To support and encourage innovation in brick architecture, the biennial Brick Award is back this year to recognize architects and designers who are using the material to find new solutions to the environmental and social challenges the building industry faces.

The modern architect faces several simultaneous, growing challenges; demand for affordable housing is significantly increasing at the same time that there is an urgent need to conserve natural resources and reduce carbon emissions. Though these two objectives might, at first, seem to conflict with one another, architects, designers and other professionals like city planners have generated an incredible amount of innovation in finding and implementing creative solutions for designing high-quality spaces to live and work in while saving precious natural resources and slashing emissions.

Recognizing brick architecture pioneers

One way that designers and architects are tackling these problems head-on is by using brick, a material uniquely positioned to meet these goals. With a lifespan of over 100 years and vast thermal storing capacity – keeping things cool in summer and warm in winter – it is an energy-saving, climate-resilient material. Its use in construction for thousands of years is a testament to its longevity and its continued use today by designers and architects as the building block for solutions to societal and environmental issues.

Photo: Dane Alonso.

Plaza Monumento a la Madre in Mexico by Estudio MMX.

Photo: Luis Diaz Diaz.

Types of Spaces in Spain by Hanghar.

Recognizing the potential and already-realized impact that the material has in overcoming issues in the built and natural environments, wienerberger, a leading provider of innovative and ecological solutions for the entire building envelope in the areas of new construction and renovation as well as infrastructure for water and energy management, was driven to launch the biennial Brick Award in 2004. The platform is premised on the idea that those approaching these simultaneous challenges should be recognized and celebrated, as their work serves to address our greatest collective issues and inspire others to do the same. In its 11th iteration on 6 June 2024, the prize will once again be awarded to five extraordinary feats of brick architecture from around the world, based on aesthetics, innovation and sustainability, demonstrating the versatility of the material. 

With entries from classic clay blocks, facing bricks and roof tiles to the creative use of clay pavers and ceramic façade panels, the jury narrowed the vast submission pool of 743 projects from 54 countries down to 50 of the top examples of brick architecture across five categories. From each category, one project will be selected as the winner. To honour the range of exemplary projects, a Brick 24 Book will also showcase each of the 50 nominees – including the five winners – each an outstanding example of brick architecture that can continue to inspire.

Image Courtesy of Wienerberger Brick Award.

Heimo Scheuch, CEO of wienerberger.

The first two categories ‘Feeling at home’ and ‘Living together’ include single- and multi-party households that prioritize occupants’ health and wellbeing as well as the sustainability and longevity of the architecture. ‘Working together’ recognizes top iterations of brick architecture that create comfortable, functional and aesthetic workplaces. ‘Sharing public spaces’ comprises institutional spaces such as buildings for education, culture and healthcare, public places and infrastructure projects. For ‘Building outside the box’, architects could submit any particularly innovative ways of using brick, new construction technologies ornamentation, regardless of the building’s purpose.

Supporting and driving innovation

‘Innovative power is the driving force behind any progress, and it is the key to solving our triple challenge of tackling climate change while providing high-quality yet affordable buildings for more people to live and work in,’ says Heimo Scheuch, CEO of wienerberger. ‘The Brick Award shines a spotlight on architects who found new solutions to today’s construction challenges, while also demonstrating the vast untapped potential of brick for creative solutions. We are proud to host this award once again, providing a stage to inspirational examples of best practices.’

Photo: Joana França.

Palicourea House by Bloco in Brazil by Arquitetos Associados.

Photo: Trieu Chien.

Premier Office in Vietnam by Tropical Space.

Further highlighting its commitment to supporting and recognizing innovation, wienerberger will host a symposium, following the Brick Award ceremony on 7 June. Titled Sustainable horizons: Advancing architecture through scalable innovations, the symposium will gather diverse international leading voices and figures in brick architecture to explore its the future and how it can continue to play a role in tackling ecological and social challenges.

Learn more about the Brick Award and this year’s nominees, here.

Cover image: Dining Space at Deva Dhare, India, by Play Architecture. Photo: Bharath Ramamrutham.