Victoria Gate Arcade, Leeds, by ACME with Ketley Staffordshire red bespoke snap headers and special bricks (ph: Alex Upton Photography).

At Ketley Brick our creative team develops innovative solutions that help architects overcome technical challenges, push the boundaries of brick design and create inspirational award-winning brick architecture of the future. In addition to our extensive range of standard clay bricks, brick slips, pavers, quarry tiles and matching specials, our special brick consultancy service is dedicated to creating bespoke shapes, sizes, and intricate surface designs that inspire and transform through the application of new production techniques.

As clay innovators, we use the very latest in digital imaging and mould and die technologies, and work closely with architects to develop solutions that are tailored to their specific designs and delivered in the most practical and cost-effective way, even for small volumes. Our forward-thinking approach has contributed to the success of several RIBA Award-winning projects with complex architectural brick facades, including ACME’s Victoria Gate in Leeds and Make’s Three New Bailey in Salford.

Three New Bailey, Salford, by Make Architects with Ketley Staffordshire red bricks, brick slips, special bricks, and bespoke bricks (ph: Paul Karalius).

Introducing shapes that inspire
We have brought together our design and production of bespoke brick and clay products under our new ‘Vision Bricks’ brand – a name which reflects how we are breaking new ground in the manufacture of unusual shapes and surface designs that can transform a building.

A selection of Ketley’s Vision Bricks

Our innovative manufacturing capabilities extend beyond brick facades. We also use the same processes to add interest to pavers and quarry tiles and can even create unique landscaping features, again demonstrating the beauty, versatility, and practicality of Ketley clay products.

A selection of Ketley’s landscaping clay products

All our clay products are made in natural Staffordshire clay colours, ranging from deep blue-greys to brown brindles and reds.  These are produced organically through precise control of the temperature and oxygen content within the kiln – a traditional process, which generates authentic clay colours through transformation of the minerals within our clay without the use of artificial stains or pigments.

Brick panel designs using Ketley’s Vision Bricks

Curved textured facades
Extruded curved bricks are being used by AHR architects and Southern Housing Group to create an interesting undulating facade for their latest residential development at Glengall Road in London. The bricks are a standard size (215×102.5x65mm) but have a curved extrudable profile making them cost-effective to manufacture and then lay. We explored various options with the architect to develop a curved profile that would create different light and shadow effects and an eye-catching wavy texture.

Ketley’s curved bricks in a half bond create a wavy texture for a Southern Housing Group project.

Brixel Brick technology
Our pioneering ‘Brixel’ bricks and visualisation tools represent a significant advance in the types of images and complex patterns that can now be created in brickwork. This textured silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II, constructed entirely from projecting brickwork elements, was manufactured using 3D printing plates, rollers, and moulds to demonstrate the almost unlimited visual representations which can be realised.

Brixel bricks create a textured silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II

‘Class A’ performance
Known for their strength and durability, our architectural clay products are   manufactured to a Class A engineering brick standard. Their low water absorption and high crushing strength makes our bricks ideally suited for most on and off-site applications, including exposed elaborate high-level projecting facades. Their long-term performance and durability allow immense scope for diversity of design and application.

Let’s start the conversation!
At Ketley we believe the potential to use clay products in new creative architectural designs has never been greater with the advances in techniques to shape and mould clay products. By engaging us early in the design process we can anticipate most brickwork challenges. We will then present a variety of options and prototypes and explore the most cost-effective ways to deliver bespoke production solutions, so that you don’t need to compromise your design vision.

In a nutshell, our new ‘Vision Bricks’ service will help turn your brick design ideas into an enduring reality.

To start the conversation call: 01384 78361. Email: sales@ketley-brick.co.uk or visit: www.ketley-brick.co.uk