Designing with Brick

Designers and builders face the never-ending challenge of finding the right building product for the job, and brick is a product that offers the ultimate in versatility. Brick comes in a broad palette of colors, fits in with an array of different architectural styles for broad regional acceptance, and can be applied in different ways to create unique patterns. And as a bonus, it offers green benefits.

According to a research study by Ducker Worldwide and the Brick Industry Association, 53 percent of all homeowners believe it is important to have brick on some part of their home, and 54 percent of respondents consider brick as their ideal/preferred material for exterior cladding. In addition, almost 90 percent of homeowners will consider brick when building or purchasing their next home. With a sturdy reputation, brick minimizes the need for designers and builders to educate clients about its features and appearance.

Re-creating history

In his pursuit of authenticity, Joe Ahmann, CPBD, president, Hiawatha, Iowa-based Ahmann Design, had custom brick shapes made. “We designed [the brick shapes] and had the brick manufacturer make them. We had three different shapes made,” he adds.

A unique characteristic of the home is the Purrington pavers incorporated throughout. “The property had old streets that passed through it and at some point they weren’t used any longer. [The homeowner] dug up enough of the pavers that he had them separated by full brick and part brick,” Ahmann says. “The [pavers] are found in the lower level, in the floor, along the walls, throughout the home and in the outside patios.”

One of the requests from the homeowner was the turret located at the corner of the home. It is four stories tall and encompasses part of the master bedroom, guest bedroom, art studio and an observation tower with a walkway around it. The masonry gazebo in the back of the property is a miniature version of the turret.

The most creative use of brick on this house is in the chimneys. “The brick on the top third of the chimney is laid in a twisted pattern to look like they spiral upward. The mason didn’t think it could be done, but the homeowner stacked the brick on the ground to show that it was possible,” Ahmann says.

Ahmann’s decision to use brick is based on his clients’ willingness to use it. “The impression out there is that it’s expensive. The first thing people think of is they need to get it within a budget and I disagree. You need to look at what your materials are, and design around what you want to use,” he adds.

Other reasons he uses brick are its maintenance-free aspects, and the design opportunities it presents. “With the same product there are so many design features which create shadow lines, which create interest,” he says.

Bonding past with present

The use of a material and pattern indicative of a specific time period is how this home accurately represents true Georgian architecture. Two brick patterns used in the Georgian style include Running and Flemish bonds; Flemish was the pattern of choice for this house in Jacksonville, Fla. (See pattern examples on the right.)

The homeowners’ request for a Georgian house simplified material selection for Stephen Reinel, AIA, principal of Jaycox Reinel Architects, also in Jacksonville. “We typically design traditional houses so if a particular style of home was traditionally made of brick, then that would dictate the use of brick,” he says.

Reinel used brick in many areas of the house to enhance its style. “We used brick as the coping around the pool and for the structure near the pool that houses the pool equipment. All the porch floors are brick pavers and all the steps to the porches are made of brick. The water table, which is the band around the base of the house, is all made of brick,” Reinel says.