modern brick design...

We have talked about brick wall systems in previous posts. Here I would like to take a minute and look at some of the possibilities in designing with brick. If you look you will find it is hard to find examples of unique applications of the brick module. Brick construction is easiest when it is placed on the ground and regimented in pattern and form. A square object does not want to be a curve or an acute angle you might think; however, there are examples of designers and architects re-thinking the medium of brick masonry construction and form. Of course the roman arch was the first such reworking of the square brick module (along with the invention of concrete) and it revolutionized building design in its day.  Take a look at the examples I have pasted below and leave your thoughts. Modern brick design is a challenging and potentially fruitful endeavor.

Pictures after the jump...

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unique stairs ...vertical inspiration

I know this may seem like an odd sentiment for a component in a structure, but one of most exciting elements in a building are the stairs.  The dynamic of vertical movement and the elegance that can come from its form can be truly inspiring.  Stairs have long been one of the most creatively unique design elements in a building.  From Michelangelo's famous winding staircase in the Vatican Museum to Carlo Scarpa's Olivetti Showroom stair, architects and designers have been fascinated with moving people up and down in elegant forms for centuries.  In this vain I would like to pass along some potentially inspiring, if not as famous or elegant as Scarpa's and Michelangelo's, interpretations of the stair.

Pictures after the jump...

concrete... beautifully cast

Concrete is one of the defining materials of modern architecture.  The advance in steel technology and, specifically to concrete, reinforcing steel spawned a new age in architectural form and aesthetics.  The early masters like Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright redefined architecture for the 20th Century and beyond.  Such masterpieces as Wright's Falling Water and Louis Kahn's Salk Institute have inspired generations of designers since their inception.  Kahn's masterful manipulation of the concrete medium has shown us that this building material can be so much more than a utilitarian element (for pictures follow the links).


The beauty of concrete as a building material is the dual character of being a man-made  construct, but having some of the same natural characteristics of a material like wood or stone.  Concrete has a degree of natural variance in its composition and color that gives it a more natural quality, than add to this the ability to transfer any texture from the concrete form to the finish surface of your wall and you have a system that can vary widely in its aesthetic appearance.  Concrete also has the ability to contrast with almost any building material; of course care should be taken to not just assume any two materials are meant to be used together.  You can see in the examples provide in this post that many great architects have used concrete to an exceptional degree to express form, light, and material.

Concrete does not conform to the siding definition that has been the topic of our current series of posts. However, as a wall system it has some similar characteristics to dimensional stone and brick mass wall systems that we have already discussed. A concrete wall has great thermal mass qualities, as well as extremely useful structural properties. Steel reinforced concrete walls and floors can be made fairly thin and cost effective wall systems, and concrete also provides superior acoustical control. Any concrete wall exposed to the elements will need to be designed sufficiently thick in order to control moisture infiltration and still may require waterproofing on the interior. There are complex system alternatives to pure poured in place concrete such as sandwich panel walls. However, for most residential construction that opts for exposed concrete walls, these systems are not frequently used. Also, one of the real downside to any mass wall system is that if is essentially a barrier wall and will require maintenance to ensure that any joints in the wall are sealed with sealant, and that the integrity of the sealant is still sound.