Brick Blog

Text Embossed Brick, Toronto Canada

2011-09-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

The following photo was sent to me by a friend in Toronto Ontario Canada. The brick is a part of the exterior wall of her house built circa 1900.

Brick Arch: Mine School of Baltic Fleet, Petrovskaya Street, Saint Petersburg Russia

2011-09-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

Photo source: http://www.asergeev.com/pictures/archives/compress/2010/878/02.htm

Pilsen Wall

2011-08-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

From: http://coledonkelley.tumblr.com/post/5126012975/pilsen-wall

hotel de ville apartments - Boutros & Pratte Architects - Montreal, 1994

2011-06-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

Plaza Laurier Apartments - Boutros & Pratte Architects - Montreal, 1994

2011-06-04T05:17:00.000-07:00

Solar Powered Triplex Condo - Abondance Le Soleil, Ecocite developments, Montreal Canada, 2010

2011-05-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

Developer's Website: www.ecocite.ca/abondance/lesoleil.html
Photo Source & construction blog about the project: http:www2.actualite.com/mainson-verte/
More information: http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/su/eqho/abso/

Digital brick bond pattern maker

2011-03-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Make your own brick bond pattern here:
http://www.makebrixels.com/
by Daniel Marchwinski and Cedric Tai

Plinthos Pavilion - mab architects - 2010

2011-02-08T16:25:00.000-08:00

Architect's Website: www.mabarchitects.com
Photos By Christos Drazos from Arch Daily

Plinthos pavilion construction_by mabarchitects from mab architects on Vimeo.

plinthos by mabarchitects from mab architects on Vimeo.

[Thermal Mass] Oven Made of Recycled Brick - Montreal, Canada

2011-01-23T06:24:00.000-08:00

Mason: http://www.pyromasse.ca
Architect: http://www.maryseleduc.com

From the pyromasse website:
Custom designed heater-cookstove combination, with Upper chamber bake oven, woodbox, heated bench and double width wall rising through all three floors of the house.

The system has a tripple flue chimney, an individual flue for both heater and cookstove, and a flue to serve an auxiliery RWA in the basment.

The project contains 8,000 burnt clay brick, recycled from the Outeramont district of Montreal.

Queens Building - Short And Associates - De Montfort University, Leicester - 1993

2010-11-23T09:06:00.000-08:00

Architect's Website: Short And Associates

Masonry Kachelofens - Jessica Steinhäuser

2010-11-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

Photos and information provided by Jessica Steinhäuser: http://www.stonehousepottery.com/kachelofen.html

Kachelofens are traditional heating devices used in many moderate to cold climate European countries.

They exploit the principles of thermal mass and extreme wood burning efficiency to provide even consistent heat throughout the day or night.

- A Kachelofen needs only 3 to 4 split logs to heat for 8 to 24 hours
- Once the 3 to 4 split logs have burned completely, and there is only embers left, you lock it air tight.
- Hot gases travel slowly through the shafts heating up the mass which then radiate slowly through the home.
- No soot or creosote build up (like traditional chimneys) due to complete combustion.

A video on how to use/fire a kachelofen:http://vimeo.com/13994035

Kachelofen design is very versatile and can include cooking surfaces, benches, through-wall configurations, etc:

Redpath Factory Lofts - Montreal

2010-11-05T05:42:00.000-07:00

This project includes the adaptive re-use of the redpath sugar factory. See previous post for map of location and streetview across the Lachine canal.
Photo circa 1897.

Photo circa 2000.

Photo circa 2010.

Photo (circa 2006) showing various additions to the right, now rennovated into living units.

Photo circa 2006.

Image Sources:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redpath_sugar/sets/72157623084595987/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31335717@N04/2935520758/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtl_e_man/465678249/

Small Brick Structure - Lachine Canal - Montreal

2010-11-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

This small building holds the equipment needed to operate the adjacent canal water lock. (Also note the adaptive re-use of the factory in the background with an adjacent modern addition).

View Larger Map

Hansjoerg Goeritz Architekturstudio - National Parliament, Liechtenstein

2010-10-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

Reposted from arch daily.

Angled Corner Details

2010-10-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

Bricks forming an obtuse angled corner. Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Oak Park, Illinois. Image: John Delano

Photos Courtesy of Flicker

Acute Angles
"18-inch walls meet at an acute angle, the bonds shown involve a good deal of cutting, which is inevitable to form really good work, but much of it would be omitted in ordinary building, the resulting gaps and spaces being filled in with bits of brick bedded in mortar."

Obtuse Angles
"18-inch brick walls meeting at an obtuse angle. There are several ways of forming the bond, but the arrangement shown is a good one. The bird's-mouths a and d and the squints e e, may be cut and rubbed as axed fair, or specially moulded. The squints ff would be rough cut."

Drawings Sourced here:
http://chestofbooks.com/architecture/Building-Construction-3-2/Various-Bonds-Not-Mentioned-In-Part-I.html

George Ranalli Architects - Community Centre, Saratoga Avenue, New York, 1999

2010-09-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

Architect's Website:
www.georgeranalli.com

Photos by Paul Warchol from:
http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/Feature274.htm

Rael San Fratello - Planter Bricks - 2009

2010-06-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

Brick-Stainable Competition Entry
http://www.brick-stainable.com/
Architect's Website: www.rael-sandfratello.com

I don't know if these planter bricks would actually work (bricks don't do very well with moisture over long periods of time - they deteriorate - especially in a winter climate), but I sure find 'em purdy!

Nini Leimand - Wall Technology, 2009

2010-06-10T05:03:00.001-07:00

Brick-Stainable Competition Entry

I recently read through all of the entries for the 2009 Brick-Stainable competition at http://www.brick-stainable.com/. People were asked to 're-think brick' as a building material, or to design a quasi-consulate building for people to stay on a site in Maryland.

I think this wall technology by Nini Leimand shows a lot of promise, in the coming years I believe building construction will begin to favour low-tech passive solutions as an alternative to the overly complex wall construction that we see today (often with 10+ layers of plastic, insulation, etc.).

I find this project elegant in its simplicity and ripe with decorative potential.

Small Brick Building, St.John's, Newfoundland, Canada

2010-05-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

From The Back Side:

Brick Buildings; St.John's, Newfoundland, Canada

2010-05-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

Most everything is built on a hill in this city; The thing I found interesting about St.John's is how buildings delt with the grade change. In the Canadian climate, brick doesn't do well at grade (at the ground) because moisture causes it to deteriorate. Many buildings in St.John's have a built up foundation in stone (granite works well in Canada), and brickwork above. This is most visible in the exaggerated bottom example where a small structure built on a severe hill becomes more stone foundation/basement than actual brick building on top. Satisfying.

Erwin Heerich, Museum Insel Hombroich, Neuss Germany, 1982-1987

2010-04-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

A series of small buildings by Erwin Heerich.
Scans from: Architecture and Urbanism, November 1998.
Previous Post on this Subject: http://brickmasonry.blogspot.com/2008/10/erwin-heerich-walk-in-sculpture.html

Hanson EcoHouse, 2007

2010-04-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Photo source and more information here:
http://www.heidelbergcement.com/uk/en/hanson/sustainability/hanson_ecohouse.htm

I admit, I'm not a big fan of pre-fabricated walling systems, but I do find this project interesting.

SUMMARY
Developer: Hanson
Architects: TP Bennet Architects
House type: 3 bed detached
Construction: Pre-fabricated external masonry panels, pre-fabricated concrete aggregate partition walls, unique composite suspended ground floor construction, pre-stressed hollowcore floor units.
Code for sustainable Homes rating: 4
Heating system: Underfloor heating by GSHP, solar panels and gas boiler.
Other features:
• High thermal mass
• Passive ventilation through the design-featured ‘stack effect’
• Combined SUDS including geothermal heating and cooling and rainwater harvesting.
• Rapid build
• ‘Smart’ technology
• Cool bedrooms on ground floor, warmer living spaces on first floor

1.Hollowcore flooring
2.QuickBuild walling system
3.Partition walls
4.Concrete foundations
5.Insulated floor
6.Precast staircase
7.Permeable pavers

Diamond & Schmitt Architects, Bahen Centre For Information Technology, Toronto, Canada.

2010-03-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

Architect's Website: http://www.dsai.ca/
More Information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahen_Centre_for_Information_Technology

Each time I'm designing elevations I find myself returning to images of this building. The variety, detail and depth achieved in this project is incredible. Not to mention its respectful contextual integration between several existing heritage buildings.

Brilliant.

I think I have to work for these guys, they have some lessons to teach me.

Ravensbyerg Kirke, Denmark

2010-03-06T04:50:00.000-08:00

Denmark, at
Grøfthøjparken 1
8260 Viby J

Church Website (with more photos):
http://www.ravnsbjergkirken.dk/

Photo Source http://picasaweb.google.com/kimikohno/DenmarkPartII#5113540470907194642

Lambert LEED Home, adaptive re-use, 2008-2010

2010-03-01T04:26:00.000-08:00

Extensive Blog documenting all aspects of the LEED project:
http://lambertleedhome.blogspot.com/

This project features the adaptive re-use of an existing brick home from the 1920s. Much has changed technically (electric wiring, better insulation, etc.) since the home was initially built, but due to sound construction with brick masonry, it made sense to re-use the brick structure during the extensive renovation of this house.

Before

after

Brick Glazing Samples

2010-02-20T06:53:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a project where I've designed embossed images in the surface of glazed bricks. This is my preliminary glazing sample work (on 1/3rd scale mini-bricks).

CONCEPT MODEL

GLAZING SAMPLES

SAMPLE EMBOSSED BRICK

Caruso St.John, Brick House, London, 2001-2005

2010-02-20T06:30:00.000-08:00

Architect's Website: www.carusostjohn.com

Every time I see this project, I remember why I'm learning to build buildings.

There is no facade/exterior on this project; the space was squeezed between two existing buildings on a shard of land, the entry is through one of those buildings.

Brick Corner Window Detail

2010-02-20T06:09:00.000-08:00

Architect:?
Image Source:Brick Construction Manual

I'm sorry, I don't have the name of the architect for this project. I'm more interested in how the corner window was structurally delt with.

The Brick Construction Manual is the single most complete book I've come across that deals both with design and construction using brick masonry. Check your local architecture school library.

Massive Passive House

2010-01-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

Photo source: http://www.massiefpassief.be/
I can't read Dutch, so I couldn't figure out where this building is but there is more information on the website above.

Ron Thom Architect - Massey College - University of Toronto Campus, Canada, 1960-1963

2010-01-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Blog Author's Note: This is one of my all time favorite buildings.

Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elena_mch/
Plans: Canadian Architect, 1963, Oct., v.8, P.47-62
Additonal Information Resources:
Canadian Architect yearbook, 1964.
Canadian Architect January 2000 "A century of Canadian Architecture". Pg.25.

Glazed Brick* Artwork - The Lairage, Ponteland, England, 2006

2010-01-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

* I realize these are tiles, but for all intensive purposes this process could be done on glazed brick.

Artist's Website: www.cumbrianblues.com

Description of the commission:

"The site was the old lairage the place where sheep and cattle were rested after travelling to market and before their sale.

The new building site was separated from the (still functioning) abattoir by a high brick wall. I thought it appropriate that the new residents of the site were reminded of the older ones. I was also very interested to explore how viewers would respond to life size cows and sheep in printed blue on porcelain – we are used to them being miniaturized and domestic in scale featuring on our printed tableware…."

BKSK Architects, 138 Reade Street, New York, 2007

2010-01-01T15:48:00.000-08:00

Architect's Website: http://www.bkskarch.com/#/4027
Photography by: Jonathan Wallen
Image Source: www.gobrick.com/omnigallery/search/oc/search.cfm

Brick Floor Patterns, Brick as Thermal Massing

2009-12-22T07:40:00.000-08:00

King Roselli Architetti, Library extension, Lateran University, Rome Italy, 2006.

2009-12-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

Image source: Architectural Record .10.2007

Bricks Made From Waste Fly Ash

2009-11-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

Originial Article appeared here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704746304574506030258504644.html

---------------------------------

By CARI TUNA

Amid buzz about algae biofuel and electric cars, some start-ups hope to use "green" technology to reinvent more mundane products like bricks and cement.

CalStar Products Inc. plans to open a factory next month to make bricks from fly ash, a byproduct of coal burning. It claims to use roughly 85% less energy than traditional clay brick manufacturing, with an equivalent reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions.

View Full Image

Cari Tuna for The Wall Street Journal

Workers at CalStar's Newark, Calif., facility press the fly ash into a test mold.

"Innovation is not necessarily discovering new things, but discovering how to use old things in a new way," says Amitabha Kumar, CalStar's director of research and development.

The process for making clay bricks—mining clay, forming it into bricks and firing in kilns using coal or natural gas—has remained largely unchanged for decades, though manufacturers have made improvements to reduce environmental impacts.

CalStar forms its bricks from fly ash—a gray, chalky byproduct of burning coal— and a proprietary stew of chemicals. During eight hours of steam baths, the calcium in the fly ash hardens, making bricks that look, feel and act like their clay counterparts, Mr. Kumar says.

CalStar says the bricks are designed to meet standards set by ASTM International, a standards-setting organization, for things like strength, durability and water absorption—and will be installed in buildings for the first time early next year. CalStar says the bricks will be priced competitively with commercial clay bricks. In Chicago, for instance, its bricks will sell for 53 cents apiece on average, compared with 55 cents on average per commercial clay brick, Calstar says.

View Full Image

Cari Tuna for The Wall Street Journal

CalStar makes bricks using fly ash, a byproduct of coal burning.

Executives at the Brick Industry Association argue that CalStar's fly-ash products aren't bricks by definition, and question whether they'll last as long as clay bricks. "No one knows how the fly-ash unit will really perform," says Dick Jennison, the trade group's president.

Richard Klingner, a civil engineering professor at the University of Texas at Austin who sits on the ASTM's panel for brick standards, says the ASTM's standards don't apply to fly-ash bricks. That doesn't mean they are unsuitable for buildings, he says, "it just means that there isn't a standard for them yet."

The Environmental Protection Agency says fly ash is not hazardous and has advocated its reuse in building materials, though an EPA spokeswoman says the agency is reconsidering the classification this year. Most fly ash is mixed into concrete or disposed of in landfills.

CalStar's Caledonia, Wis., factory will recycle fly ash from a neighboring Wisconsin EnergyCorp. coal plant, making 40 million bricks annually and shipping only to nearby cities, to minimize carbon-dioxide emissions.

Cement maker Calera aims to capture carbon-dioxide emissions before they are released into the atmosphere. The start-up, is backed by nearly $50 million from Khosla Ventures.

In Moss Landing, Calif., Calera will pipe exhaust fumes from Dynegy Inc.'s natural-gas-burning power plant to its pilot facility, set to open this year, where it will flush the gas through seawater or brackish water. That will produce chalky substances it can use to make cement.

Producing one ton of traditional cement releases roughly one ton of carbon dioxide, says Calera founder Brent Constantz. But making one ton of Calera cement captures half a ton of the greenhouse gas. And like CalStar's bricks, Calera's cement is less expensive to produce than traditional cement, he says.

--------------------------------

Fly Ash bricks made by CalStar

Photo Source: http://calstarproducts.com/

Small Brick Structure, Vauxhall, London England

2009-11-06T05:03:00.000-08:00

I don't have any other information about this, but its near Vauxhall (the stainless steel bus shelter/subway entrance in the background). I came across it on a walk from Battersea power station.

View Larger Map

Battersea Power Station, London England, 1930-1950

2009-11-04T05:26:00.000-08:00

Loads more information and photos here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battersea_Power_Station

Report for Berkeley Prize, Travel/Volunteering in England and Ireland

2009-11-04T04:48:00.000-08:00

The Rebuilding of the Cotswold Canals, Gloucestershire, UK

(Note: I'll try and post bigger/better photos, but I might just put up individual entries in the coming weeks featuring the architecture discussed here)

This report was written for the travel fellowship I was granted by the Berkeley Prize for writing this paper about aspects of Canada's bricklaying history.

September 2009

As part of the Berkeley Prize travel proposal, I outlined a trip that would allow me to observe several themes related to brick masonry architecture. The intentions of the travel proposal were as follows; first, observe examples of historic brick buildings that have been adapted and reused for new purposes; second, learn about the traditional bricklaying practices that were used for these buildings' construction which results in their longevity; and third, look at mid-density residential building examples that are prevalent in Europe, but not so common in Canada. This lead me first to London to study the modifications to the Tate Modern building, next I headed to the Cotswalls for some volunteering where I learned how to lay bricks, and finally I ended up in Dublin where I studied how to respectfully insert modern buildings into an historic city fabric. Naturally, I learned just as much in unplanned observations as I did in those that I sought out, therefore I will discuss what I found most relevant and interesting during my travels.

Observations in London
In early August I arrived in London and made my way to Chelsea where I had arranged to stay for a few days. Exiting “The Tube” at the Baron’s Court stop, I found myself in a tightly knit three storey Victorian neighbourhood. The buildings were built of brick masonry and set back about 10 feet from the sidewalk to allow for basement entry and daylight to penetrate the lower windows. These smaller residential blocks of flats were planned and constructed together to create one continuous elevation of symmetrically mirrored units that surround the block and create an interior “courtyard” between the two sides of the block. Backsides of the flats allow for small outdoor courtyards for the main floor units, but more importantly they enable trees, small flower gardens and vined green space that can be observed from all of the upper floor units. Attached housing means shared walls between units which results in less material used for construction, and heat loss is reduced to two sides instead of a detached unit that has four sides. What I found most interesting about these residential blocks was the way each unit became uniquely defined by way of incremental changes. Over time certain units had painted or replaced front doors, had new mortar repointed in a different colour or style, planted vines, perhaps added a stained glass transom window or roof dormers to gain precious space, all small changes which ultimately combine to make street elevations of pleasing variety, but still harmonious from one unit to the next because of similar overall form and massing.

A notable difference between the European and North American concepts of architectural history is the approach to re-use versus restoration. The North American ideal tends to favor perfection where historic buildings are frequently “restored” to an artificial new museum like state. Most, if not all, evidence of human use and previous modifications to the building are erased and, in extreme cases, complete portions are re-built to keep the building 'consistent' with a certain era. The European approach to historic buildings includes a much more sensible practice of re-use. The idea that a structure has value in its age is acknowledged, and buildings are often stabilized structurally so that the ‘historic thread’ is demonstrated by the building’s patina, modifications, repairs and so forth.

The Tate Modern art gallery in London is a great example of the European approach to re-use. The building, originally designed by Giles Gilbert Scott as a power station, was re-invented as a modern art gallery by Herzog and deMeuron in 2000. Modern entrances were inserted where necessary at the ground level, and modifications were denoted by the use of red brick as a mild contrast to the original yellow brick which is toned grey/black from patina. These changes transformed an antiquated structure and have allowed it a new life where it has been seen and used by over 30 million visitors since reopening nine years ago. Future plans include a new addition on top of subterranean oil tanks which will add an additional 60% of space to the gallery. The proposed addition is to be completed in 2012.

Tate Modern, London

Not far down the Thames River from the Tate gallery is the OXO development. This project includes the dramatic modification of an existing building where the façade facing the river and a portion of the original building were left intact, and a new mixed-use building was created between the two structures. The new development includes exterior access to design shops and studios located on the first three floors with residential units on the upper floors, and adjacent space in the remaining portion of the original building. By leaving a space between the new and old buildings, an outdoor courtyard is achieved where ground floor restaurant patios and pedestrians walking along the river are free to use the space. A particularly interesting aspect of the new design exposes an old connection between previous buildings by the “ghosted” section left on the elevation. This sort of historic reveal is fascinating to see and its inclusion is a valuable contribution to the public because it demonstrates the original construction method and the fact that cities are continuously growing and changing.

OXO Development, London

Another site I visited in London was the Battersea Power Station, a handsome example of Victorian industrialization and also an integral component to providing power to London. It now sits vacant with steel hording installed to keep it from crumbling. Several proposals over the last ten years have been put forward for the re-use of the building and surrounding site, but the current economic recession has put a hold on the project and it remains uncertain what will ultimately happen with the building.

Battersea Power Station, London

These three examples of creative solutions to existing buildings allow for the re-use of building material where possible and enable the story of the building to remain, they demonstrate a vibrant alternative to a strict museum quality “restoration” that can be the unfortunate fate of many North American re-use projects.

Canal Restoration in the Cotswolds
After a few days in London I headed west in England towards where I planned to volunteer for a week working on a Cotswold canal restoration project. I took the train to Stroud where I was picked up by the camp directors and brought to the Scouting Hall where myself and the rest of the volunteers would be sleeping and eating for the week.

Let me back up for a minute and explain a few things; In England before trucking and trains became the common method of transportation, there existed an elaborate system of canals and rivers where long narrow boats were used to ship cargo around the country. For centuries this was the way that building materials, food, coal, and livestock were moved in England and it functioned very well. After the automobile became the main method of shipping some of the canals were filled in as a result of disuse. Today, many of the canals still exist and are primarily used by houseboats in an elaborate canal cruising sub-culture that really needs to be seen to be fully understood, but essentially some people live in, and other people vacation on long narrow boats that travel through the canals and dock at various quays. Its pretty wacky, but its also fascinating, especially the architecture of planning a 7' x 40' living space.

In order to keep the canals in working order a British organization called theCotswold Canals Trust exists that arranges weekly volunteer groups through the summer months to help keep the canals functioning and work towards re-instating several historic canals that have since been buried or fallen into disrepair. These canals run through many small villages in England and provide bike and walking paths in a charming setting where the public can stroll next to the river.

My time in Stroud was spent with a group of nineteen other volunteers who worked together on a site at Gough's Orchard. In order to join the canal systems to various rivers water locks were engineered and built to compensate for the change in elevation and allow boats to move uphill, the site at Gough's Orchard included one of these water locks. This particular location was infilled in the past and consequently the restoration first began this July with a dig-out of a fifty foot portion of the buried canal and lock chamber. Previous volunteer groups continued excavation work through July and erected scaffolding in early August. Our group arrived mid-August to a well prepared site where the restoration work began.

The water lock walls were constructed of 10 wythe deep brick walls laid in English bond which meant alternating courses of the long side (header) bricks and short side (stretcher) bricks. The mortar for the walls was originally a mix of lime, sand, fine aggregate, and water, which resulted in a soft mortar that allowed moisture to drain through the walls. This straight forward construction method allowed our group of untrained volunteers to learn the basic tasks and then work together to repair the walls as necessary.

Stroud Canal Restoration Site

The main jobs on the site were as follows:

Demolition - Observing the masonry walls to indicate lose, cracked, and rotten bricks that were "soft" from moisture absorption. A hammer tap test was also preformed to listen for unsound bricks. Once indicated, the bricks were removed mainly by using hammers and chisels, more difficult areas used small hand held jack-hammers to facilitate the process.

Brick sorting & cleaning - After bricks were removed from the wall they were sorted into re-useable and unusable piles. Even after more than one hundred years, many lose bricks were in good shape they simply needed to be re-set with new mortar in the wall; these bricks were cleaned using chisels and wire brushes to remove old mortar and then stacked to be re-set in the wall.

Mortar Mixing - Two people were needed to continuously mix mortar from a lime, sand, fine aggregate and water combination, and supply it by wheel-borough to the folks laying bricks in the walls.

Bricklaying - Under the guidance of two former 'brickies' (also volunteers), we were shown how to set bricks to a level line, how to lay a bed of mortar followed by a 'buttered' brick (prepared with mortar), and how to lay them flush with adjacent bricks. Once semi-dry, the final step was to remove excess mortar with a soft brush and finish the mortar joint profile with a tool.

Volunteers were given demonstrations for the various jobs on site. Each day tasks alternated depending on our own interests and the week-long goal of completing one side of the water lock.

In previous readings about brick masonry work, I learned that historic brick walls were often laid with lime mortar. This mortar mix allowed moisture to pass through from the interior of the wall to the exterior, and it dried softer than brick which meant that it would allow mild "give" as walls naturally shift and settle over time. I had also learned that it was poor practice to use cement mortar with historic brickwork because this type of mortar dries harder than old bricks and as the bricks move, expand, and contract with seasonal moisture they often crack and fail because the cement does not allow the "give" that lime mortar does. During the canal rebuilding project I was able to see firsthand and understand when and how to use these two types of mortars and the clear difference between the two. The canal walls had been repaired in the past with cement mortar in certain areas and it had caused many bricks to crack and crumble instead of shifting with the wall. As we worked to remove rotten bricks and repair the wall it was very evident where cement mortar had been used because it was nearly impossible to remove with a hammer and chisel and required large portions to be jack-hammered out and removed with crowbars. Very few of the bricks laid with cement mortar could be salvaged because of the damage caused during removal compared to those laid with lime mortar.

Restoring the brick masonry canal

The canal restoration was a week of satisfying outdoor work and learning. What I found most pleasing was talking with the local people as they passed by our construction site excited to see the canal being worked on. Many asked questions and several people returned to see the progress through the week and watch us build. As the week came to an end, we were able to realize our goal of rebuilding one side of the lock wall and preparing the other wall for the next group of volunteers.

Observations in Dublin
The last part of my trip involved traveling through Ireland to Dublin where I spent the remainder of my time studying the city's urban fabric and observing the placement of contemporary and historic brick buildings in this setting.

1. Timberyard Social Housing, Cork Street, Dublin 8.
An bold example of a well scaled modern residential building is the Timberyard Social Housing by O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects. The project has a variety of elevations that take cues from the varying conditions on each side of the site. On one side of the development is a significantly smaller two-storey attached residential neighbourhood, which is acknowledged by a stepping down in height towards these lower buildings. The opposite side of the site is presented with a four lane boulevard which allows for a taller, bolder elevation. This new development is well placed contextually and engages in a dialogue with the surrounding area, as landscaping and trees fill in, the building will become a real part of the neighbourhood.

Timberyard Social Housing, O’donnell + Tuomey Architects, Dublin

2. Historic Georgian Housing, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin.
Georgian Housing in Dublin was originally built for the wealthy, but many of the buildings were converted to tenement houses in the 19th century with the interiors divided into multiple living units. History aside, these buildings' uniformity in scale and horizontal alignment of windows provide an overall order and organization to form a continuous street elevation. Individual property divisions are indicated by changes in brick tone and colour, and from a pedestrian's point of view the variety in mortar shades, stone bases, doors, and iron details become a richly crafted architecture. These properties from the 18th and 19th centuries contain many good lessons about how to be a good neighbour in relation to the street and adjacent buildings.

Georgian Housing, Dublin

3. National Photographic Archives, Temple Bar, Dublin. O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects. (Post Script Note: I did not realize two of these buildings were by the same architects until I looked them up afterwards. Evidently, I appreciate their work) More important than the style of this building is the scale and material used in its construction. The surrounding Temple Bar area of Dublin consists of four to six storey buildings built primarily of red brick. This building was designed in conjunction with the lot behind to develop an outdoor market and gathering space where video projections can be shown. By matching the materials and scale of existing adjacent buildings the National Photographic Archives demonstrates a contextual sensitivity that allows the whimsical post-modern design and details to blend into the streetscape.

National Photographic Archives & Context photo, Dublin. O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects

Final Remarks
What made the largest impact on me during this trip is the notion of designing with contextual awareness. Historically, many areas in England and Ireland constructed buildings using similar materials as a default because those were the available resources at the time. Today we have many more options in terms of construction methods and materials that enable almost anything we can imagine. Studying the surrounding context to choose building materials and appropriate scale can develop and contribute a respectful architecture that acknowledges existing buildings and engages in a dialogue with the neighbourhood.

Bibliography:

Architect Jeffrey Scherer discusses "historical thread"
(http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20070518/a-stitch-in-time)

Additional Photos and Observations from my travels
(http://brickmasonry.blogspot.com/)

Further Information on UK Canals & Volunteering
(www.cotswoldcanals.com)

O’Donnell and Tuomey, Timberyard Social Housing, Dublin Ireland, 2008

2009-10-17T05:22:00.000-07:00

More information and photo source:

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3139102

Architect's Website:

http://www.odonnell-tuomey.ie/

Gramazio & Kohler, Structural Oscillations, Venice Biennale, 2008.

2009-10-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

Architect's Website:

www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch

Photo Source: Gramazio & Kohler, ETH Zurich

www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch

Goldsmith Borgal & Company Architects, Bruce County Museum & Archives, Ontario Canada, 2002

2009-09-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Restoration of existing building and new construction adjacent.

Architect's Website: www.gbca.ca

Georgian Housing, Dublin Ireland

2009-09-22T04:01:00.000-07:00

Small Brick Structure, Dublin - A

2009-09-14T04:31:00.000-07:00

Bronze Connection Detail (for brick & CMU wall construction)

2009-07-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

This is a detail that I am developing for a technology class as part of a theatre that I designed.

The intent is to place bronze "plug ins" at eight foot intervals on a brick rainscreen/ concrete masonry unit (CMU) wall construction. The bronze pieces would be bolted to the CMU and project through the brick rainscreen. A face plate would be welded in place after the facebrick is laid.

These plug-ins are designed to accept typical scaffold poles for temporary scaffold to erect a stage for performaces/anything that would take place on the front of the building. The bronze would age and a patina would run down the front of the building at 8' intervals developing a "stained" pattern.

Any feedback is welcomed as I'm still working out a lot of the specifics. I've included a photograph of a 1:1 model that I built in MDF wood, and a model of the theatre that it was designed for. I will post more images of the theatre design later if it makes sense.

Tate Modern Gallery, London England

2009-07-05T13:46:00.001-07:00

Click the link below, or search "tate modern" on flicker to see the variety of art installations in the space.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=tate+modern&m=text

Vinci Hamp Architects - South Kenwood Residence - Chicago, USA - 2001

2009-06-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

Text and images from the architect's website:
http://www.vinci-hamp.com/
This private residence takes its place in Chicago's Kenwood landmark district, responding to its context without resorting to historic devices. Exterior materials of Roman brick and limestone trim take cues from nearby houses by notable Chicago architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, George Maher and Howard Van Doren Shaw.

A great website regarding the brick and clay lifecycle

2009-06-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

A clear observation of the full lifecycle of clay products including environmental, salvage, and recycling potential with brick:

http://www.staywithclay.com/en/clc.htm

Wine cellar from www.pexider.at

Holey Associates - Adaptive re-use - Walnut Creek, California, USA - 2005

2009-06-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

Adaptive re-use/addition to 1970s drive-through bank with salvaged brick.

Great concept. Questionable architecture.

Architect's Website:http://www.holeyassociates.com/

--------------------------------

Original story [ text copied below] and photos posted here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/13/DDGCAJBRJC1.DTL

If architecture is frozen music, as the German poet Goethe once said, then 1700 North Main in Walnut Creek is a frozen kick in the pants.

Rows of mottled red bricks curl and twist along the facade. The woodwork seems hefty enough to support the Washington Monument. The corner across from Walnut Creek's City Hall gets full castle treatment, with a two-story-high circular tower topped by a steeply pitched slate roof.

High design it ain't. But this conversion of a drive-through bank offers something that today is all too rare: tactile delight. In a world where office towers are clad in wafer-thin granite and shopping centers wear columns of stucco-covered Styrofoam, it's great to see the arrival of a downtown building that wants to make an enduring mark on the landscape.

And the fact that 1700 North Main is a triumph of recycling makes the show better still.

"Except for the windows and doors, I'd say close to 95 percent of what you see was salvaged," guesses Primo Facchini, 42, the easygoing construction manager. "I'm not an environmentalist by any means. But I hate to see good materials being discarded. Nobody makes stuff like this anymore."

The building that now houses Intero Real Estate began life as a drive-in bank in the 1970s. What's just been finished is an expansion that adds a second story and doubles the size of the ground floor. Those oversized arched windows? In the building's former life, they're what the cars passed through.

Brick-covered arches aside, the original bank was fairly staid, with a flat roof and modern lines. The builder was Doug Allinger, known in Walnut Creek for a handful of more fanciful masonry structures. When Dan Miller purchased the building a few years ago and decided to enlarge it, he also decided to enlarge the sense of whimsy.

Holey Associates of San Francisco did the basic design. Then Facchini took charge of construction. And while he considers the project a tribute to Allinger, who did the fountain and some other small pieces -- "I used to work under Doug as a kid. It's an all-in-the-family thing" -- Facchini brought his own sensibility to the job.

"I do a lot of demolition and do a lot of salvaging," Facchini says. "I've got a lot of stuff."

The addition is wrapped in about 120,000 bricks, he estimates, of which 20,000 were remnants of the bank's former wings and the rest were salvaged from other now-demolished buildings. Much of the woodwork in the main office space comes from a felled structure in downtown Pittsburg -- truss work included -- as do the red ceramic tiles on one portion of the roof.

Throughout, design details shifted to make room for new shipments of architectural hand-me-downs. "I was just trying to keep the basic shape the city wanted," laughs Carl Bridgers of Holey Associates. "It was a constant response to things, a bubbling stew."

Even the abstract metal sculpture that rises from the fountain at the corner of North Main and Civic is a survivor of who-knows-what. Facchini spotted the piece in a salvage yard and had it carted to Walnut Creek.

But the drive-through bank turned real estate office isn't simply an object lesson in recycling.

The exuberant use of salvaged materials -- with wonderful textures we once took for granted -- make the building exuberant as well. It's fanciful chaos: a cross between a Tyrolian castle and a brick warehouse, with a roof that shifts from slate to copper to tile and back again.

And then there's what Facchini calls the "drunk brick look" -- patterns that defy any notion of right angles, instead weaving across the surface with inebriated grace. You've never seen anything like it -- unless you've stopped by Yogurt Park on California Boulevard, an Allinger production that takes similar brickwork to psychedelic extremes.

"This type of building, you either go all the way, or no way. You can't Mickey Mouse," Facchini muses. He concedes that some of the moves caught his construction crew by surprise. "It's against all bricklayers' ethics -- the whole point is to line them up straight. But we went over what we wanted to do, and then everyone got into it."

That's what I like about 1700 North Main, why it makes me smile even though I know it would make an architectural purist cringe. The pleasure is palpable; you sense the joy of the act of creation and a genuine respect for the materials being used.

Too often the story is the exact opposite.

Across great stretches of our contemporary terrain, from the fringes of young suburbs to the innards of revived cities, the new buildings we see are the pallid byproduct of development deals. In many cases, costs were kept as low as possible; in others, the details that might make a project memorable were lost in the nitpicks of public review.

Everything starts to look like everything else. Nothing really sticks in your mind. Thank goodness.

That's the American landscape of today -- and the reason that 1700 North Main stands out. It is locally owned, locally built, fashioned with local materials saved from a landfill fate. It draws on a local tradition that was quirky to begin with.

And it's fun. Don't underestimate that part of the equation. After all, there's no reason that a building can't bring a smile to your face.

Francis Kere - Secondary School - Dano, Burkina Faso, Africa

2009-06-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

Architect's Website:
http://www.kere-architecture.com/index.html

Francis Kere Architects - Primary School - Gando, Burkina Faso, Africa, 1999

2009-06-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

Architect's Website:
http://www.kere-architecture.com/index.html

Small Brick Structure Four

2009-06-08T03:39:00.000-07:00

Corner Shoe Repair Shop, College & Crawford Street, Toronto Canada.

As an exercise I studied several small brick structures while I was living in Toronto. Various aspects were observed (measured, documented, researched, drawn) for each structure, then formatted into a 9"x17" editioned silkscreen.

Small Brick Structure One
Small Brick Structure Two
Small Brick Structure Three

The full set of silkscreen prints:

Diamond + Schmitt Architects - Four Seasons Centre - Toronto Opera House - 2007

2009-05-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Architect's Website:
http://www.dsai.ca/

Scans of Plan & Section from Canadian Architect Magazine:

Douglas Cardinal - St.Mary's Roman Catholic Church - Red Deer Alberta Canada, 1969

2009-05-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

Photo Source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/matbooth/380493419/

Drawings Scanned from two books:
The Architecture of Douglas Cardinal, by Trevor Boddy, 1989
and
Douglas Cardinal Monograph, 1978

Good news! - U.C. Berkeley Prize Travel Fellowship

2009-05-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

I ended up being one of 12 finalists in the Berkeley Prize essay competition for a paper that I wrote on brick masonry (read essay here). As a finalist I was invited to apply for a travel fellowship, and I just learned today that I was granted the fellowship and they are sending me to London and Dublin as outlined in my travel poposal and they're paying for it! More info here:

http://www.berkeleyprize.org/travel/travel.cfm?year=2009

----------------------------------------------------

Berkeley Essay Prize Travel Fellowship Proposal:

BENEFITS TO MY ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION:
My architectural goals are simple:
i. Make passive solar buildings in Canada.
ii. Help Canada develop a mid-density residential building type that is in-between the tall condo and the single family house.
iii. Make buildings in such a way that can be adapted and re-used for new purposes; well built, hand-crafted and repairable to ensure the building outlasts the embodied energy used in materials.

Above all, I would like to make beautiful buildings that respect their environmental, local, and climactic contexts.

After several years in University and one working in an adaptive re-use architecture firm, I am confident that brick masonry is an excellent material that lasts in our climate and has intrinsic hand-built qualities that can be used to develop an enriching architecture for communities; an architecture that endures and can be repaired and adapted and re-used. One that ages gracefully and shows this history through patina to contribute beauty to the community.
As outlined in my essay competition submission, huge progress has been made in the last twenty years regarding efficiency in brick manufacturing processes that make this material relevant and sustainable if used appropriately.

At this point in my architectural education I need to know how to lay bricks in order to include intricate detailing into buildings, and additionally so that I fully understand the limitations of the material. Through this understanding I can develop techniques and approaches for passive solar designs and insulated, thermally massed buildings to take advantage of the free energy provided by the sun. Heating and cooling buildings is a large energy sinkhole that I feel can be eliminated in Canada if we just think about things a little further. I want to look at making an architecture for Canada with locally available masonry resources that responds to the various climates in each of the provinces. I plan to do this within my thesis work by studying the brick masonry building typologies developed in various cities across Canada (victorian rowhouse in Toronto, two storey walk-up in Montreal, etc.) and extrapolate this into meaningful mid-density building types for the specific climates in Canada.

Helping me learn to build with brick masonry will help me in the next step to achieving the three goals I outlined above. The program I have selected involves the restoration / rebuilding of the Cotswold Canals in Gloucestershire UK with an opportunity for volunteers to learn how to lay bricks.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM:
Rebuilding the Cotswold Canals (Gloucestershire, UK.) "The work will include a wide variety of restoration skills in rebuilding the Cotswold Canals. It will focus on rebuilding the lock walls, undertaking repairs to the lock bridge, ... a complete rebuild of the main lock chamber walls and top sill - a fantastic chance to learn or improve your bricklaying skills!"
http://www.wrg.org.uk/
http://www.wrg.org.uk/camps_flyer_2009.pdf

ITINERARY:
I would like to take full advantage of travel to the UK by visiting London and Dublin Ireland to study the rich history of traditional and modern construction techniques using brick masonry, specifically:

London:
•Herzog & De meuron - Tate Modern Building - adaptive re-use of brick factory
•Battersea Powerstation - adaptive re-use of brick powerstation

Dublin:
•Lincon Place, Dublin - modern mid-density residential brick building
•Dublin Quays - integration of modern & historic brick buildings
•Tenement housing - historic mid-density residential brick buildings throughout Dublin

TRAVEL ADGENDA:
•Fly to London, visit significant brick masonry buildings.
•Participate in restoration Camp, learn to lay bricks.
•Visit significant brick masonry buildings in Dublin Ireland.
•Return to Canada.

BUDGET:
•Return Air Travel: $850.00 US
•Train travel to/from airport to camp: $150.00 US.
•Camp cost: (£49UK) $90.00 US.
•Food/Accomodation cost (including travel in Dublin & London ): $1700.00

PUBLISHED MATERIAL:
http://www.wrg.org.uk/
http://www.wrg.org.uk/camps_flyer_2009.pdf

Sexton Gymnasium, Halifax Nova Scotia, 1962

2009-05-18T08:55:00.001-07:00

Short film: La Maison en Petits Cubes, Kunio Kato, 2008

2009-05-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

A 2008 Oscar winning short film by Kunio Kato.

Worth watching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT9_sfxSdpE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RAWwzAkNtM

Small Brick Structure Three

2009-05-04T18:32:00.000-07:00

Sunnyside Pumping Station, Lake Shore Boulevard & Gardiner Expressway, Toronto.

As an exercise I studied several small brick structures while I was living in Toronto. Various aspects were observed (measured, documented, researched) for each structure, then formatted into a 10"x17" editioned silkscreen.

Brick increases neighbourhood property values?

2009-04-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

Below is the text from a study on property values in neighbourhoods built with brick. It includes interesting information suggesting economic benefits for homeowners living in neighbourhoods constructed with brick.

Their conclusions are towards the bottom under the findings of the research heading. I have made the text bold and italicized.

Original Article published here: http://www.gobrick.com/planning/UM_Synopsis.html?CFID=6844022&CFTOKEN=19961651

---------------------------------------------

University of Michigan Masonry Ordinance Research:
A Study of Masonry Ordinances in Chicago's Suburbs

This is an independent research project funded by the Brick Industry. The views expressed in this report are solely based on the author’s analysis and do not represent the position of the Brick Industry. Any errors remain to the author.

Executive Summary
The University of Michigan studied four Chicago suburban communities to identify the impacts that the adoption of a masonry ordinance has on housing price and the fiscal health of a community. Among other masonry planning policies, masonry ordinances are local zoning requirements that specify a certain percentage of clay brick and masonry as the primary exterior building material on either residential or commercial buildings.

The comparison of two masonry ordinance communities (Orland Park, IL and Tinley Park, IL) with two non-masonry communities, that are otherwise similar, found that the adoption of a masonry ordinance not only enhances the durability and aesthetic value of local properties, but it also increases the property value, tax base, and overall fiscal health of the community. In addition, the research indicates that the adoption of a masonry ordinance promotes population growth and does not significantly affect the affordability of housing or rental costs.

Research Team
The Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan conducted the masonry ordinance research. Dr. Lan Deng, Assistant Urban Planning Professor, and Dr. Fernando Lara, Assistant Professor of Architecture, were the primary researchers who worked on the project.

Scope of the Research
Hypothesis
The imposing of masonry ordinances, by setting standards for construction quality, will enhance the durability and aesthetic value of local properties, increase the attractiveness (both economically and physically) of the local community, and thus benefit both local residents and local business.

The researchers predicted that these benefits were observable in communities that have passed masonry ordinances, evidenced by high property values and healthy neighborhood environments. Moreover, the expanded property tax base in communities with a masonry ordinance would generate high tax revenue and enable the provision of high quality public services, further improving the quality of life for local residents. Last but not least, the researchers hypothesized that the added amenities from a masonry ordinance help attract more customers to the community, increase the competitiveness of local business, and generate more sales revenue or rental income for commercial properties.

Research Questions
The study looked at more than 25 years of data and over 20,000 single-family housing transaction records from the case study communities. Primary focus was placed on examining the community changes during the period of 1990 to present. To evaluate the economic benefits (or costs) of a masonry ordinance on communities the researchers investigated two primary topics, including:

1) Property Value Impact: How has the adoption of a masonry ordinance affected local property values?
2) Community Competitiveness: How do suburbs with masonry ordinances perform relative to their neighbors in terms of economic health (including property tax revenue and sales tax receipts), growth, and housing affordability?

Methodology
To address these issues, a hedonic price model based on over 20,000 housing transaction records was created. The model examined not only how the value of a housing property is affected by the quality of its own construction material, but also the externality effects generated by the proximity to other high-quality properties as a result of the masonry ordinance.
Additionally, the research compared social and economic changes in communities with masonry ordinances versus the non-masonry ordinance communities. The comparison is made based on differences in new housing construction and population growth rate, and differences in local fiscal revenue and expenditures.

Case Study MSA and Communities
Method of MSA and Case Study Community Selection In order to choose the right Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) that offers national relevance with minimal regional influence, the research team developed a "dissimilarity index" based on 1990 and 2000 census data for all MSAs that are known to have a prevalence of communities with masonry planning policies. To create this index, a series of social and economic variables, including population growth rate, income growth rate, price appreciation rate, rent growth rate, and employment growth rate were evaluated against the national average trend. This led to the selection of the Chicago metropolitan area as the primary case study region given the finding that the development trend in Chicago is closest to the national average, ensuring the national relevance of this study. A similar method was applied to identify masonry (those with masonry ordinances)and non-masonry case study communities within the Chicago metropolitan area. The villages of Orland Park and Tinley Park were chosen as the two masonry communities; both have had a masonry ordinance for over a decade. Hoffman Estates and Streamwood were chosen as the control group without masonry ordinances, but are similar to Orland Park and Tinley Park in their demographic, economic, and housing profiles. The procedure ensures the diagnosis of the community impacts resulted from a masonry ordinance alone by controlling for a number of other external factors.

Findings of the Research

Property Values Conclusion: The adoption of a masonry ordinance results in an increase of property values for homes in a community.

Property values in communities with masonry ordinances have maintained at a significantly higher level than those in non-masonry ordinance communities. After the requirement for brick and masonry was legislated, the price of home differentials among the four municipalities continues to increase with the masonry ordinance communities of Orland Park and Tinley Park being significantly higher. Specifically, since 1990, a constant-quality property would be sold 96% higher in Orland Park and 130% higher in Tinley Park than if it were located in Streamwood. The same property would be sold 80% higher in Orland Park and 114% higher in Tinley Park than in Hoffman Estates.

Taxes Conclusion: The adoption of a masonry ordinance results in an increase in revenue generating capacity for communities both through property taxes and sales tax - lessening the overall tax burden for community residents .

Orland Park and Tinley Park have larger tax bases than nearly half of the other suburbs in Cook County (which is where Chicago is located) based on equalized assessment value data. Orland Park consistently outperforms other communities in Cook County in terms of sales receipts, while Tinley Park continues to experience a rapid increase in the amount of sales receipts. The comparable non-masonry ordinance communities have experienced relatively slow growth in sales receipts. Since Orland Park and Tinley Park have a relatively large property and sales tax base, they are able to charge their residents lower municipal tax and fees in order to pay for public services and community improvements. The ratio of municipal property tax to income per capita for Cook County suburbs in 2002 was 1.12%. At the same time, the ratio was 0.50% in Orland Park and 0.83% in Tinley Park.

Growth Conclusion: The adoption of a masonry ordinance results in continued population and housing growth, and does not restrict growth.

The population of both Orland Park and Tinley Park continues to grow at a faster rate than the non-masonry ordinance communities studied, even faster than most other suburbs in Cook County . Orland Park and Tinley Park had population growth rates of 43% and 30% from 1990 to 2000 respectively. During the same period, Hoffman Estates and Streamwood had population growth rates of 6% and 17% respectively. Housing unit growth rates in Orland Park and Tinley Park were 53% and 36% respectively, and in Hoffman Estates and Streamwood they were 5% and 20% respectively from 1990 to 2000.

Affordability Conclusion: The adoption of a masonry ordinance does not significantly increase the owner cost burden or the rental burden for residents, and does not make housing in the community any less affordable than its neighbors.

Measured by the percentage of household income spent on housing-related costs (mortgage payments, real estate taxes, property insurance, utilities and fuels), homeowner cost burden in Orland Park and Tinley Park were found to be similar to other suburban Cook County communities. For an average suburb in Cook County , the owner cost for housing-related costs, including a home mortgage, was 22.8% of their income in 2002. While in Orland Park and Tinley Park , it was about 22.2%. In addition, the median burden for rental households in Orland Park and Tinley Park was found to be quite close to the other suburban communities in Cook County . Residents in an average suburban Cook County community spend 24.4% of their income on rent, while in Orland Park and Tinley Park they spend a similar amount at 23.40% and 24.10% respectively.

Small Brick Structure Two

2009-04-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Editioned Silkscreen - Tyler Rozicki - 2008

The building is a water tower located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects - University of Prince Edward Island - 2007

2009-04-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Architect's Website: www.mlsarchitects.ca

Small Brick Structure One

2009-04-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

Entrance to Below Grade Parking, Adelaide & Brant street, Toronto.

As an excercise I studied several small brick structures while I was living in Toronto. Various aspects were observed (measured, documented, researched) for each structure, then formatted into a 9"x17" editioned silkscreen.

Two Mid Century Apartments - typography and brick

2009-04-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Brick Rowhouses - Halifax, Canada - circa 1910

2009-04-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

Halifax has a significant history of wood frame and shingle residential buildings where 98% of houses are wood (a typical example can be seen on the right in first photo). This small group of brick rowhouses are an anomaly in the city, but they are completed in the same style as the surrounding houses of the period, demonstrating the versatility of brick masonry.

As a group the brick houses appear to be almost identical, but upon closer view each has particular details that make it unique and reveal a rich layer of craftsmanship in the architecture and brickwork.

Conran & Partners - Quayside Lofts - Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK - 2007

2009-04-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

Architecture firm & image source: www.conranandpartners.com

Accordia - Mid Density Housing - Cambridge England - 2006

2009-04-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

Various Architects:
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Alison Brooks Architects
Macreanor Lavington

More information:
http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/accordia/index.html http://www.cabe.org.uk/case-studies/accordia http://www.urbandesigncompendium.co.uk/accordia

Image sources:

http://forgemind.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=14756

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/cambridge/accordia_housing.htm

Allies & Morrison - Grosvenor Waterside - London, England - 2007

2009-04-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

More images:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pg/sets/72157605952150278/

More information:

http://www.rpconsultation.co.uk/casestudy04.cfm

Wespi De Meuron Architekten - house - Morcote, Switzerland - 2003

2009-04-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Architect's website & image source:

http://www.wespidemeuron.ch/wdm/projekte.php?id=19

Mezzanine - 1st year project

2009-03-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

SUMMER RESIDENCE: 700 square feet.

Note: there are some modifications between initial concept (above), and structural design (below), but essentially the project is about 'light' and 'ascent' through space.

Anagram Architects - South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre - New Delhi, India - 2008

2009-03-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

Architect's Website: http://www.anagramarchitects.com/
View PDF here: http://www.archi-europe.com/archi-bau-awards/winners/146-1.pdf

Keith L Graham - North End Memorial Library - Halifax Nova Scotia Canada - 1965

2009-03-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

Sources:
Nova Scotia Public Archives
Canadian Architect, April 1968

Eero Saarinen - MIT chapel - Cambridge Massachusetts, 1955

2009-03-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

More information here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_Chapel

photo sources:
www.flickr.com/photos/atelier79033/2780365715/
www.flickr.com/photos/bjorn_cph/2069324869/
www.flickr.com/photos/grantdunlop/254732886/