Hammersmith School Bags Best Brick Award

The new music and drama building, at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, beat off hundreds of competitors to take the prestigious 2008 Brick Awards.

The Brick Awards is one of Britain’s most respected design competitions. Run by the Brick Development Association, the annual contest provides the definitive showcase for what brick can do.

And Latymer School was up against some stiff competition. There were a record number of entrants this year, with projects from Russia and across Europe – including the stunning brickwork at St Pancras Station.

Yet the school won the category for the Best Commercial Building, and then walked away with the Supreme Award – the BDA Building of the Year. The awards were unveiled last night at the Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel in London.

“This is an architectural gem, ” says Royal Gold Medallist for Architecture, Edward (Ted) Cullinan, who chaired the judging panel.

“This building not only answers the client’s brief but also makes a positive contribution to its context by forming the central square. The brickwork is skilfully designed and laid, both externally and internally.”

The winning entry was a team effort. Architects van Heyningen & Haward came up with a stunning design, which brickwork contractors R Durtnell & Sons brought to life using Berkshire Orange stock bricks made by Ibstock Brick.

Latymer’s new music and drama facility is contained in a new 4-storey building, sited between the recently completed Latymer Arts Centre and a main building. It has a fully-glazed foyer to take full advantage of is location at the southern end of a newly created central square. It’s also linked to the Arts Centre with glazed links at an upper floor level.

Van Hayningen & Hayward chose brick as it’s a good quality, low maintenance material. A recent survey found that brick structures can have a lifespan of 500 years or more. Repointing might be necessary after 70 years but apart from that no regular maintenance is required. And the effect of the Berkshire Orange brickwork was astonishing.

“There is a limited palette of materials all of which combine well with brick to produce a convincing design solution, ” the judges added.

In addition to the Supreme Award, there were 14 category awards, each showing excellence in different aspects of design and construction. The category winners were:

Best Private Housing Development
The Barge Arm Development, Gloucester, for developer Crest Nicholson. Designed by Edward Cullinan Architects. Contractor Cowlin Construction used Birtley Olde English made by Ibstock Brick.

Best Public Housing Development
Broad Road, Sale, designed by MBLA. Contractor Richardson Projects used Platinum Smooth White bricks made by Wienerberger.

Best Public Building
The Bluecoat, Liverpool by BIQ Architects. Contractor Cara Brickwork used Queen’s Blend bricks made by Hanson Building Products.

Volume Housebuilding
David Wilson Homes, for three developments in Hampshire, all using bricks made by Ibstock Brick.

Best Commercial Building (and Supreme Winner)
New Music School, Latymer School, Hammersmith, designed by van Heyningen & Hayward. Contractor R Durtnell & Sons used Berkshire Orange Stock bricks made by Ibstock Brick.

Sustainability
New Head Office for Fitzpatrick Contractors at Hoddesdon, designed by Black Architecture. Contractor Newton brickworks used Tudor Brown Blend bricks made by Ibstock Brick.

Innovative Use of Clay Products
Hair Salon, Belfast, designed by Jamison Architects. MPS Construction used Birtley Olde English bricks made by Ibstock Brick.

Best Refurbishment Project
St Pancras Central designed by Ingram Consultancy. Contractor Stonewest used Fully Washed Grade 1 Red Rubber Brick made by Bulmer Brick and Tile.

Best Craftsmanship Project
New house at Hayes, designed by Robert Adam Architects. Contractor RJ Smith used Multi Bespoke Blend made by H G Matthews.

Special Award (Craftsmanship Category)
The Lovelace Mausoleum, East Horsley, designed by The John Deal Partnership. Contractor Chris Ansty used handmades to match from Ibstock Brick.

Best Landscape Project
Lakeside Terrace, Barbican Centre, London. Designed by David Marley Architects. Gabriel (Contractors) Ltd used Barbican Brindle Tile pavers from Hanson Building Products.

Specialist Brickwork Contractor
Marlborough Brickwork for three projects using brick from Hanson Building Products and Ibstock Brick.

Best International Project
Two houses in Killiney, Dublin, designed by ABK Architects. Cedar Building Company used Chailey Stock bricks and Hamsey Multi Stock pavers made by Ibstock Brick.

Worldwide Brick
Office for SAHRDC, New Delhi, India, designed by Anagram Architects. Contractor SK Builders used FPS Brick Class Designation 75 Burnt Clay Bricks.

Brick has long been favoured by architects, developers and the public. Its warm character brings buildings to life. An external brick wall contributes scale, depth, colour, texture and a sense of permanence. Then there’s the choice – 1200 different varieties of brick are produced in the UK alone – and it blends so easily and naturally with its surroundings.

Brick also scores on price. It costs less than just about any other competing cladding material. That’s according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. And the material does well on sustainability. In fact, the BRE’s latest Green Guide to Specification has assigned the highest possible accreditation A+ to every external wall it rated that contained brick.

“Brick ticks every box, ” says BDA chairman Alan Baxter. “It’s sustainable, adaptable and aesthetically pleasing. The Brick Award entries are excellent examples of our product in work. And the winners are a credit to our customers and our products.”

Editors’ notes
The Brick Awards are open to anyone, whether they’re architects/designers, owners, developers, housebuilders, specialist brickwork contractors or brick manufacturers. The only stipulation is that for all the awards – aside from the worldwide category – the project must feature clay bricks and pavers made by BDA members.

The Judges:

• Ted Cullinan (chairman): Principal, Edward Cullinan Architects.
• Neil Beningfield: Principal, Neil Beningfield & Associates Ltd, consultants to the brickwork and mortar industries.
• Pete Bonfield: Chief Executive, Building Research Establishment.
• Michael Hammett: Architect, author and brickwork consultant. Formerly Senior Architect BDA.
• Bill Preston: Consultant. President of the Association of Brickwork Contractors.
• Prof John Roberts: Consulting engineer and former Dean of the Faculty of Technology at the University of Kingston.

You can see pictures and find full details of the project teams – on the BDA’s website www.brick.org.uk/awards/2008.