2021 Brick Awards

Wright & Wright Architects wins the Supreme Award with Lambeth Palace Library.

Wright & Wright Architects’ Lambeth Palace Library in London has been named Supreme Winner at the 2021 BDA Brick Awards. Constructed using Ibstock bricks, this culturally significant building is home to the Church of England’s library and national archive, which includes a 12th-century Bible and the death warrant for Mary Queen of Scots signed by Elizabeth I. The project also won the Public Building category.

This year’s jury was chaired by Hilary Satchwell (Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design), and included Jelena Cousins (Cousins & Cousins), Gerard Maccreanor (Maccreanor Lavington), Tatiana von Pressen (vPPR architects), Dipa Joshi (Fletcher Priest Architects), Lex Harrison (Arup), Catherine Burd (Burd Haward Architects), and Joanna Sutherland (Haworth Tomkins). The award winners are:

Supreme Winner and Public Building Award: Lambeth Palace Library, London

Architect: Wright & Wright Architects
Brick manufacturer: Ibstock Brick
Brickwork contractor: Grangewood Brickwork Services

“Lambeth Palace Library is excellent, courageous and rigorous in its use of brick as a primary cladding material. The choice and detail of the brickwork is integral to the overall success of the scheme in terms of its relationship and dialogue with Lambeth Palace. The careful mixing and batching of three subtly different shades of red brick, combined with the restrained use of textured panels and careful proportions of the openings all soften the unapologetically massive volume and give the whole an understated elegance.”

Individual House Award: House-within-a-House, London

Architect: alma-nac
Brick manufacturer: Michelmersh Brick Holdings
Brickwork contractor: David Stewart Building Contractor

“This is a crafted and ingenious solution to creating a modern infill dwelling that encases the existing house rather than demolishing it. It is a lesson in sustainability as well as in proportion and form.”

Small Housing Development Award: Pump House, London

Architect: Common Ground Architecture
Brick manufacturers: Ibstock Brick, Wienerberger
Brickwork contractor: Heritage Brickwork

“This mixed-use project exemplifies well considered brick patterns and good detailing, as well as the long term need for robustness and low maintenance.”

Medium Housing Development Award: The Officers’ House Royal Arsenal, London

Architect: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
Brick manufacturers: Ibstock Brick, Michelmersh
Brickwork contractor: Roman Builders

“This project is a skillful solution, lovingly retaining a historical listed building and combining it with a new-build addition. Quality homes have been created using a mixture of traditional and modern methods of construction. It has also been well implemented in a crafted manner. The final result is a joyful juxtaposition of old and new.”

Large Housing Development Award: Excelsior Works, Manchester

Architect: Tim Groom Architects
Brick manufacturer: Michelmersh Brick Holdings
Brickwork contractor: James and Taylor

“A calm contextual response – Manchester would benefit from more new ‘background’ buildings like this.”

Urban Regeneration Award: Hackney New Primary School, London

Architect: Henley Halebrown
Brick manufacturer: Wienberberger
Brickwork contractor: Rocald

“A masterclass in the unlikely marriage of an inner city school and block of flats. The complex master-planning of the tight, urban corner site to house an inner-city school for small children along with a tower of luxury flats is handled very well indeed. Play spaces and rooftops are wonderfully maximised where ever possible. A lot of thought and care have been given to the design and how things come together, as well as how each element works with the operation of the school. Very impressive!”

House Builder Award: Redrow Homes

Projects: Regent Village, Ebbsfleet; Regent Quay – The Mill, Springfield; Regent Quay, Sittingbourne
Architect: Redrow
Brick manufacturer: Ibstock Brick

Commercial Building Award: i9 Wolverhampton Interchange

Architect: ION Developments
Brick manufacturer: Ibstock Brick
Brickwork contractor: Graham Construction

“This is a superb commercial workspace building, well executed and constructed with crisp detailing and striking features. It makes a strong statement at the exit of the station and the entrance to Wolverhampton city centre. It also gives a strong sense of brick materiality to its important location, and presents itself as a proud new local authority project.”

Educational Building Award: Catherine Hughes Building, Oxford

Architect: Niall McLaughlin Architects
Brick manufacturer: Ibstock Brick
Brickwork contractor: Beards

“The west elevation sets the style for the whole building with the side elevations, facing north and south, continuing the theme. Stepped reveals frame the recessed full-height fenestration, their lightness and articulation contrasting with the solidity of the flanking monolithic brick towers.”

Refurbishment Award: John Morden Centre, London

Architect: Mae
Brick manufacturer: Ibstock Brick
Brickwork contractor: Clive Graham Associates

“A very clever building structured around a linear route that uses brick to strong effect as a robust face both inside and outside. The design really considers the needs of the specific older user group and designs well for them without being at all institutional.”

Outdoor Space Award: The Newt in Somerset

Architect: benjamin + beauchamp architects
Brick manufacturer: Northcot Brick
Brickwork contractor: Crowstep Building Services

“Overall, an incredibly impressive and ambitious project. Brick is mainly used in the rebuilding of the existing walls (both new and reclaimed bricks), as well as associated landscape features, such as new retaining walls and pond edgings.”

Innovation Award: York House, Kings Cross, London

Architect: deMetz Forbes Knight Architects
Brick manufacturer: Forterra
Brickwork contractor: Swift Brickwork Contractors

“An innovative use of brick executed perfectly. This is a great example of a refurbished and extended 1980s building, which might otherwise have been demolished. It’s striking appearance contributes positively to the streetscape of this rather dull stretch of road.”

Craftsmanship Award: Wolverton Hall Folly, Worcestershire

Architect: Quinlan Terry Architects
Brick manufacturer: Michelmersh Brick Holdings
Brickwork contractor: J Rigg Construction

“The Wolverton Hall Folly is an exquisitely executed octagonal tower with an unforgiving geometry. It required extremely precise brickwork drawings and the accurate design of brick specials. There is almost no tolerance in the design, which is the minimum size required to accommodate the staircases. The project’s success therefore hinges on the craftsmanship of the brickwork and the precision with which the brickwork was planned.”

Specialist Brickwork Contractor Award: Swift Brickwork Contractors

Project 1: Hobhouse Court, London
Architect: TP Bennett.
Brick manufacturer: Michelmersh Brick Holdings
Project 2: UCLH Phase 5, London
Architect: Pilbrow & Partners
Brick manufacturer: Michelmersh Brick Holdings

“The company has been at the forefront of innovation within our industry for many years and has developed new processes and skills that will ensure brick is the material of choice for architects, for generations to come. Some of the most iconic buildings in the capital have used processes developed by Swift Brickwork.”

Worldwide Award: Tangzhuang Village Community Centre, Gaoyou, China

Architect: SHEN yue
Brick manufacturer: Reclaimed (provenance unknown)

“With its design rooted in traditional culture, the building provides a rich activity space for villagers and tourists, boosts neighbourhood relations, and helps to alleviate rural population loss. The project primarily uses old black bricks collected from demolished or unlawful buildings in Tangzhuang.”