Radley College Chapel extension (ph: David Jerred Miles)
Multi award-winning independent brick manufacturer Northcot Brick has earned a formidable reputation for creating bespoke brick blends that enable architects to deliver truly stunning architecture. Drawing on over 100 years of brick making experience, Northcot’s ‘master brickmakers’ work closely with leading architectural practices to develop bespoke blends and innovative solutions to match the existing brickwork of heritage projects or to help create inspirating new blends for contemporary buildings.
Recent Northcot projects include Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, Newport Street Gallery, Newnham College’s Dorothy Garrod Building, Manchester’s Whitworth, and Radley College Chapel Extension – all ‘Supreme Award’ winners of the Brick Development Association’s Brick Awards.
Radley College Chapel extension (ph: David Jerred Miles)
Radley College Chapel extension
Purcell’s 2023 RIBA National award-winning extension to Radley College’s Grade II* listed chapel is an excellent example of Northcot’s brick making craftsmanship. Originally designed by Sir TG Jackson in 1893, the chapel lies at the heart of school life where students can gather each evening to meet, reflect and worship. In order to increase the building’s capacity Purcell extended its eastern end, provide a striking octagonal sanctuary housing the altar, as well as expanded the north and south apses to provide extra raised seating.
The scale, proportion, and architectural detailing of the extension, developed using BIM modelling, was driven by a sense of design unity, which is reflected in the intricate geometry of the brick and stonework facades.
Radley College Chapel extension (ph: David Jerred Miles)
Complex bespoke brick blends
Working closely with the architect and brick factor, Peter Cottingham of All Brick and Stone, Northcot created three bespoke brick blends in imperial sizes that matched the colour and texture of the existing chapel both internally and externally. The complexity of the architectural features also required 87 different brick specials, which were made using more than 50 different bespoke moulds.
Polychromatic brickwork. (ph: David Jerred Miles)
Polychromatic brick exteriors
The facades of the new extension mirror the ornamental elements and polychromatic brickwork of the existing Gothic Revival chapel. Northcot’s mid-red, smooth-faced ‘Radley Chapel machine-made’ blend, are slightly textured in keeping with the original brickwork, and are alternated with darker courses of ‘Radley Chapel handmade’ facing bricks with their contrasting soft creases and folds. A traditional English bond is used throughout.
The Sanctuary (ph: David Jerred Miles)
The Sanctuary
Inside, the monochrome quality of ‘Radley Chapel machine-made’ bricks, and the bands of light stone, add an elegant simplicity to the new sanctuary, which is entered from the nave through a series of brick arches.
Brick apse (ph: David Jerred Miles)
Machine-made brick apse
The new north and south apses are made from a bespoke blend of red multi ‘Radley Chapel apse’ machine-made bricks, reminiscent of the bricks used in the original Chapel.
The nave of Radley College Chapel (ph: David Jerred Miles)
A testament to craftsmanship
The complex brickwork with its multitude of different special shapes is a testament to the craftsmanship of those involved. More than 20,000 hours of labour went into the brick and masonry work over the course of the project.
The Brick Award judges commented: “The overall use of brickwork and well-considered complementary materials work fully within a historic context, yet the building is still very much 21st century, vibrant and exciting.”
Click here to the 2022 BDA award video for more information about this award-winning project.
For more information about Northcot Brick, please call: 01386 700551, fax: 01386 700852, email: sales@northcotbrick.co.uk or visit the website: www.northcotbrick.co.uk
