BRICK Ideas Competition 2016

Evry Cathedral, France, Maro Botta

“Bricks in contemporary architecture may well be saddled with a reputation for retrograde traditionalism – after all, the oldest discovered bricks date from before 7500 BC. For some, they conjure up images of architecturally unimaginative housing estates, but today, many forward-looking architects

can’t get enough of the humble brick.”

- Dominic Lutyens; Piling Them High: Why Architects Are

Rediscovering the Humble Brick

Published by:KRVIA Design Cell2015-16

Sponsors:Bricks India Pvt. Ltd.

Opp. Page - Institute D’Art et D’Archeologie, Paris, Paul Bigot BRICK - An ideas competition 2016 0302

Brick has been one of the oldest engineered material for built environment as evidenced from the Indus Valley Civilization. The technologies developed over past 7 millenia for sizing, stabilizing & transforming the humble mud into a stone like material has helped it to withstand the test of time

Monuments of the past millenia, especially in stone starved gangetic plains and delta regions like Gaur, Pandua, Bishnupur, Allahabad, Lucknow, etc. in the times of Sultans, Nawabs and the Colonial rulers are testimony to the fine crafts of Brick architecture whether it was plastered over, left exposed or glazed.

Last 7 decades has seen a steady decline in the stature of bricks as material of architectural and structural expression in favour of concrete, steel as structural and glass & metal as cladding materials. Moreover the poor quality of Bricks as well as masonary crafts have necessitated the easier option of plastering thus reducing brick to being a mere infill material.

In the past decade advances in technology of brick production computer aided techniques of automated assembly have opened up possibilities of using bricks in many innovative ways.

At KRVIA, we believe that building blocks can be designed and produced such that it can be used directly as an architectural expression without requiring a plaster surface. This ideas competition is an attempt to contribute in a small but significant way towards ecologically sensitive and building-craft conscious architecture.

IIM, Ahmedabad Louis Kahn BRICK - An ideas competition 2016 0504

India is the second largest producer (and consumer) of bricks after China with an estimated production of 120 billion bricks from around 1 lac brickfields. With the target of 11 Crore tenements by the year 2020, the expected demand in brick/ blocks is to a tune of 311 MMT (Average consumption of fired clay bricks ranges between 100 units per person per annum in rural areas to 200 units per person per annum in the Urban areas).

Yet, most of these are of the quality and finish which necessitates plastering especially in the urban areas where the walls are not protected by roof overhangs which means majority of the architectural practice does not utilize brick as the material of architectural expression but as an infill.

Clock Tower, Hussainabad, Lucknow

Background/ The Indian Context of Brick Construction Industry

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Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum, Laurie Baker BRICK - An ideas competition 2016 0908

The Aerated cement concrete blocks are gaining popularity and in many projects replace bricks as a material of choice due to its lightweight. Their production capacity is largely dictated by the cement production and supply.

Presently only 11 CMPA (comprising lower than 4% of the total demand) of ACC blocks are produced limited by the cement availability. Unfired/ Fired Bricks including stabilized earth are being used as material of choice for sustainable practices.

Considering the environmental impact of mass consumption of stone, sand and cement in the plastering, mortar and concrete construction, improving efficiencies in the production of building materials including brick and introduction of resource management is the need of the hour.

BRICK - An ideas competition 2016 1110 The Amsterdam School, Amsterdam, Michael Del Klerk

Brick being inert and porous allow “breathability” to the building. Though the resistance to heat conductivity in Brick is low (eg. R- 0.1-0.3 m2 .K/W) for a one brick thick wall, it compensates by having a high thermal storage capacity which can be used through intelligent design of building envelops which utilize passive and active cooling/ heating techniques.

Brick, especially the ones made from murum/ compacted clay below the top soil and not from the top soil is also one of the more responsible ways of building without affecting the precious top soil. With advancements in brick production technologies, it has been possible to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel resources by 30%.

Thus with the possibility of good quality brick being made available in adequate quantities and at competent cost, and also computer aided tools to organize complex surface geometries to offset the diminishing workmanship concern, there is a possibility of reviving brick as an architectural expression.

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Although, there are limitations of the traditional brick, which are-

- its Brittleness

- Surface porosity

- Uneven sizes and shapes

- Craftsmanship/ Labour involved

- Uneven forms resulting in plastering the

surfaces in the case of High-rise buildings.

- Not being environment- friendly

A lot of these limitations are now overcome due to the automated Brick production process and plants.

The bricks can now be precise, have uniform shape, size, density and hence the time required for the production process is shorter.

The surfaces also need not be plastered due to their uniform look. This saves additional material and costs.

It also encourages creativity and innovation in the craft of brick masonary .

Newer eco-friendly methods and materials (e.g. the type of soil used, computerised system for designing/planning) are constantly being developed to make the brick module more eco-friendly.

Clock Tower, Hussainabad, Lucknow

Limitations and strenghts of Bricks and New possibilities

BRICK - An ideas competition 2016 1514 The Amsterdam School, Amsterdam, Michael Del Klerk

The Brick as a module has a set of advantages over other materials which make it a durable material used over thousands of years.

- It offers natural variety of colours and textures which accentuate its design potential.

- It provides fire protection rating of 6 hours (for one brick thick wall) which is more than other construction materials.

- They regulate temperature and humidity making the building climate responsive.

- They have high compressive strength making it a very durable material.

These advantages make the brick a high potential module which can be explored.

BRICK - An ideas competition 2016 1716 Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, Cambridge

Newer innovative modules also contribute in exploring this potential

- Bricks can now be carved, moulded and embossed to give varied appearences.

- There are eco-friendly interlocking brick patterns which can be used without mortar.

- There are bricks with smooth, dirt- resistent glazed surfaces.

- Bricks can be made of recycleable materials.

- There are many other innovative ways in which the brick is being developed an environment- friendly module.

BRICK - An ideas competition 2016 1918 IIM, Ahmedabad, Louis Kahn

This competition intends to be instituted as an annual feature amongst the Architecture student community of India. In its first leg, it is being restricted to the Architecture Institutes and Students of Maharashtra. We appeal to the student community to utilize this opportunity to reinvent and put forth ideas which challenge the contemporary practice of creating built environment.

IIM, AHEMDABAD , LOUIS KAHN

CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, TRIVANDRUM ,LAURIE BAKER

SEWA, TRIVANDRUM , LAURIE BAKER

THE MONADNOCK BUILDING, CHICAGO, BURNHAM AND ROOT

EVRY CATHEDRAL, FRANCE, MARIO BOTTA

THE AMSTERDAM SCHOOL , MICHAEL DEL KLERK

Examples of Brick in Contemporary architecture

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THE BAKER HOUSE, CAMBRIDGE , ALVAR AALTO

FOLLY FARM, ENGLAND, EDWIN LUTYENS

TOWNHOUSE, BROUWERGRACHT, AMSTERDAM

INSTITUTE D'ART ET D'ARCHEOLOGIE, PARIS , PAUL BIGOT THE BYKER WALL HOUSING PROJECT

THE HAMLET (BAKER'S HOUSE), TRIVANDRUM, LAURIE BAKER

HILVERSAM TOWN HALL, NETHERLANDS , WILLIAM MARINUS DUDOK

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Brick x Brick - An ideas competition 2016 1918

Image Credits - Vikram Pawar, (6,12,13,24,25 and cover page) Apoorva Iyengar (4, 18)

Design Team:Apoorva Iyengar; Kimaya Keluskar; Vikram Pawar

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KRVIA Design Cell; Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies, Vidyanidhi Marg, Off 10th Road, Juhu

Scheme, Mumbai. Tel: 022-26700918/26208539

KRVIADesign Cell