hand in B r i ckB u l l e t i n – all underline the scope of hisc o n t r i b u t i o n .

M i k e ’s re t i rement will not mean acomplete break with the world of brickand we look forw a rd to his continuingcontributions to B r i ck Bulletin, whichhe has promised to add to his post-re t i rement pursuits.

Michael Driver joins the team Michael Driver MA, DipArch, RIBAjoined the BDA as senior arc h i t e c tearlier this year, succeeding MichaelHammett, who re t i red in April.

Like his pre d e c e s s o r, Michael has awide brief – to head BDA’s team ofa rchitects, helping educate all sectors ofthe construction industry in thepotential of brickwork, promoting bestpractice in its use; to provide guidancee x t e rnally and to member companies;to contribute to publications; tore p resent the association on extern a ls t a n d a rds committees; and to commenton proposed legislation.

He comes to BDA with wideexperience of educational and practiceroles. Since 1977, he has taught atC a n t e r b u ry School of Arc h i t e c t u re ,c o n c u rrently running a practiceu n d e rtaking educational, commerc i a land residential work. His interest inc o n s t ruction and the building pro c e s sp rompted a specialisation in self-build.

Michael graduated from Cambridgeand worked in private practice withDavid Roberts and Geoff rey Clarke inCambridge. He was a partner inC ruikshank & Seward Arc h i t e c t s ,M a n c h e s t e r, before moving intoa rchitectural education.

BOOK REVIEW ‘The hallmark of this book is its clarity.The text and illustrations pro v i d ec rystal clear guidance on the scienceand art of brickwork. The bookconveys a sense of the art of thepossible and illustrates some brickworksolutions that are inspirational,functional and elegant. Now that’ss u c c e s s . ’

T h a t ’s the critical review of T h eB DA Guide to Successful Brick wo rk i n

the Chart e red Institute of BuildingL i t e r a ry Aw a rds, presented in Londonin March. This indispensable guide togetting brickwork right won the HighlyCommended certificate in the BuildingP rocess category.

Published for BDA by Arnold (nowB u t t e rw o rth-Heinemann), this isessential reading for anyone involvedwith brickwork construction ands p e c i f i c a t i o n .

Price £ 16.99 plus £3.50 p&p fro mB D A .

Bricks and brickmaking This 28-minute educational videop rogramme from the University of theWest of England, made with the activep a rticipation of the BDA, is nowavailable.

It explores all aspects of brickm a n u f a c t u re in the UK, includingunderlying geology and clay winning,the process, forming, setting, kilntechnology and related issues such ase n v i ronmental impact. In an industryrich in diversity, traditional hand-f o rming and open clamp firing stillhave a valued place alongside the high-volume, automated factories typical oft o d a y ’s high-tech industry. All arec o v e re d .

This is a valuable educational toolfor anyone, especially those engaged inbrickwork specification, constru c t i o nand distribution.

For price and availability, call BDA.

On behalf of BDA, Michael Hammett receives thecertificate from Chris Blythe, chief executive of CIoB

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We were on the Grand Canal inone of those paper- s h a r p ,black-painted boats, the sky

above far bluer than anythingConstable had ever painted. Perf e c t .

I had even promised the gondolier$5 if he promised not to sing. But bythe second bridge it had all turned toashes. It was the brickwork that did it.As the house of cards collapsed, I hadto recognise that the sky was bluebecause it was indeed painted – that,although these were real Ve n e t i a ngondolas, the Grand Canal was not inVenice but on the first floor of TheVenetian casino on Las Ve g a sB o u l e v a rd in the middle of themidwinter Mojave desert.

You might expect this kind of thingin your local new housing estate. Butthis was in a building complex som e t i c u l o u s l y, rigorously andexpensively re c reated from measure ddrawings that you gasped in disbelief atthe telling. Eighteen months earlier I’dhad a drink with the US architect inLondon and seen the slides.

What blew the gondola fantasy outof the water was the next brick arc hover this first-floor waterw a y. Therewas not a voussoir brick in sight. Thea rch was simply cut through the brickslike a wire cutting through cheese.W h y, when the bricks were almostc e rtainly slips glued on to part i c l eb o a rd and all around was meticulouslyo b s e rved re p ro, could they not haveb o t h e red to get it even vaguely right?

Rules of pro p r i e t yFor brickwork has its rules ofp ro p r i e t y. They are easy enough tograsp, probably because there are n ’t allthat many of them. So when brickworkdesigners and bricklayers fail in thisw a y, it’s like a stick in your eye.

Bricks are small things, just smallenough to lift comfortably in one hand.This means that, however you put themt o g e t h e r, they have to comply withwhatever laws of statics apply to9 x 4

1/2x3-inch building components held

a p a rt by beds of mort a r. And whenthey do apply, brick can be the most

Simply edible

SUTHERLAND LYA L L

Dr Sutherland Lyall isa freelance journalistand author of a dozenbooks on architecture,landscape and art. Hebegan in journalism asbuildings editor of T h eArchitects’ Journal,has been editor ofseveral magazinesi n cluding B u i l d i n gD e s i g n and is editorialadviser to I n t e r i o rD e s i g n and B u i l d i n g

Photographs1. Beechwood Hotel2. The Circle3. Wall, Suffolk4. Blaise Hamlet5. Leigh, Kent6. Judge Instiitute

1

Photographers1.John Mills2. FWD3. Philip Bier4. National TrustPhotographic Library/JohnBlake5. Nigel Spreadbury6. Martine HamiltonKnight

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gloriously edible building material everthought of.

I have two brick re f e rence wallsthat I carry around in my head. One isa long stretch of red Accringtons in therestaurant of what, nearly 30 years ago,was Runcorn ’s only motel – Esso’sBeechwood motor hotel as it was then.Designed by the new town’s deputychief architect, Keith Smith, it was builtin the frenetic early ’70s buildingboom, when even vaguely skilledbrickies could command small ransoms.

They had to bring a foremanbricklayer out of retirement to supervisethe work. He soon had the surly youthspresented to him as quondam bricklayershanging on his every word, watching hisevery trowel stroke – or so they told me.And they produced this stunning wall ofplain brick, which I would sometimesvisit, sitting at the circular, leather-edgedbar in admiration.

M o re re c e n t l y, there ’s been CZWG’sw o n d e rful blue-glazed Circle inB e rmondsey and practically anybrickwork of John Outram.

Wo n d e rful decrepitude The other wall is – or perhaps was – ag a rden wall in a leafy lane opposite asmall, smart new group of houses inB u ry St Edmunds, Suffolk. It was, Ithink, a very old wall with what lookedlike medieval or even Roman bricks atthe base, some courses of vern a c u l a rhit-and-miss brick and flint and, ontop, a shoulder-high Georgian, possiblyVictorian, garden wall, its rambling,sagging length supported here and thereby those massive, sloping abutments, aw o n d e rful decrepitude of clay, stoneand lime beneath the tangled greens ofhanging trees and wild foliage.

And it sagged. It’s one of oldb r i c k w o r k ’s glories, sagging. It’ssomething of which any brickwork iscapable, providing it came before thei n t roduction of hard cement mort a r sand regulations calling for massivefoundations.

Brick is the only building material that bothers to provide us with a diagram of the bearing capacityof the soil on which it stands.

Oh, and chimneys. Blaise Hamlet,on the outskirts of Bristol, has acollection of John Nash-designedp i c t u resque cottages whose chimneysa re a mad brick delight: barley sugar twisted, doubled, decorated,demented they rise from their thatch ak n o b b l y, crusty metaphor of the agedretainers for whom the village wasdesigned.

I m m o d e s t l y, BlaiseThen, right across the country in Kent,near Tonbridge and perhaps 40 yearslater, there’s the beautifully observed fakehalf-timbered and brick village of Leigh,designed mostly by George Devey andwith chimneys quite as good. It is themature, near-realistic version of thevernacular English village of which Blaiseis an early parody and which our masshouse builders fail to imitate with suchstyle.

Who needs ersatz Ve n e t i a ncampaniles and bad brick arches whenwe have such delicious pleasures asthese at our back door?

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It is rare for a new building to bet ruly significant and develop a newa p p roach to design.The new Library and Resourc e s

C e n t re for Coventry University is justsuch a project, however. It contains aunique spark of originality and itsconcept is likely to have a pro f o u n dinfluence on the design of buildingsthat provide large open-plana c c o m m o d a t i o n .

The impressive cluster of tall towers creates a dramatic newlandmark on the Coventry skyline. Itsdeep plan form manages to achieve11,000 sq m of flexible library andteaching space on only four floors on aconstrained site.

In addition to the excitingsculptural arc h i t e c t u re with compacte fficient planning, it embodies a radicalnew approach to energy conserv a t i o nthat reduces energy consumption to aminimum. Like many organisations, the

university has a tight annual budgetthat makes a major new building withminor annual running costs acompelling attraction.

This large, heavily used library andre s o u rces centre avoids the capital andrunning costs of air conditioning andmakes a significant contribution to thedevelopment of sustainablea rc h i t e c t u re.

Also of great relevance tos u s t a i n a b i l i t y, and to lifecycle costing inp a rt i c u l a r, is the choice of brick as themain facing material. Brickwork has anattractive appearance and retains itsgood looks without the need for re g u l a rcleaning or supplementary decoration.This makes its service life costse x t remely low.

F u rt h e rm o re, this advantage isp rovided without the penalty of highinitial cost because brickwork is aneconomic, cost-effective and versatilef o rm of constru c t i o n .

Cunning plan

PUBLIC BUILDING

Minimal energyconsumption was theleading principle in thedesign of the newLanchester Library atC ov e n t ry University.Using carefullymanaged naturalventilation, passivecooling and solarheating as analternative to airc o n d i t i o n i n gdramatically reducesrunning costs

P rofessor Tony Monk re p o rts onsustainable arc h i t e c t u re that re a l l ystacks up

C l i e n t

C o v e n t ryU n i v e r s i t y

A rchitect

S h o rt andA s s o c i a t e s

E n e rg yconsultant

IESD, DeM o n t f o rtU n i v e r s i t y,L e i c e s t e r

Contractor

Totty Gro u p

Photography

M a rt i n eH a m i l t o nK n i g h tPaul White

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Design and planningThe new building accommodates al a rge print and electronic librarycontaining 350,000 books, 2,000periodicals and media collections.T h e re are also learning facilities,including a training suite and 300computer terminals, as well as shopsand a café. This is all contained in aflexible open-plan building, 46m squareand four storeys high, with a basement.

The towering service cores, entrancec o rridor and stairs are positionedoutside the purity of this exact squaref o rm and visually relieve its otherw i s el a rge bulk. The volume is puncture dv e rtically by a glazed atrium at itsc e n t re and four large, full-height lightw e l l s .

The stru c t u re of the new building isa steel frame and the principal claddingmaterial is facing brickwork support e don the frame at floor levels. Smooth,w i recut bricks are used – they are

p redominantly cream coloured, butinclude reds to create chevro np a t t e rning associated with fenestrateda reas. Massive masonry walling andsmall windows minimise the intru s i o nof traffic noise from the elevated ringroad beyond the western boundary ofthe site.

The brickwork is the outer leaf ofcavity walling that includes a 100mmcavity filled with mineral-woolinsulation to give a U-value of 0.26.The inner leaf is of 140mm concre t eblockwork with a plastered finish. Thisc o n s t ruction was chosen in pre f e re n c eto lightweight framing and dry liningbecause the masonry ’s thermal capacitycontributes to the comfort of thebuilding by its stabilising influence onfluctuating temperatures inside.

The library function re q u i red deep-plan flexible accommodation, butnatural ventilation in a deep-planbuilding is difficult if not impossible to

achieve by means of perimeterventilation. This consideration, togetherwith the issues of noise and securitythat precluded opening windows on thebuilding perimeter, helped generate theeventual design, developed after severalfeasibility studies by Professor AlanS h o rt and Professor Kevin Lomas.

It comprises an intro v e rted 46m-s q u a re plan around a central atrium,with supplementary light/ventilationshafts within the building and highbrick ‘chimney stacks’ around theperimeter that give the building itsdistinctive form .

Four 6m-square light/ventilationshafts, linked at ground level into aplenum floor, conduct fresh air into thebuilding as stale air is removed via thel a rge central atrium and 20 ventilationstacks around the perimeter of thebuilding. Heat generated by electro n i cequipment and the building’s usersc reates sufficient stack effect to achieve

1 0

the necessary air change rate forc o m f o rt. In cold weather, heating coilsin the ground floor warm the buildingand activate air movement.

The tall perimeter brick stackst e rminate in metal stru c t u res speciallydesigned to react to changing wind andto allow rising air to exit withoutmechanical assistance under all weatherconditions. A sophisticated electro n i cmanagement system regulates thee ffects of solar gain and glare, adjustingblinds and monitoring and contro l l i n gthe heat and lighting re q u i rements aswell as the quality of the air and itsm o v e m e n t .

P e rf o rmance testingThe Institute of Energy and SustainableDevelopment at De Montfort Universityand the University of Wales School ofA rc h i t e c t u re modelled the airmovement using computerised fluiddynamics. Scale models were built fortesting in wind tunnels and undera rtificial skies.

It is predicted that comfortconditions will be maintained and thatt e m p e r a t u res will hardly ever exceed2 7o C. Furt h e rm o re, it is calculated thate n e rgy consumption will be only 18-20per cent of a typical air- c o n d i t i o n e db u i l d i n g .

The Lanchester Library has beenbuilt for the same capital costs per m2

as the HEFCE normally approves for

an air-conditioned building – but, withp redicted running costs reduced byabout 80 per cent, Coventry Universitywill enjoy a major advantage inmeeting the annual running costs.

I n t e r i o rI n t e rn a l l y, the large universal spaceswork well for the changing nature ofl i b r a ry and IT use. The open plan,i n f o rmal layout is well lit naturally bythe internal courts and the triple-deckerwindows. A lofty 4.4m between floors,c i rcular columns, perforated steelbeams and the absence of suspendedceilings, all contribute to a pleasantspacious airiness in these busyworkspaces. The central atrium and thefour light wells also aid orientation inthis large floor are a .

Use of the stack effect of natural airmovement is not new. This applicationexploits an old principle for new energ yc o n s e rvation reasons. Short andAssociates has used it pre v i o u s l y,notably in the De Montfort UniversitySchool of Engineering, Leicester and inthe Contact Theatre, Manchester( f e a t u red in B r i ck Bulletin, autumn1994 and summer 2000 respectively).

But in the Lanchester Library we seethe culmination of those evolving ideas.As at Leicester and Manchester, form sthat at first sight might appear to bedecorative exuberance are in factderived from fundamental, functional

elements and may be re g a rded asa rchitecturally eloquent expressions ofhow the building works.

The Lanchester Library andR e s o u rces Centre strikinglydemonstrates that comfort a b l eaccommodation is possible withoute n e rg y - h u n g ry mechanical air-conditioning. Achieving this does notexclude good arc h i t e c t u re, it dependsupon it. Short and Associates hasc reated a most impressive building thatis an excellent example of sustainablea rc h i t e c t u re .

It was the worthy winner of theBrick Development AssociationBuilding of the Year Aw a rd 2000.

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Dublin has been described as ‘acity of houses’ and, at itsc e n t re, from grand Georg i a n

houses down to the orderly weave ofVictorian and Edwardian terraces andvillas, these houses are made of brick.

Tr a d i t i o n a l l y, a variety of red bricksand the once-ubiquitous but nowvanished Dolphins Barn brick, asandstone-yellow stock, allowed avariety of building styles and urbang e s t u res to blend into a satisfyinglyc o h e rent whole.

Ty p i c a l l y, only the most subtle ofa rchitectural moves mark these modesthouses from each other. On an autumnevening, the long slanting light showsto best advantage the gently modulatedcolour and texture of each buildingwithin a strong urban framework ofs t reets and squares. It is this subtledialogue that gives Dublin its modestbut memorable architectural character.

The now vibrant centre of the citywas not always as well fostered as it ist o d a y. From the 1930s onward s ,politicians seized on the vote-grabbingpotential of building houses cheaper,quicker and in ever greater numbers at

the city’s edge. From the 1960s a seriesof disastrous and mostly unre a l i s e droad proposals blighted their putativeroutes while universities, hospitals andother institutions drifted to thes u b u r b s .

Close-knit urban communitiesfearing final displacement from theirtraditional habitats took to the stre e t sto demand proper housing at the heartof the city. From these protests aro s eDublin Corporation’s ongoingcommitment to an urban-infillp rogramme of housing.

These projects began when thebuilding of domestic accommodation inthe decaying city centre was an unlikelyv e n t u re. In this light, the choice ofbrick as the primary building material(as well as responding to context andreducing future maintenance)re p resented a firm commitment to high-quality construction. These schemes,typically deploying a range of flexiblehouse types to optimise brownfield andbackland sites, showed it was possibleto build well and, more import a n t l y, tolive well in the city centre. This lesson,re i n f o rced by tax incentives from the

In Dublin’s fair city

H O U S I N G

Responsive tochanging social needs,Dublin Corporation hasexploited a series ofw e l l - d e s i g n e dhousing-infill projectsto address importantissues of urbanrenewal in the Irishc a p i t a l

Dublin Corporation has stalled housing’sflight to the capital’s suburbs. EddieC o n roy tells how

C l i e n tD u b l i nC o r p o r a t i o n

A rc h i t e c tD u b l i nC o r p o r a t i o nA rc h i t e c t sd e p a rt m e n t

P h o t o g r a p h yPeter Barro w sB a rry MasonE u g e n eG r i b b e nM i c h a e lH a m m e t t

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mid-1980s, has led to a re s i d e n t i a linflux to the heart of Dublin that isslowly repairing the enormous physicaland social damage inflicted in earliery e a r s .

Backland idyllFather Kitt Court, a recent housingp roject in the 1930s suburb of Cru m l i n ,places terraced accommodation to theedge of a backland site, form i n gc o n t rolled public spaces within, linkedin turn to the outside world.

The existing community had a long-standing wish to re i n f o rce the villagequality of their neighbourhood and tofind physical expression for a support i v ecommunity network. The project isa rranged as a series of linkingc o u rt y a rds, rigorously composed andc e n t red on a community facility – the‘town-hall’ of this metaphorical village.The spaces created vary in size but arec a refully pro p o rtioned to their enclosingbuildings. Pinch points, emphasised bydeeply overhanging gables, mark the

transitions from space to space.The community hall has two bold

columns gently pointing up its claim tocivic status. This building generates alonger court y a rd with a cranked endcondition (courteously acknowledgingSt Agnes church beyond). Enclosure isthe primary concern here and the brickis used to wrap the spaces created andto establish a datum line at upper-window sill height, formed by a distinctbut muted cornice with a brick biscuitused as a creasing tile in a verytraditional manner.

The brick used throughout is a re dmulti with a distinct, soft texture .Detailing is simple. Only the larg ewindow in each dwelling is allowed arelieved brick arch. Well-detailed railingsat balconies counterpoint the stre t c h e dquality of the long brick facades. Theevident quality of the scheme made it afinalist in the Brick Aw a rds 2000.

At the scale of the cityThe Corporation’s infill programme hasconcentrated primarily on two- andt h re e - s t o rey own-door houses in thecity centre. These schemes fre q u e n t l yran into problems of scale, often failingto match the height and massing ofl a rger urban neighbours. Changingdemographics and more complex living

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and family arrangements suggested theg rowing importance of moretypological choice.

This tendency was re i n f o rced bythe imperative of sustainability toi n c rease density and maximise landuse. The scheme at Bride Stre e t / G o l d e nLane is a particularly innovativeresponse to these concerns. It includesa four- s t o rey brick terrace on twos t reets with a strong, highly modelledc o rn e r. A large archway allows layere dviews into a court y a rd of two-store yhouses; in some ways a mews to thef o u r- s t o rey terrace of maisonettesf ronting the street – a condition re a d i l yc o m p rehensible in Dublin.

L a rge paired access stairs,reminiscent of New York bro w n s t o n e s ,set up a stately rhythm along thes t reet. Generous south-facing balconiesdecorate the facade and encourage thetenants to interact with the street andenjoy the gardens of St Patrick’sCathedral beyond.

The height and length of thet e rraces re q u i red a careful balance ofdetail to ensure scale. Brick, a practicalchoice to reduce maintenance, is usedtellingly to offset the adjoining IveaghBuildings and to warm the grey graniteof St Patrick’s Cathedral opposite.

It is a pre-mixed blend of red and

b u ff multis with a distinct orange hue.Specials are used at eaves, sills and inthe elegant semi-circular arches overentrances. Sculpted terracotta discs,with scenes from G u l l ive r ’s Tra ve l s(Jonathan Swift was Dean of StP a t r i c k ’s) add wit to the elevations.This radical high-density scheme uses areadily understandable built languagewhile avoiding the soft option ofreinstating a street fro n t a g e .

These concerns are taken a stagef u rther at Wolfe Tone Close on Jerv i sS t reet. Here, an entire city block hasbeen constructed. The ground floorwas designed for commercial use toenliven the adjoining streets. The five-and six-storey high buildings follow thesite perimeter and have indented bull-nosed corners at the junctions withP a rnell Street. The corners are form e din sand-coloured reconstituted stone,which continues as an attic store y.

The mix of stone and brick is lesss u re here than in Bride Street: thepoorly pro p o rtioned balcony panels andv e rtical ‘structural’ stripes weakenrather than order the long brickelevations. On Wolfe Tone Street, theblock rather agreeably defers to thes t reet, creating a lunette-shapedsuntrap. Adjoining, a city-scaleds t a i rway leads under a giant arch into

the secluded, but still public, court y a rdbeyond. This is a confident andmeaningful piece of place-making.

The court y a rd is informal, withp o w e rful brick terraces on two sides,a rticulated and colonised by genero u sbalconies and stairways. The othersides, re n d e red in a yellow ochre, stepdown in height to ensure maximumsunlight penetration. The brick is a pre -blended mix of red, buff and orangemultis, producing a satisfying effect.

The pro j e c t ’s mixed use encouragess t reet life. Adherence to the urbanscale and street pattern re i n f o rc e se n c l o s u re and quality, while the clearlinkage between the court y a rd and thecity beyond promotes integrationbetween existing and new.

T h e re is political and publicp re s s u re to move away from theconsiderable achievement of suchschemes into the comfortable, ifi l l u s o ry simplicity of two and thre e -s t o rey houses and gard e n s .

Such a step (rooted only innostalgia, for it fails to address thereal, changing needs of the people andthe city) would betray the honourablerole Dublin Corporation has forged inensuring that public housing has ap roud and useful part to play in thes t o ry of Dublin city.

1,3,5,7 Father Kitt Count6, 8, 9, 10 Bride Street2,4 Wolfe Tone Court

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Egham in Surrey is becoming anattractive out-of-London off i c elocation. A case in point is Clarke

House, a speculative joint venturebetween developers Gullane andQuintain and designed by Stiff +Trevillion. Heathrow Airport and theM25 are nearby and there is ane fficient rail service from the town toWaterloo and the City.

The arc h i t e c t ’s first design pro p o s e da ‘white-panelled, Meieresque box’ butat a final planning meeting thec o n s e rvation officer insisted on apitched roof and red brick facades, inkeeping with the local vern a c u l a r.

Ancient pre c e d e n t sA rchitect Andy Trevillion agrees thatbrick is an appropriate choice for

Egham, given its many historicassociations. Runnymede, where MagnaC a rta was sealed, is just down theroad. Most local housing is red brickand nearby Royal Holloway Collegeo ffers a resplendent anglicised red brickversion of the Chateau de Chambord.

The Clarke House site once housedan abattoir. Clarkes Butchers, facing onto the High Street, was part of thecontract and has been converted into apizzeria. Pig’s Lane used to windbetween outhouses to the abattoir atthe back. By clearing away theseouthouses, Stiff + Trevillion made spacefor an attractive court y a rd with fixedseats and newly planted trees. Thisc o u rt y a rd forms part of a right of wayconnecting Egham High Street to thel a rge public car park behind and is

D ressed to kill

OFFICE BUILDING

Clarke House inEgham, Surrey,demonstrates thatbrick cladding can beused to satisfy localc o n s e rvationists andproduce a commercialbuilding attractive tocompanies seekingelegant, highlyc o n t e m p o r a ryp r e m i s e s

Deborah Singmaster inspects full-blooded modernist style in Surre y

C l i e n tGullane andQ u i n t a i n

A rchitect Stiff+Trevillion

S t ru c t u r a lengineer Anthony We l l s

Contractor B a rnes andE l l i o t t

Photographers Alan Wi l l i a m sM i c h a e lH a m m e t t

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used and enjoyed by shoppers on adaily basis.

M o d e rnist appro a c hAs committed modernists, the appro a c hof Stiff + Trevillion was to treat the brickas a contemporary ‘machined’ cladding,in stretcher bond with struck pointing.Andy Trevillion wanted ‘a pre c i s ew i recut brick with a sharp arr i sshowing’. He also wanted to emphasisethe non-structural function of thecladding: brick as skin.

Since the interior of the concre t e -frame building had already beendesigned using a 6m grid (for optimalsubdivision of offices), adopting brickfor the exterior meant re v i s i n gdrawings in order to reconcile the brickmodule with the grid and adjusting

facade openings so that they matchedbrick dimensions.

E x t e rn a l l y, the route of Pig’s Laneand the underlying medieval stre e tp a t t e rn is hinted at by a meanderingribbon of Indian Sandstone, whichweaves its way across the regularly laidpaving slabs of the court y a rd. Anotherre f e rence to the past lies in the choiceof brick colour and re d - p i g m e n t e dm o rtar – ‘bright red, like blood’, saysTre v i l l i o n .

Topsy turvy facadesThe arrangement of the elevationsestablishes an unconventional vert i c a lh i e r a rc h y. The ground floor is fullyglazed along the west-facing front andn o rth-facing elevations, with stru c t u r a lc o n c rete columns set forw a rd from the

glazing. First floor port r a i t - f o rm a twindows are set back half a brickwidth.

Wider second-storey windows, setback a full brick width, give pre c e d e n c eand transparency to this top floor, incontrast to the gradual reduction ofwindow size towards the top of aconventional, classically pro p o rt i o n e dbrick building.

T h e re are no expressed sills or linteld ressings; the openings simply puncht h rough the brick skin. The steel lintelto the top-storey windows is paintedblack and left exposed behind the edgeof the cladding. A fillet of powder-coated steel folds over the eaves as acoping and the facade brickwork isrestrained at roof level by a visible steelring beam.

Descriptive glazingWindows are aluminium framed exceptfor those facing the north boundary.The frames are steel and glazing is firerated to one hour. The windowa rrangement here is identical to that onthe front elevation but at the rear ofthe building, instead of detachedc o n c rete columns, the stru c t u r a ls u p p o rting pier is concealed behindbrickwork. Ground floor glazing on therear wall is broken into two larg ewindows, with mullions positioned tof o rm a middle panel where brick pierswould have been used in solidb r i c k w o r k .

An additional wing, raised on pilotito allow car access to the rear of thepizzeria, extends to the east of theentrance elevation, forming one arm ofthe right-angled plan. The WCs ands t a i rcase are placed in the shadowedangle of the plan, with small horizontalwindows indicating the WCs on stairl a n d i n g s .

Variation without frillsThe few depart u res from the overallu n i f o rmity of the brickwork at ClarkeHouse are used eff e c t i v e l y. Screen wallsdefining the entrance are stack bondedand stand out against the stre t c h e r-bonded front facade. A raisedflowerbed running around the base ofthe building is contained by a brickwall capped with brick-on-edge: thishas been planted with bushy everg re e ns h ru b s .

Even the brick wall surrounding thecar park, with inset railings, has beenc a refully detailed and finished.

Trevillion has high praise forcontractor Barnes and Elliott. ‘Designand build, which this job was, has anappalling reputation for quality,’ hesays. ‘But these days there ’s ap a rtnership between ourselves and thecontractor and they were instru m e n t a lt h roughout in trying to maintain thequality of the pro j e c t . ’

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Back in the mid-1980s, developerWates Built Homes acquired this0.86 ha site at Blackwall Basin in

L o n d o n ’s Docklands. But the tro u b l e deconomic waters that succeeded theboom years consigned it to the flotillaof projects riding at anchor pendingbetter times.

A rchitect David Richmond andP a rtners had looked at the site forWates in the late 1980s but it was notuntil 1993 that the practice was asked

to draw up planning pro p o s a l s .Doubtless the subsequent decision tobuild the Millennium Dome smackopposite gladdened a few hearts.

The site is a long and narrow one lying in the ColdharbourC o n s e rvation Area, which includes anumber of Grade II listed Georg i a nbuildings such as Isle House andNelson House.

F rom its southern boundary ofManager Street, it is tucked between

R o o m w i t h a v i e w – or two

H O U S I N G

With three CanaryWharf towers on oneside and theMillennium Dome onthe other, this modernr e s i d e n t i a ldevelopment atBlackwall Basin hasviews to die for. Butfar from beingov e r awed by itspowerful neighbours,it has its own way ofmaking an impact andyellow stockbrickwork makes amajor contribution

Sue Duncan visits award - w i n n i n ghousing in London’s Docklands

C l i e n tWates BuiltHomes

A rc h i t e c tD a v i dRichmond andP a rtners

C o n t r a c t o rWates BuiltHomes

P h o t o g r a p h yMorley vonS t e rn b e rgD a v i dR i c h m o n d

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the busy thoro u g h f a re of Prestons Roadto the west and Coldharbour to theeast. At its nort h e rn end, the plotextends out to the Thames along bothsides of the Blackwall Lock.

Blackwall Basin was originally builtin 1800 to help tow in ships through toWest India Docks and the narrow stre e tp a t t e rn that emerged between the basinand the river helped establish the grainand support the densities of the schemethat emerged.

O rg a n i s a t i o nThe development provides three thre e -b e d room penthouses, 57 two-bedro o mand 13 one-bedroom flats, and six two-b e d room mews houses org a n i s e da round a new garden court y a rd, thelock sides and a new urban square.

This paved square created in fro n tof the Georgian Isle House (designed in1825 by Sir John Rennie as theD o c k m a s t e r’s House) is the hub of thescheme, linking the old and new

a rc h i t e c t u re together at the waterf ront. The scale, forms and massing and

materials create an impression ofp e rmanence and security, sympatheticto its close neighbours. Indeed, IsleHouse was the muse for the materialspalette – so yellow and yellow multi-stock brickwork predominates. Thesame is true of many design details –brick plinth, steps, window pro p o rt i o n sand eaves details have beenre i n t e r p reted effectively in the newd e v e l o p m e n t .

The garden squareMaximum space and sunlightpenetration have been teased out of then a rrow site by creating a gated squarealong its north-south axis, stre t c h e deast as far as humanly possible. At itsc e n t re is a sunny garden overlookedf rom the west by a terrace of four-s t o rey apartment blocks turning theirbacks to the busy Prestons Road, andf rom the east by thre e - s t o rey mewshouses backing on to Coldharbour.Garages are tucked in at ground levelbehind a colonnade.

In the apartment blocks, theliving/dining rooms enjoy a dual aspectunusual for high-density schemes:

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double-aspect bays and deep-setbalconies look on to the square whiled i n i n g - a rea windows face west on toP restons Road. Blocks are linked withrecessed lantern staircase towers thatalso help articulate the terraces. On thepublic Prestons Road fro n t a g e ,a l t e rnating with the indented d i n i n g - a rea sections, the rhythm theyset up is specially apparent at nightwhen the timber stru c t u re of the ro o f sis uplit and visible through thec l e re s t o ry glazing.

The modelling is very pro n o u n c e don the Coldharbour elevations of themews houses, where rusticated plinthsrise to first-floor level. The ru s t i c a t i o n– six courses of stretcher bondbrickwork followed by a re c e s s e dcourse of header bricks – is furt h e rpunctuated by blind windows to thegarages behind, producing attractiveshadow lines as you proceed up thisn a rrowest of stre e t s .

Above plinth level, the brickworkchanges to a lighter, plain yellow stock– as does Isle House, which, whencleaned had revealed lighter brickworkabove a darker plinth. The ru s t i c a t i o n

is a new introduction and youencounter it throughout – often rising afull four storeys, enriching the textureand contrasting with stretcher bondb r i c k w o r k .

The locksidesThe tight passage of Coldharbour hasan undeniably dockside ambience, buti t ’s only as you emerge from it and theconfined views open out over the lockt o w a rds the river that the sense ofw a t e rf ront really impacts.

Blocks of one- and two-bedro o mflats are arranged north and south ofthe entrance lock where the scheme’sp resence on that powerful CanaryW h a rf-Millennium Dome axis isannounced by nine- and seven-store ypenthouse towers commanding the rivere n t r a n c e .

Height was an issue but the towerss u rvived protest relatively unscathed,only two floors being lopped from thed o w n s t ream tower. In fact, thedevelopment is height-sensitive. In theclose confines of Coldharbour it stepsdown from four to three storeys and,e l s e w h e re, brickwork gives way to

rendering for the top floor,simultaneously tying the brickwork to au n i f o rm line and reducing the appare n toverall height.

Brick elevations in the lock area arein a mixture of plain and ru s t i c a t e dbrickwork. Ve rtical cedarboardcladding to the full height of thetowers’ upstream elevations isweathering attractively, reflecting thecolours of the re c o n s t ructed stone sillsand rendering.

The response to the site pre s e rv e sthe ethos of old dockside housing ands t reet grain, balancing a sense ofe n c l o s u re with dramatic views of river,docks and iconic arc h i t e c t u r a lneighbours.

While respecting the extantG e o rgian buildings of the ColdharbourC o n s e rvation Area, the developmenthas created modern, well-pro p o rt i o n e da rc h i t e c t u re free of tweeness andg i m m i c k ry. These factors commended itto the 2000 Brick Aw a rds assessors,who voted it winner in the PrivateHousing category. All units have beensnapped up, so it’s proved popular withp u rchasers too.

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Arc h i t e c t u r a l l y, you don’t getmuch these days for a modest£440,000. Yet the Roman

Catholic Parish of Tring has landed anintriguing new church that not onlyfulfills its liturgical re q u i rements, butincludes an abundance of history andsymbolism too – and the craftsmanshipit displays is simply superb.

Completed in November 1999 afterabout a year in construction, theC h u rch of Corpus Christi in thec h a rming market town of Tr i n g ,

H e rt f o rd s h i re, has been designed byAnthony Delarue Associates.

The architect has shown a thoro u g hunderstanding of brickwork detailing,as well as a wide range of historic,religious and symbolic sources. Theresult is a rich visual experience asRomanesque, Classical and Byzantineinfluences interm i n g l e .

The Victorian ethos is present in thep o l y c h romatic brickwork andmeticulous attention to detail and, if itall has a strong Arts and Crafts flavour,

C h u rch triumphant

RELIGIOUS BUILDING

The market town ofTring has a newchurch thatincorporates parts of aformer building top r ovide historicalc o n t i n u i t y. Displayinga mastery ofbrickwork detailing, italso makesc o n s i d e r a b l earchitectural andsymbolic contributionsto the locality

G e o rge Demetri re p o rts on a churc hwith a very ecumenical response toa rchitectural influences

C l i e n tR o m a nC a t h o l i cParish ofTr i n g

A rchitect A n t h o n yD e l a ru eA s s o c i a t e s

S t ru c t u r a le n g i n e e rR o b e rt Tu c k e rA s s o c i a t e s

Main contractorEW Rayment& Co

P h o t o g r a p h yN i g e lS p re a d b u ry

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it is the inevitable result of usingtraditional materials on a small,typically English scale.

The new church replaces itsE d w a rdian pre d e c e s s o r, which the clientwas reluctant to see completelydemolished. Thus, the tabernacle andgable walls and the campanile on thef ront elevation have all beenincorporated into the new design, whilethe eight-sided apse and one arcade ofthe original Edwardian chapel havebeen rebuilt.

The plan can be broadly identifiedas that of an early Christian basilica,with an interesting geometry added byan eight-sided baptistery and a sacristywhose irregular shape is determined bythe site boundary.

E x t e r i o rThe external massing of the building isdominated by the tower formed overthe crossing, with a pyramidal roof ofhandmade clay tiles and elegant pale-tinted clere s t o ry. Jostling for positionnext to this are the former gable andcampanile, although the latter has beenheightened with a louvred top.

The architect inherited thiscollection and the truncated left hand

side of the Edwardian gableu n f o rtunately spoils what wouldo t h e rwise be an equilateral triangle –an element normally symbolising thep e rfection of the Holy Tr i n i t y.

Romanesque elements, such as thes e m i - c i rcular arched windows made oft h ree courses of header bricks, taketheir inspiration from the former chapeland are integrated into a classicalframework comprising vert i c a l

subdivisions that suggest pedestal,shaft, capital and entablature. Walls re -use the fine Luton grey bricks of theold pre s b y t e ry and are supplemented bynew matching bricks, as well ashandmade re d s .

A Byzantine re f e rence is seen on thepilasters, with their alternate banding ofred brick and cre a m - c o l o u red fair- f a c e dblockwork. A continuous garland ofroses above the arched window heads

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One is pre p a red for music inside ac h u rch, but the new brickwork ofCorpus Christi sings to you as youstand outside and gaze at it.

The professional pride felt by thebricklayer in building the in-situfacework arches, setting cornice bricksand other specials both internally ande x t e rnally and creating a ‘Roman’door detail while embracingdiaphragm wall construction, shinesout of this building. Great care hasbeen taken to space out arch bricks toan equal number either side of thecentral key bricks.

Notice the parallel mortar jointbetween arch rings and the sensitivecutting of brick courses, where theseintersect the extrados, giving another,n e a r-parallel, semi-circular mort a rjoint around every arch in thisbuilding.

All facework mortar joints wereraked-out each day in preparation fora separate pointing operation aftercompletion of the facework. This wasworked from the top down using avariety of joint finishes (flush, slightlyrecessed and struck), with care takent h roughout to emphasise brick

bonding at internal angles by pointingleft and right at these junctions.

A bricklayer never forgets workingon a job such as Corpus Christi, wherebringing to life the arc h i t e c t ’s ideasmake it a pleasure go to work eachd a y.

Bob Baldwin is president of the Guildof Brick l aye rs and was a judge for the2000 Brick Awards, in which CorpusChristi took the Best Cra f t s m a n s h i pAward. The judges were impressed bythe consistently high standardsmaintained in a variety of ch a l l e n g i n gdetails throughout the construction.

looks deceptively like terracotta, but isin fact very fine clay brick. This wasp re f e rred to terracotta, which wasdeemed more suited to an urban setting.

The building combines detailingthat is either subtle or highly evident.Subtle is the simple keystone detail tothe small window on the bell tower,comprising two courses of splayeds t retcher bricks. More forceful are thebattlements added to a section of the

rear elevation. Theses additions aredesigned to suggest a fort i f i e ddimension to the sacristy, which is usedto store valuables.

I n t e r i o rEntrance to the narthex of the church isvia a distinctly classical doorw a y,i n s p i red by houses in the Roman Foru mthat the architect had measured as astudent. The continuous brick arc a d e

s u rrounding the nave and sanctuaryemphasises the basilica plan. Brickworkis exposed throughout the interior,whether for walls or piers. Theexuberant detailing, so characteristic ofthe outside, is mostly toned down toflat, unadorned surfaces on the inside.

Even so, considerable warmth isi m p a rted by the red string courses onthe piers and aisle walls. The ambienceis enhanced by low winter sunshine,tinted by the rose, lilac and yellowpanes of the clere s t o ry glazing.

The combination of brickwork andtimber is particularly effective. Stoutt russes of stained European re d w o o ds u p p o rt the nave roof, while aisle ro o f shave a simple exposed beam stru c t u reto support their low pitches. Moredramatic is the roof stru c t u re of thet o w e r, comprising a hierarchy of kingand queen posts and diagonal bracingto form a symbolic ‘crown’ dire c t l yabove the altar.

Yet all these diverse elementssomehow come together to form a richt a p e s t ry of architectural andecclesiastical history that is just waitingto be unravelled by the observant eye.This may take some time but, like anygood work, repays the eff o rt .

Aw a rd-winning craftmanship: an appreciation by Bob Baldwin

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The site of a new social-housingp roject by Gloucestershire - b a s e da rchitect Darren Cater could be

said to lie at the frontier of thechanging topographies of small-townE n g l a n d .

Enclosing it on three sides areextensive ‘executive’ housing schemes –the all-too-inflexible solution tohousing need that has taken up vastbelts of greenfield land in the country.

To the west of Cater’s project is aflood plain, which, at the time of thep ro j e c t ’s completion in November2000, was under water thanks tobackflow from the swollen riversS e v e rn and Avon. Beyond that is thetown of Te w k e s b u ry – the massivelimestone tower of its Norman abbeyclearly visible.

The design was chosen in an opencompetition run by Te w k e s b u ryB o rough Council’s planningd e p a rtment. Energy eff i c i e n c y,communal interaction, ‘lifetime’adaptability and pro g ressive rather thanre t ro approaches to styling formed thebasic premise of the brief.

The chosen solution is a stro n gsynthesis of arc h i t e c t u re and

engineering. The re q u i rements ofdomesticity and medium-density livinga re expressed here as a hard - e d g e dsystem.

Te rrace as solar machineT h e re has been no specific re f e re n c i n gof previous architectural forms, whichmust be a first for a major non-industrial project in Te w k e s b u ry sincethe 1960s. But the project could beseen as a meditation on and evolutionof the brick terrace. Cater has shifted,extracted and juggled with itssymmetries and repetition.

Brick re t u rns, then, not as thelevelling medium of uniformity but as ap a rticular texture and tone, as oneplanar surface in a lively play ofi n t e rrelated surfaces: brick, wood,re n d e r, glass, metal. Windows slide tothe edges of facades and wrap aro u n dc o rners, or up to meet the asymmetricalpitch of a roof; rainwater guttering anddownpipes become crisp metallica rticulations that accentuate andf u rther diversify the geometric play.

All 15 units (arranged in thre et e rraces) have built-in steel and glassc o n s e rv a t o ry spaces, allowing the

Solar system

H O U S I N G

Darren Cater’s e n e r gy - e f f i c i e n thousing aims top r ovide an alternativeto mass-production,‘ n e o - Vi c t o r g i a n ’housing schemes. It is all a question of integrity

Robin Wilson re p o rts on an outbreak ofm o d e rnism in Gloucestershire

C l i e n t sTe w k e s b u ryB o ro u g hCouncil andG l o u c e s t e rH o u s i n gA s s o c i a t i o n

A rc h i t e c tCater Day Ltd

C o n t r a c t o rP e a rc eC o n s t ru c t i o n( M i d l a n d s )

P h o t o g r a p h yNigel Gre e n

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exposed brick surfaces to take on bothinterior and exterior roles, and top rovide the backdrop for the seasonalexpansion of the household into thesei n t e rmediate areas between the privateand the communal space.

Of double height, the conserv a t o r i e smake for expressive, functionalistf o rms, but their actual usage seemssomewhat ambiguous, caught betweenutility and leisure space. Indeed, thew o rd ‘conserv a t o ry’ might have thew rong connotations. Rather, they couldbe seen as a development of the fro n tp o rch, an expansion of that thre s h o l ds t ru c t u re so as to become a room ofi t s e l f .

Or we might dispense with allcomparisons to usual domestic spacesand simply call these glazed volumessolaria. This would be consistent withthe fact that the project has beenmoulded largely by the desire tomaximise the use of solar energ y. Thereis a strong coincidence between there q u i rements of passive heat transferand the creation of dynamic, interiorspatial relationships.

On the north terrace, the kitchenwindows wrap around the corners of

the brick towers at the lower level toface both the exterior and the interiorof the solaria. On the east and westt e rraces, this role has been transferre dto the first-floor bedroom windows.

All the units also open out on totheir solaria from the first-floorlandings. The panels, which pro v i d ee n e rgy for hot water, are embeddedinto the stainless steel sections of theroofing on the north terrace and on thesouth-facing tiles of the east and west.This amounts to a convincingmodulation and mixing of designe l e m e n t s .

The terrace house has beenc o n v e rted into solar machine with anauthority that would suggest suchp rojects have been the norm in Britainfor years. The one downside to there q u i rements of solar orientation is thecomparative blandness of the shadierfacades of the estate.

I n t e g r a t i o nA textured orange-red multi brickm a n u f a c t u red nearby was chosen, bothfor the purposes of integration ande n e rgy efficiency in the logistics phase.The bricks are laid exclusively in

s t retcher bond. This linearity is inkeeping with the purism of the overallp roject, but use of the medium is notwithout expre s s i o n .

At the site’s eastern edge, thes t retcher bond has turned serpentine tof o rm a ‘crinkle-crankle’ wall. Thissuccessfully reduces the dogma of thesolid division while maintaining privacyfor the gardens. It is also a fittingsymbol of the potentially uneasyb o u n d a ry between the rented pro p e rt ywithin and the privately owned housingw i t h o u t .

C a t e r’s project has a functionalistsobriety and, above all, a strong graspof the basic, common sense realities ofc o n t e m p o r a ry housing provision. Itcombines an active encouragement ofcommunal interaction with high levelsof energy efficiency through thecommon denominators of light andt r a n s p a re n c y. It also demonstrates howa strong adherence to functionalism isnot at odds with assimilating newf o rms into a context as sensitive as theEnglish abbey town.

I t ’s rather sad that such modern i s m ,w i d e s p read throughout Europe, is asr a re as hens’ teeth in this country.

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In t e r p reting arc h i t e c t u re in ways thea rchitect never intended is an easytrap in which to fall. So it is very

tempting to see some parts of thealmost monastic, white, curv e d -ceilinged interior of the new musicpavilion at Haberdashers MonmouthSchool for Girls as vaguely re m i n i s c e n tof Le Corbusier’s Chapel at Ronchamp.

But this was not Victoria Perry ’sintention when she set out to design am o d e rn building in a very traditionalsetting. She does, however, admit tobeing influenced by the genius of AlvarA a l t o .

Yet the monastic atmosphere thathas resulted could not be better suitedto the studious contemplation ofmusical harmonies, enhanced byspectacular views of the hills inM o n m o u t h s h i re. The pupils ofH a b e rdashers have a well-designed andequipped music facility to ensure theirtalents are nurt u red to the full.

B a c k g ro u n dH a b e rdashers is a charitable tru s tcomprising a total of seven private

schools that provide secondaryeducation in England and Wa l e s .

The school for girls in Monmouthwanted to extend its music depart m e n tto provide much-needed concert andre c o rding facilities. Although originallykeen on an extension, the arc h i t e c tpersuaded the school board to opt for aseparate, free-standing pavilion. Theresult speaks for itself.

But the site presented a fewobstacles: steeply sloping ands u rrounded by traditional buildings inbrick and stone, it also lies smack bangwithin a conservation area. Localc o n s e rvationists wanted somethingalong traditional lines, but the arc h i t e c tonce again argued successfully for ac o n t e m p o r a ry building, much of whichwould be set snugly into the steep slopeto minimise the bulk.

As a result, the smart little pavilionhas a Ta rdis-like effect on visitors, whomay be surprised at just how muchinterior space has been accommodatedwithin a modest volume. As well as themain rehearsal chamber, a re c o rd i n gstudio, lobby, kitchenette, store and

Music to the eyes

STRUCTURAL BRICKWORK

A c o n t e m p o r a ry musicpavilion for a girls’school in Monmouthnot only solvedawkward site andaesthetic problemswith style but alsostruck a chord withBrick Award judges forits structural use ofb r i c k

G e o rge Demetri sings the praises of anew music ro o m

C l i e n tH a b e rd a s h e r s ’M o n m o u t hSchool forG i r l s

A rc h i t e c tVictoria PerryA rc h i t e c t u re

S t ru c t u r a le n g i n e e rA n d rew SmithC o n s u l t i n gE n g i n e e r s

Main contractor G e o rge Adams& Sons

A c o u s t i cc o n s u l t a n tA ru pA c o u s t i c s

P h o t o g r a p h yJack Ta i tA n d rew Smith

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WC have been pro v i d e d .Although designed in a modern

idiom, the £262,000 project is built oftraditional, solid, loadbearingbrickwork laid in English garden wallbond, a wall construction common inMonmouth. Apart from the part - g l a z e delevation to the terrace, the mostobvious concession to modernity is thec u rving stainless steel roof, a formreflecting the slope of the hillside andalluding to the curves on grand pianosand other instruments.

S t ru c t u reThe building is a basic 20m x 12mbrick box with one side part i a l l yglazed. To resist the forces from theslope on the higher side, the rear wall isa solid, two-brick-thick retaining wallre i n f o rced by mild-steel bars set inc o n c re t e - g routed pockets. It reduces insection to one-and-a-half bricks aboveg round level.

Because of reduced gro u n dp re s s u res, flank elevations re q u i re dthinner wall sections, although wallthicknesses are increased on the glazed

elevation to accommodate padstonesand rainwater pipes and to achievef o rt ress-like deep reveals. Frames setwell back from the outer face of thebrickwork further enhance this eff e c t .

Although loadbearing brickwork isthe main structural element, the overalls t ru c t u re is best described as hybrid:w h e re steel roof beams terminate abovethe 3.2m uninterrupted gro u n d - t o - e a v e sglazing, they are supported by thes l e n d e rest of rolled hollow steelsections, which form elegant pilotisimmediately in front of the glazing.

The use of stainless steel standing-seam roofing on woodwool slabsnecessitated the construction of twodrips or steps in the roof slope. Whilethis in itself is not a problem, it hasresulted in a rather clumsy detail at thejunction with the black-painted plyfascias, chosen because of budgetaryconstraints that disallowed the stainlesssteel fascias originally intended.

B r i c k w o r kSoft, hydraulic lime mortar in the solidwall construction used throughout was

designed to obviate the need formovement joints and the sometimestricky detailing normally associatedwith cavity wall constru c t i o n .

H o w e v e r, the type of lime mort a rused took longer to set than originallyanticipated, causing some delays in thej o b ’s pro g ression. Although apozzolanic additive subsequently cure dthe problem, it also resulted in anintense, white-coloured mortar that hasnow started to tone down.

The adjacent old stable blockp rovided the re f e rence for thebrickwork: the Brick DevelopmentAssociation provided guidance on localbrickworks producing similar re dbricks. This was fortuitous because theclient had expressed the desire thatmaterials should be sourced locallyw h e rever possible.

As most of the brickwork isrelatively straightforw a rd, there are fewspecials: tapered soldiers form the flata rches above the door and slot windowopenings, while the solid bricks used tof o rm the crisp, flush window sill detailshave a sloped upper face to facilitatedrainage. Queen closers are alsoincorporated near changes of dire c t i o nto maintain bond.

I n t e rn a lIt is a measure of just how ingrainedcavity-wall construction has becomethat the local authority was at firstw a ry of traditional solid brickwork dueto the risk of water penetration to theinside face.

But it eventually approved ac o n s t ruction involving a 29mminsulation board with integral vapourb a rrier applied to the inside face of thebrickwork. This was overlaid by timberstuds at 300mm centres, on to whichtwo layers of plasterboard and skimw e re applied to achieve the re q u i re dacoustic reverberation. This completewall build-up achieved a U-value of0 . 4 2 .

The sweeping curve of the dramaticceiling is brought to life by the lightentering through the clere s t o ry window.The all-pervading whiteness is tempere dby the locally sourced oak floor,contributing to the pavilion’s overalls e renity and inspirational ambience.

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If arc h i t e c t u re were fiction, the IkonG a l l e ry would be one of its best-loved characters.H e re is a decorative Vi c t o r i a n

redbrick school playing a pivotal ro l eamong a cast of chunky nouveauxbrick-faced offices. Its ornate exteriorconceals a steel frame capable ofs u p p o rting massive floor loads and its

mission is to exhibit cutting-edge artand provide the citizens of Birm i n g h a mwith an enlightened fine arts educationp rogramme.

T h ree groups are behind the successof the gallery, one of the first pro j e c t sto be granted National Lottery fundingand winner of the Refurbishmentc a t e g o ry in last year’s Brick Aw a rd s :

Romantic re n a i s s a n c e

R E F U R B I S H M E N T

The refurbishment ofthe Ikon Gallery inBirmingham is thestuff of romanticfiction, the tale of atypical neo-GothicVictorian schoolrescued fromdereliction andtransfomred into avibrant modern artg a l l e ry

Deborah Singmaster falls for the IkonG a l l e ry

Client B r i n d l e y p l a c ep l c

A rchitect L e v i t tB e rnstein

S t ru c t u r a le n g i n e e rPeel & Fowler

C o n t r a c t o rTa rmac (nowC a r i l l i o n )

C l e a n i n gc o n s u l t a n tA d r i e lC o n s u l t a n c y

To w e rre i n s t a t e m e n tW B MR e s t o r a t i o n

P h o t o g r a p h yM a rt i n eH a m i l t o nK n i g h t

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the City of Birmingham, the developerA rgent and architect Levitt Bern s t e i n .

Gradual declineThe gallery was originally OozellsS t reet School, designed by Birm i n g h a mpractice Martin & Chamberlain andbuilt in 1877. In 1964, the tower wasp ronounced unsafe and had to beremoved. By the early 1990s, whendeveloper Argent began re g e n e r a t i n gthe 8ha plot surrounding the buildingas the new Brindleyplace, the schoolwas derelict, protected from demolitiononly by its Grade II listing. Birm i n g h a mCity Council insisted that Argent re p a i rand secure the fabric of the school.

The refurbishment programme fellinto two contracts, both under thed i rection of Levitt Bernstein. The firstwas purely for repair of the fabric, thesecond for conversion into newq u a rters for The Ikon Gallery.

Painstaking investigationThe original brick was quite soft. It hadabsorbed the grime of its industrialsetting for more than a century and wasliterally black in places. Pro j e c ta rchitect Paul Clark went ro u n dtapping each individual brick todiscover which were ‘blown’ and whichstill sound. Engineering analysisestablished that brick strengths variedw i d e l y, a discovery that led to thedecision to insert a steel frame insidethe external brick shell.

Levitt Bernstein sourced more than15,000 second-hand bricks for thep roject. The amount of repair andpatching, adding and dismantling thathad taken place through the school’sh i s t o ry meant that the elevations werea l ready a patchwork. The presence ofwhite glazed bricks at the rear indicatesthat there had once been an innerc o u rt y a rd; some of these bricks had tobe replaced, a delicate operationbecause of the danger of chipping.

O rn a m e n t a t i o nThe Gothic elevations were heavilyo rnamented with string courses,elaborate coping details, arc h e dopenings with rope reveals, decorativebasketweave or herringbone brickpanels and, in the later extension,t e rracotta surrounds to doors andwindows. Many of these specials had tobe replaced and one entire front gablewas re b u i l t .

The new specials are most easilyidentified where the sills of thewindows to the cafe were lowered tog round level. Martin & Chamberlainhad used terracotta frames and lintelson openings in the later rear extension;Levitt Bernstein copied this feature inits new openings. The new mainentrance and the imposing intern a ld o o rway leading from the re c e p t i o na rea to the glazed lift enclosure havet e rracotta reveals indistinguishablef rom their 1890s counterparts. But thet e rracotta voussoirs above the mainentrance are novel, curved in plan andhung off the new interior stru c t u re .

About 42 diff e rent types of specialw e re made for the project; thequantities re q u i red of each varied fro mten to 550.

Gentle appro a c hA key to achieving homogeneity,despite the wide range of brick colourp resent, lay in the specialist cleaningoperation, directed by Nicola Ashurstof the Adriel Consultancy.

‘Her way was to do it as gently aspossible,’ says Paul Clark. ‘She used adiluted spray and knew when to stop.A reas of stone and brick are still dirt yin places, but that’s part of theb u i l d i n g ’s history. ’

The pointing also provides visual aswell as literal bonding. Like theoriginal pointing, it is a forgiving flushjoint ideal for disguising smallblemishes and marginal size diff e re n c e s ;it was also appropriate for use with the

soft original brick, which lacked asharp arr i s .

The towerSix months after the conversioncontract was under way, a Euro p e a ngrant made possible the re i n s t a t e m e n tof the tower. Towers were re g u l a rf e a t u res of Martin and Chamberlainschools as a means of impro v i n gc l a s s room ventilation; the building hadnever looked right without its tower.‘ Without it there was a dre a d f u lstump,’ says Paul Clark.

The only evidence for the tower’sappearance was two old photographsand a drawing made shortly before itsremoval. Mungo Park, the site arc h i t e c tresponsible for the towerre c o n s t ruction, regularly checked fro mthe same point where one of thephotographs had been taken that therising replica matched the original.

No attempt was made to disguisethe junction between the surviving baseof the tower and the new top. It re s t son a light steel frame, placed on top ofthe re i n f o rced concrete lining to theentrance stairwell, which takes allloading directly to the gro u n d .

The brickwork panels beneath thefinials are fluted, a feature of otherM a rtin & Chamberlain schools but notfound elsewhere at the Ikon. Straightruns of rope reveals to the lancetwindows were re-cast from mouldsa l ready used for the main building.

String courses were also re p e a t e d ,but new specials were re q u i red for theapex reveals and towards the base ofthe louvred openings where the ro p ereveals terminate in canted taperingd a rt s .

The finials were produced at thelast minute by a potter in Cornwall andhad to be collected hot from the kiln toget them back to site in time for theo fficial opening. What a fitting end to atale of architectural romance andd e rr i n g - d o .

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La b o r a t o ry buildings present thedesigner with a notoriouslyd i fficult brief.

M o re than any other building type,they demand the careful integration ofplan, stru c t u re and frequently complexs e rvices, yet often call for loose-fitf l e x i b i l i t y.

When these re q u i rements arecombined with the contextual pro b l e m sof a site located at the heart of adowntown university campus, which isall too evidently the agglutinativeconsequence of several decades ofdevelopment plans and arc h i t e c t u r a lfashions, the task is intimidating.

Faced with this challenge at theInstitute for Biomedical Sciences for theUniversity of Strathclyde in Glasgow,

a rchitect Reiach and Hall has created abuilding where, perv e r s e l y, the sum ofthe parts is greater than the whole.

Campus context The layout concept responds toguidelines set in the university’sdevelopment plan of 1988, in part i c u l a rthe call for a series of linear buildingsalong the north edge of the campus.

A c c o rd i n g l y, the institute’s spine ofl a b o r a t o ry accommodation runs east-west, parallel to Cathedral Street, but isset back to allow a generous serv i c ef o re c o u rt. At its eastern end, the newf o u r- s t o rey building links north in anL-plan relationship with the existingTodd Centre on Taylor Street. Share dadministration offices, lecture ro o m s

It all adds u p a t S t r a t h c l y d e

L A B O R AT O RY BUILDING

The stunning solarwalls of Strathcl y d eU n i v e r s i t y ’s Institute ofBiomedical Sciences isonly one aspect of ateaching and researchbuilding where thecarefully considereddesign of the parts isp a r a m o u n t

Frank Arneil Walker gives full marks forwell-integrated diversity

Client University ofS t r a t h c l y d e ,G l a s g o w

P roject ManagerUniversity ofS t r a t h c l y d eE s t a t eM a n a g e m e n t

A rc h i t e c tReiach andHall

S t ru c t u r a lengineer Ove Arup andP a rtners

Main contractor H B G G AC o n s t ruction

P h o t o g r a p h yKeith Hunter

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and social areas are introduced in a six-s t o rey tower located in the knucklejunction where the two buildings meet.

Rising to the south is a green innerlandscape, a collegiate garden boundedon the ridge by the long, bay-windowedwall of the university’s School ofA rc h i t e c t u re.

L a b o r a t o ry spine The planning of the laboratory spine issimple. The laboratories themselves,used for teaching on the lower levelsand re s e a rch above, are kept to thesouth side of a central corr i d o r. Theya re fully glazed, enjoying the viewa c ross lawns and trees. Ancillarys u p p o rt spaces and staircases areranged along the north side of the spineand the wall to the Cathedral Stre e ty a rd is in stack-bonded, smooth re dbrickwork.

The structural system is lesss t r a i g h t f o rw a rd, however. Whereas tothe north of the corridor a steel framehas been adopted ‘due to geotechnicalp roblems’, on the south beams andfloors are constructed in concre t e .

H e re, the frame is arranged in an‘iambic’ modular rhythm (a-b-a-b- andso on), which not only perm i t sflexibility in the sizing of the column-f ree laboratories but also eases thedistribution of necessarily complexs e rvicing. The thermal mass of thisexposed concrete frame soaks updaytime heat loads and cools at night.

The low tower forming the linkwith the Todd Centre is built in smoothblue brickwork. The plan is ro u g h l ys q u a re but curves at the nort h - e a s tc o rn e r, where a stairwell entrance,leading to the teaching and re s e a rc hspine, recesses against the south end ofthe existing building.

On each floor, academic offices areg rouped around central social spaces

except at the lowest level, which istaken up by a 250-seat lecture ro o moriented on a diagonal axis to thesouth-east corner of the plan. Thisc o rn e r, too, is rounded, the impact ofits bold external curve intensified bythe sharp angular projection of a fullyglazed emergency stairc a s e .

F rom Taylor Street, a pedestrianroute leads round this dramatic corn e rinto the green court y a rd and continueswest alongside the laboratory spine.

Solar wallF ronting this long, south-facingelevation is a double-skinned clear-glazed solar wall, in effect a corr i d o r-width transparent duct applied to theface of the building from sill height atthe lowest level to sill height at theh i g h e s t .

D ropping vertically within thisperipheral zone is a series of tubularf resh-air supply ducts clad in stainlesssteel and pro g ressively diminished indiameter as they enter the narro w e rs t ructural bays at each laboratoryceiling. These ducts fall from a longheader duct at eaves height which ru n salong the skyline.

At the top of the solar wall, below adeep parapet of smooth red bricks,continuous adjustable louvres contro lthe stack-effect ventilation. At eachlevel, inside and outside the outer skinof Planar glass, a galvanised steelwalkway grille permits access forcleaning and maintenance while actingas a brise soleil.

Opening windows are pro v i d e dalong the internal skin. In addition tothe passive low-energy advantages of adesign solution that reduces heat lossand ensures a controlled regime ofnatural ventilation, the double-skinwall provides added protection fro mthe weather. Since the solar wall is fully

glazed, any reduction in the amount oflight entering the laboratories from thesouth is only marginal. More o v e r, byrevealing the shiny lineaments of theb u i l d i n g ’s environmental strategy, thew a l l ’s transparent depth creates arefined techno-aesthetic well suited to auniversity proud of its technologicald i s t i n c t i o n .

Design in bits This exciting wall is memorable. Yet itis a singular architectural event,understandably specific to itsorientation and enviro n m e n t a li n t e n t i o n .

Other parts of the building havetheir separate characters. The nort helevation is industrial: a cliff of re dbrick under a rooftop plant ro o mwalled in patent glazing. The comertower is commercial: a small off i c eblock built in purplish-blue brick. Theexisting Todd Centre, no less off i c e -like, is in rustic brown brick.

C e rtain design tactics are employedin an attempt to bind the disparateelements of the building together. Thebrickwork is flush-pointed. On allf ronts, windows are conceived as longhorizontal bands of glazing. There areno reveals; window frames are bro u g h tto the outer surface of the brickwork toc reate a planar skin.

But none of this entirely dispels thesense that there are three parts here andnot one whole. What the disposition ofthe building parts achieves in re l a t i o nto the existing campus layout, thechoice of building materials serves tou n d e r s c o re. The three brick colours –red, blue and brown – all appear inadjacent university buildings. Andp e rhaps this is the designers’ clevere s ttrick – to have embedded the bits of thenew in such a way that form, scale andcolour rest easy.

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The flexibility of brickwork meansthat it can be tailored tov i rtually any design situation. In

o rder to help specifiers exploit thisv i rtue, and to generate detailingsolutions that work, brickmakers havebeen quick to provide assistance byway of computer-aided design (CAD)s e rvices to architects, engineers,contractors and distributors.

N a t u r a l l y, the type and extent ofs e rvices and the basis on which they aresupplied varies between individual

companies – this article aims to pro v i d ean overv i e w.

S e rvices range from design studiesand 3D visualisations through to finalc o n s t ruction details and schedulings e rvices for cost estimating purposes.

The most commonly used CADs o f t w a re is AutoCAD 2000, buti n f o rmation can also be made availablein DXF format for use with othercommonly used CAD systems.I n f o rmation can also be exchanged viaall available electronic systems.

On a screen near you

SPECIALIST SERV I C E

Malcolm Barnett, BDA E d u c a t i o nA rchitect, looks at CAD s e rv i c e s

Roman Deva Garden,Chester Zoo: This formalcentrepiece of the garden,based on a hunting scenemosaic unearthed atPompeii, uses clay cobblesas mosaic pieces. Thelayout, pattern and cuttingrequirements weredeveloped by thebrickmaker using its CADhard landscape program.

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For architects and designers not yet geared to CAD, at least onecompany can convert hand-drawndetails into AutoCAD and can pro d u c e3D computer images from 2Di n f o rm a t i o n .

Some manufacturers also maintain aphotographic sample database of theirbricks that can be combined in avariety of bonds and mortar colours top roduce digital versions of brickworkpanels. These can be e-mailed to theclient as JPEG files. These visualisationscan also be pasted into 2D and 3Dmodels to show the effect on theoverall appearance.

Many manufacturers can help with

the architectural detailing of arc h e s ,plinths, window surrounds, corbels,sills, copings and cappings and themost intricate arrangements ofp o l y c h romatic brickwork. Sketches andtemplates for bespoke brick specials,plaques and lettered bricks can quicklybe produced.

Depending on the circumstances ofeach individual project, these serv i c e smay be available on a speculative basisor on receipt of confirmation that ano rder will result. Details are oftenp re p a red to clarify order re q u i re m e n t sand, following receipt of the ord e r,details may then be produced full sizefor use in manufacturing, part i c u l a r l y

when non-standard special shapes arebeing used.

Paving layouts are another exampleof how manufacturers’ CAD serv i c e scan help designers and suppliers inexploring a number of options. Rangesof standard brick and paver details areavailable in electronic format forincorporation directly into CADdrawing files for software systemscapable of reading DXF files.

For more information on indiv i d u a lcompanies’ services, visit the BDAwebsite www. b r i ck.org.uk, which haslinks to all member company sites. Orcontact our Brick Information Service.

Leeds General Infirmary: Sensuous curving forms characterise planters in JubileeSquare, the attractive entrance to the hospital. Artist Tess Jaray’s concepts wer erealised in bespoke bricks, designed and dimensioned with the help of the brickmaker’sCAD service.

Kosei Securities Offices, Osaka: The Japanesearchitect of this prestigious headquarters buildingsought British expertise in the detail design of itssuperb brickwork. CAD resolved details of themajor-span arch at the entrance, the minor-spancircular arches and the intricate bonding thatproduced the texture that is such a striking feature ofthis impressive building.

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Ambion Brick Co LtdSwan House, Bosworth Hall, The Park,Market Bosworth, Warwickshire CV13 0LJTel 01455 292888Fax 01455 292877Email [email protected] w w. a m b i o n . c o . u kN o rt h e rn Sales Off i c eTel 01388 603008South East Sales Off i c eTel 01403 241555South West Sales Off i c eTel 01752 880659

Baggeridge Brick plcFir Street, Sedgley, Dudley,West Midlands DY3 4AATel 01902 880555Fax 01902 880432Email [email protected] w w. b a g g e r i d g e . c o . u kSales Office Tel 01902 880666London ConsultancyTel 020 7236 6222Rudgwick Sales Off i c eTel 01403 822212

Beacon Hill Brick Company LtdWa reham Road, Corfe Mullen,Wi m b o rne, Dorset BH21 3RXTel 01202 697633Fax 01202 605141Email [email protected] w w. b e a c o n h i l l - b r i c k . c o . u k

Bovingdon Brickworks LtdPudds Cross, Bovingdon,H e rt f o rd s h i re HP3 0NWTel 01442 833176Fax 01442 834539Email [email protected] w w. b o v i n g d o n b r i c k w o r k s . c o . u k

B roadmoor Brickworks LtdW h i m s e y, Cinderf o rd, Gloucester GL14 3JATel 01594 822255Fax 01594 826782

The Bulmer Brick & Tile Co L t dBrickfields, Bulmer, Sudbury, S u ffolk CO10 7EFTel 01787 269232Fax 01787 269040Email bulmerbrickandtile@virg i n . n e t

Carlton Brick Ltd Grimethorpe, Near Barn s l e y, South Yo r k s h i re S72 7BGTel 01226 711521Fax 01226 780417D i rect Sales Line Tel 01226 715000

Chelwood Brick LtdAdswood Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 5QYTel 0161 485 8211Fax 0161 486 1968Email [email protected] w w. c h e l w o o d . c o . u k

Chiddingstone Brickworks LtdB o re Place, Chiddingstone, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7ARTel 01732 463712Fax 01732 740264Email [email protected] w w. c o m m o n w o r k . o rg

C o l e f o rd Brick & Tile Co LtdThe Royal Forest of Dean Brickworks,C i n d e rf o rd, Glos GL14 3JJTel 01594 822160Fax 01594 826655

WH Collier LtdAdswood Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 5QYTel 0161 485 8211Fax 0161 486 1968

Dennis Ruabon LtdHafod Tileries, Ruabon, Wrexham LL14 6ETTel 01978 843484Fax 01978 843276Email sales@dennisru a b o n . c o . u kw w w. d e n n i s ru a b o n . c o . u k

F reshfield Lane Brickworks LtdDanehill, Haywards Heath, Sussex RH17 7HHTel 01825 790350Fax 01825 790779Email [email protected] w w w. f l b . u k . c o m

Hammill Brick LtdE a s t ry, Sandwich, Kent CT13 0EH Tel 01304 617613Fax 01304 611036

Hanson Bricks Euro p eS t e w a rt b y, Bedford MK43 9LZL o n d o nTel 08705 258258K e m p s t o nTel 08705 258258B u t t e r l e yTel 08705 258258D e s i m p e lTel 08705 258258Fax 01234 762041Email [email protected] w w. h a n s o n - b r i c k s e u ro p e . c o m

Ibstock Brick LtdIbstock, Leicestershire, LE67 6HSTel 01530 261999Fax 01530 257457w w w. i b s t o c k . c o . u kS c o t l a n dGlasgow Tel 0870 9034001N o rth We s tParkhouse Tel 0870 9034007N o rth EastT h rockley Tel 0870 9034004E a s t e rnLeicester Tel 0870 9034008H a t h e rn w a re Tel 0870 9034016West MidlandsLodge Lane Tel 0870 9034006South We s tC a t t y b rook Tel 0870 9034010South EastL a y b rook Tel 0870 9034012L o n d o nLondon Tel 0870 9034013

K i n g s c o u rt BrickK i n g s c o u rt, County Cavan, Ire l a n dTel +353 (0)42 9667317Fax +353 (0)42 9667206

Marshalls Clay Products LtdSouthowram, Halifax, West Yorks HX3 9SYTel 01422 306000Fax 0113 220 3555w w w. m a r s h a l l s . c o . u kSales Office Howley Park Woodkirk, Dewsbury, West Yorks WF12 7JJTel 0113 220 3535Scotland Sales Off i c eTel 0141 333 0985

N o rmanton Brick Co LtdWakefield Road Brickworks,N o rmanton, West Yo r k s h i re WF6 1BGTel 01924 892142Fax 01924 223455

N o rthcot Brick LtdB l o c k l e y, Gloucestershire GL56 9LHTel 01386 700551Fax 01386 700852Email info@nort h c o t b r i c k . c o . u kw w w. n o rt h c o t b r i c k . c o . u k

O rmonde Brick LtdC a s t l e c o m b e r, County Kilkenny, Ire l a n dTel +353 (0)56 41323Fax +353 (0)56 41314

Phoenix Brick Company LtdThe Brickworks, Campbell Drive, B a rrow Hill, Chesterfield S43 3PRTel 01246 473171Fax 01246 280345Email [email protected]

Red Bank Manufacturing Co LtdMeasham, SwadlincoteD e r b y s h i re DE12 7ELTel 01530 270333Fax 01530 273667Email sales@re d b a n k m f g . c o . u kw w w. re d b a n k m f g . c o . u k

Redland Tile & Brick48 Coalisland RoadD u n g a n n o nN o rt h e rn Ire l a n dBT71 6LATel 02887 723421Fax 02887 727193 w w w. re d l a n d - t i l e - b r i c k . c o . u k

Sussex Brick LtdF o u rteen Acre Lane, Three OaksHastings, East Sussex TN35 4NBTel 01424 814344Fax 01424 814707

The Wemyss Brick Co Ltd45-49 Cowley Street, Methil, Fife KY8 3QQTel 01592 712313Fax 01592 716349Email wemyssbrickco@btintern e t . c o mw w w. w e m y s s b r i c k . c o . u k

The York Handmade Brick Co LtdF o rest Lane, Alne, York YO61 1TUTel 01347 838881Fax 01347 838885 Email [email protected] w w. y o r k h a n d m a d e . c o . u k

© 2001The BrickDevelopmentAssociation LimitedWoodside HouseWinkfield Windsor Berks SL4 2DX Tel: 01344 885651 Fax: 01344 890129E-mail:[email protected]:www.brick.org.uk

The contents of this publication are intended for general guidance only and any person intending to use these contents for the purpose of design, construction or repair of brickwork or anyrelated project should first consult a professional advisor. The Brick Development Association, its servants, and any persons who contributed to or who are in any way connected with thispublication accept no liability arising from negligence or otherwise howsoever caused for any injury or damage to any person or property or as a result of any use or reliance on any method,product, instruction, idea, or other contents of this publication.

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