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Mihi House by Filter Architecture, Sarajevo (2012)

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MATERIAL FAMILIES & COMMON MATERIALS

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Recognize the common properties of bricks.
• Distinguish different types and classifications of clay
bricks.
• Describe main historical and modern applications
• Explain the functions of brickwork in buildings systems.
• Distinguish claybrick properties and uses from other
materials in the Ceramic’s family.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Traditionally, bricks were manufactured by
placing a mix of mud & straw in simple
wooden frames and allowing them to bake
in the sun - adobe. In many countries this
method is still being used.
One of the earliest examples found dated to
8.000BCE, in Jericho modern day Israel, it
looked like a loaf of bread as it was made
by hand, in the same way as bread.
From 6.000BCE rectangular bricks (using a
mold) start to appear in Mesopotamia,
becoming widely used only after
3.000BCE in the Middle East.
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Baked brick arises in the same regions that

used adobe around 4.500BCE, using
the same raw material, clay.
In Mesopotamia (partially modern Middle
East) and China they discovered that by
firing the brick in a kiln at high
temperature, produced a stronger
material which was also more resistant to
weather conditions.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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In regions where stone was abundant brick had a later

development, as it is readily available and is stronger and
even more durable.
Romans further developed fired bricks to allow them to
engineer large scale arches and roof vaults (arched) to
use in their temples, aqueducts etc, associated with
stone masonry.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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Medieval civilizations (5th

to 15th) in both
Europe and the Islamic
regions, took masonry
vaulting to a very high
level of development.
Islamic magnificent
mosques and palaces
used brick often faced
with glazed clay tiles.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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In Europe, stone was preferred for the

elegant Gothic Churches pointed vaults.
Brick making and brickwork revival in
England during 13th to 15th centuries.
Brick became a prestigious material,
exploiting versatility of bricks.
During 15th to 17th cent. in much of Europe,
bricks were usually covered with plaster.
Only after late 18th century, during Industrial
Revolution, that bricks were once again
used expressively.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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In the late 19th cent., the heavy brick & stone masonry
started loosing its primacy due to new building systems
and construction materials, i.e. steel and reinforced
concrete structural frames, and glass.
Tall buildings required frames of iron or steel which
replaced the thick masonry load-bearing walls.
Heavy masonry vaults and arches were supplanted by
lighter roof and floor structures of steel and reinforced
concrete, faster to erect and lighter in weight and
appearance.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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MANUFACTURE
Phases: Mixing – Forming – Drying - Firing
Mixing
 Using argillaceous materials (mainly clay) they must be easily
work-able. Different clays create a variety of appearance and
properties.
 After clay is extracted it is mixed with additives to improve its
properties (sand, lime, fly ash etc).
 Materials that burn away when the brick is fired - improve insulating
properties (straw, polystyrene etc).
 Recycled materials - incorporated to improve environmental impact.
 The resulting mixture is grinded in a machine, until a fine
consistence is obtained.

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MANUFACTURE: MIXING
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Forming (or molding)

Clay needs approximately 25% of water content to be
formed.
 Forming is done mechanically in industrialized countries. In
an industrialized process clay is pressed through a
mouthpiece into a long sausage.
 The different sizes and shapes of mouthpieces will form
square or round holes in the clay sausage.
 Handmade bricks are made by filling wooden or metal
moulds, they are still more attractive as facing brick, but
more expensive.

MANUFACTURE: FORMING
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MANUFACTURE: FORMING
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Drying
Unfired bricks are stacked for drying under as open roof
for 1 to 2 months.
In winter conditions bricks will be dried in heated rooms
increasing energy consumption.

MANUFACTURE: DRYING
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Firing
 Clay is heated up to boiling point so water in the pores
evaporates. At 200/300 ºC the hydrate water also
evaporates, after this the clay can no longer revert to soft
clay with addition of water, unlike an air-sun-dried earth
block.

MANUFACTURE: FIRING
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Creating harder and more durable bricks:

 If fired at higher temperatures, the particles are pressed
closer to each other and the bricks become harder.
 Higher temperatures are used to produce fireproof bricks
and porcelain, using special clay mixtures.

Creating color variations:

 Changing the amount of oxygen used during firing, type of
clay, and additives.
 During firing, clay containing iron will turn red, if containing
more than 15% of lime it turns yellow.
 Clays from different regions produce unique color variations.

MANUFACTURE: FIRING
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MANUFACTURE: FIRING
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BRICK APPLICATIONS
Masonry walls
 It is the simplest of building techniques, by manually
stacking pieces of material (blocks/bricks) one makes walls.
It is a material for small entrepreneurs. For large projects
mechanical aid is used to improve performance.
 Face bricks remains labor intensive, requiring patient skilled
artisans to achieve a satisfactory result.
 provides a rich and varied selection of colors, textures and
patterns.

House Sher by Eftychis Architects

Concrete and facebrick wall.
South Africa - 2017
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Because the pieces (units) are small, masonry can take

almost any shape, from planar to sinuous walls.

Sala Ayutthaya boutique hotel

Onio architects
Ayutthaya Thailand 2014

APPLICATIONS - MASONRY
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Robot made wall

Gramazio & Kohler in Architecture
and Digital Fabrication

APPLICATIONS - MASONRY
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MASONRY MORTAR
Mortar is a vital component of masonry:
 serves as a cushion for the units & protects them from their
surface irregularities.
 seals between the units preventing water, sound and wind
penetration (provides insulation behavior).
 adheres the units to one another (bonding), to bond them
into a monolithic(1) structural unit.
 also important for the appearance of the finished wall.

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The most common type of mortar is cement mortar:

• made of Portland cement, with an inert aggregate (sand)
and water. Lime is added to improve smoothness and
workability.

There are different types of Mortar:

 for load-bearing (structural) or non-load-bearing walls.
 resistance to frost.
 for increased workability.
 for water-proofing.

MASONRY MORTAR
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There are different additives used

in mortars:
Color pigments can be added to a
mortar to produce any desired
color, affecting the appearance
of the brick masonry wall, tiles or
pavement.
The mortar joints can become
more or less prominent, create
contrast with the bricks etc.

MASONRY MORTAR
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MASONRY JOINTS
There are different types of Joints design,
these play a significant role in the
aesthetics and durability of mortar and
brick in masonry walls.
Concave, Weathered and Vee joints –
the only ones suitable for outdoor use in
severe weather (rain or frost).
 Weathered joint – Formed by cutting the
mortar at a single angle to brick face with a
trowel. The most resistant to severe
weather.
 Formed by cutting (removing) the mortar with
a trowel.

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These joint types can only be used with little

or no exposure to rain:
 Flush joint – used when a smooth finish is
desired. Requires skilled workmanship to
look nice.
 Raked Joint – The mortar is raked off by
about 8mm back from the brick face. This
type of joint is used when a rustic look is
desired, emphasizing the individual brick.
 Struck & stripped joint – Formed by cutting
the mortar at a single angle to brick face
with a trowel. Can be used in interior only as
water will accumulate in joint.

MASONRY JOINTS
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BRICK SHAPES
There are innumerous standard types of bricks for
different functions in a building element.
Also, bricks can be custom molded to perform particular
functions or design intention.

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Commonly used custom brick shapes for different functions

in a building element (1)

BRICK SHAPES
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BRICK SIZES
There is no universal standard brick size:
 in different regions (even within one country) one will find
different modular brick standards.
 but usually, they can be held in one hand for ease of
laying / carrying the brickwork.

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The table (1) shows some brick sizes commonly used in North
America. It gives an idea of the diversity of shapes and sizes
available.

BRICK SIZES
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BRICK TYPES
The most common bricks used are:
 Facing bricks – Can have structural function. Has better
quality, durability and appearance than building brick.
 Face bricks are used in exposed wall faces where appearance
and weather resistance is important.
 Variety of colors and surface textures is available. Most
common colors are shades of brown, red, gray, yellow,
and white.
 Durable and attractive (strength 1.500/3.000psi).

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Villa Rotonda (2010)

By Bedaux de Brouwer
Grey facing brick with slated roof.
(From: www_dezeen_com)

BRICK TYPES – FACEBRICK

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The Curving house

(2012)
by Joho architecture
South Korea
(From:
https://www.dezeen.com)
BRICK TYPES – FACEBRICK
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 Engineering bricks – exceptionally hard, dense, low

porosity, for heavily loaded walls (loadbearing walls). Done
by firing at very high temperatures (should take a
compressive strength of about 10,000/20,000psi).
 Refractory bricks – made from specially selected clays, can
withstand very high temperatures up to 1600°C (3000°F).
Applied in fireplaces, ovens, kilns. 20,000 / 30,000 psi.
 Paving brick – used for paving walks, drives and patios.
Must be resistant to water absorption and abrasion
(resistant to wear and tear). Min. 8,000 psi.

BRICK TYPES
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 Common bricks or building bricks, are hollow bricks

 Structural, but where appearance is not important as
masonry will be concealed in the finished work
(rendered or plastered).
Both facing and common bricks are considered solid
units and can be Hollow, Cored and Frogged:
 They are considered solid as long remain 75% solid, i.e.
for a hollow brick it is 60% minimum.

Hollow Cored Frogged

BRICK TYPES
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 Advantages of creating these type of bricks:

 allow for more even (homogeneous) drying and firing
during production.
 reduce transport costs (lighter weight).
 also lighter and easier to handle for execution.
 less material with similar performance.

Hollow

Frogged
Cored

BRICK TYPES
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CLAY BRICK’S GENERAL PROPERTIES

Appearance
 wide variety of natural colors and textures, associated with
joints of various colors and types.
 Does not need to be rendered or painted and color
remains stable and doesn’t fade with time requiring low
maintenance compared to a painted wall.
 Clay brickwork is most commonly used uncoated to
display the richness and texture of the material.
Strength
 high compressive strength, can support relatively high
loads such as suspended concrete slabs, can be used
for load bearing walls even in high building.
 Strength of mortar affects the strength of wall.
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Thermal Mass
 Clay brickwork has high thermal mass.
Toxicity and breathability
 Clay bricks are inert (unchangeable or reactive) and are
not prone to off gassing of volatile materials (unlike plastics
and some paints it’s non-toxic).
 Clay brickwork and its constituents are non-toxic totally
human friendly.
Fire resistance
 Clay brickwork does not burn when exposed to fire and
can help protect more combustible items inside a building
– fireproof.

FIRED CLAY BRICK PROPERTIES

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Durability and moisture resistance:

 Brickwork is extremely durable.
 Walls resist the penetration of rain-water, with adequate
mortar.
Insulation:
 Brickwork has moderate thermal resistance only. Can be
improved by using double walls with air cavity.
Sound insulation:
 Due to their high mass and density, clay bricks provide
excellent sound insulation, particularly for low frequency
noise – airborne sound (not good for impact noise
insulation as other ceramics).

FIRED CLAY BRICK PROPERTIES

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BRICK MASONRY BONDING PATTERNS

Brickwork should be designed to ensure the minimal cutting of
bricks and built with a uniform joint width and vertical alignment of
the joints.

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BRICK MASONRY BONDING PATTERNS

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Clay brick manufacture is energy intensive, but
the investment of embodied energy is repaid
by the longevity of the material (life cycle
assessment).
Brick work have a long life, low maintenance
requirements and are highly recyclable.
After demolition of buildings, clay bricks can
often be reclaimed for re-use after cleaning,
or they can be crushed for making path and
road surfaces, and for concrete aggregates.

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Because of their inert, inorganic nature, crushed clay bricks

can be used as part of the mix for the medium of green
roofs or gardens.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
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New Research is always creating more sustainable

solutions and products, requiring architects to stay
updated:
 Researchers have found that bricks made from fly ash
& fine ash particles, captured as waste by coal-fired
power plants, may be even safer than predicted
absorbing small amounts of toxic metals out of ambient
air.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
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RESIDENTIAL BRICK ARCHITECTURE

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PUBLIC INSTITUTION BRICK ARCHITECTURE

With its uninterrupted flow, this massive wall appears

more like a thin skin.
This effect is reinforced by the seemingly randomly placed glass
bricks cut into the otherwise uniform rhythm of the material.

Municipal School Sports Hall, Parnu / Estonia

Kavakava OÜ Architects
Winner of public building category from Baltic Brick and Roof Award
2009
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PUBLIC INSTITUTION BRICK ARCHITECTURE

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COMMERCIAL BRICK ARCHITECTURE

Oslo headquarters for Norwegian bank DNB (2012)

MVRDV architects
Fernando
From Andrade
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COMMERCIAL BRICK ARCHITECTURE

The project was thought based on
brick unit measures in order to avoid
being cut (would be extra work and not
beautiful).
Special attention was given to the
joints between bricks and their depth.

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COMMERCIAL BRICK ARCHITECTURE

The building envelope is made of brick, which was
carefully applied according to its use in each wall.
Brick works as a “bath curtain” in the centre, as a
“parasol” in the staircase and as fence on the gr. floor

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BRICK IN LANDSCAPE

Used as pavement in parks and

gardens.

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BRICK IN LANDSCAPE

Fountains in landscape

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CONCLUSION
Bricks application in architecture has a long history, and
has gone trough many technical developments, which
generated new design solutions.
There are new materials that can substitute brick, but it is
still a popular material due to its many qualities to
express modern design ideas, or to express local
culture (heritage, vernacular arch.) etc.
New developments in brick design & manufacture
continuously create special bricks with different
performance, which shows the continuous interest in
this material, and create opportunities for designers to
use it creatively.

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ANY QS…

Thank you for listening

and have a joyful day!

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