[Image above] The Filigree House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, won the Craftsmanship Brick in Architecture Award for 2021. Credit: The Brick Industry Association
As the temperature slowly creeps toward spring weather, I’m looking forward to visiting more places outside again. The First Responders Park in Westerville, Ohio, is at the top of my to-visit list, and not just because one of my favorite soft serve ice cream companies opened a location nearby—the park won first place in the Brick in Architecture Awards paving and landscaping category last year!
Since 1989, the Brick Industry Association has sponsored the Brick in Architecture Awards to recognize exceptional uses of clay brick in architecture. Architectural and design firms can enter their designs in eight different categories:
- Commercial
- Education, K–12
- Higher education (colleges, universities)
- Historic renovation
- International (project located outside of the U.S., Canada, or U.S. territory)
- Residential, single family
- Residential, multifamily
- Paving and landscaping
An additional “Craftsmanship” award is given to one of the entries to recognize an individual mason or a team of masons “who skillfully install brick in an artful/unique way.”
The Brick Industry Association chose 49 winning projects out of 138 entries, with the Best in Class gold, silver, and bronze winners including projects in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Mexico.
“These awards demonstrate clay brick’s infinite design versatility derived from a myriad of available colors that never fade, textures, and installation options,” Ray Leonhard, president and CEO of the Brick Industry Association, says in a press release.
Below are the Best in Class winners for 2021.
Commercial
Farm Credit Services of America – West Building
Omaha, Nebraska
Architect: Clark & Enersen
Mason contractor: Jeff MacTaggart Masonry LLC
Education, K–12
Thomas J. Waters Elementary School North Annex
Chicago, Illinois
Architect: Bailey Edward Design
Brick manufacturer: The Belden Brick Company
Brick distributor: Brickworks Supply LLC
Mason contractor: MPZ Masonry
Higher education (colleges, universities)
North Carolina State University Fitts-Woolard Hall
Raleigh, North Carolina
Architect: Clark Nexsen Architecture & Engineering
Brick manufacturer: Sioux City Brick (subsidiary of Glen-Gery)
Brick distributor: Custom Brick & Supply Co.
Mason contractor: Brodie Contractors
Residential, single family
Neighborhood Cottage
Mountain Brook, Alabama
Architect: Taylor Plosser Davis Architecture + Design
Brick manufacturer: Endicott Clay Products Company
Brick distributor: Acme Brick Company
Mason contractor: Fry Construction Inc.
Residential, multifamily
40 Bleecker Street
New York, New York
Architect: Rawlings architects pc
Brick manufacturer: Acme Brick Company
Brick distributor: Belden Tri-State Building Materials
Mason contractor: Milestone Masonry Corp.
Paving and landscaping
Capturing an Artist’s Vision: A Monumental Journey
Des Moines, Iowa
Architect: substance architecture
Brick manufacturer: Endicott Clay Products Company
Mason contractor: Seedorff Masonry Inc.
Historic renovation
City of Galveston 30th St. Water and Electric Light Station
Galveston, Texas
Architect: The LaBiche Architectural Group Inc.
Brick manufacturer: Acme Brick Company
Mason contractor: Marsh Waterproofing Inc.
International
Bangalley House
Sydney, Australia
Architect: Casey Brown Architecture
Brick manufacturer: Austral Bricks
Brick distributor: Brickworks Building Products
Craftsmanship
Filigree House (silver winner in the “Residential, single family” category)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Architect: Moto Designshop
Brick manufacturer: General Shale
Brick distributor: Diener Brick Company
Mason contractor: Brandon Reiss Masonry
You can find the complete list of winners here and a photo gallery of the winning projects here. You can see all the winning designs in the video below as well.
Congratulations to all the 2021 winners—well done!