Glazed brick slips are now a popular way for architects to make their projects come to life. In fact, due to a façade often being referred to as the most important aspect from a design perspective, there is more pressure than ever to create something original.
Architects need to turn to a product that can offer them durability and efficiency, while also showing their creative side.
This is where glazed brick slips come in. So, how do they fit the criteria of a successful façade?
Aesthetic Appeal Of A Façade With Grazed Brick Slips
Ultimately, every architect wants to design a building that catches your eye and increases interest.
How do you do that?
By getting experimental with the following features of brick slips:
- Colour – combining colours allows for artistic expression while also matching the building to its surroundings.
- Shape – experimenting with the shapes of bricks can create depth and patterns in your build.
- Texture – bringing in different textured brick slips can create contrast and draw the eye.
By creating a build that pushes the boundaries of these elements, you can draw attention to your project in all the right ways. For example, by adding a brightly coloured façade, you can transform a high-rise building that would have previously blended in, to be a standout focal point in a built-up area.
Using various twice-fired colour options such as red brick slips, or black brick slips, you can completely transform the face of the building. As brick slips can be matched to any RAL colours, there is plenty of choice for creating something specific.
Alternatively, an architect wanting to make a statement with a façade can use specially shaped glazed brick slips to create texture, patterns, and depth – whether that’s a city build that needs differentiating from other office buildings, or creating a structure that looks historical.
Using texture designs such as traditionally influenced projecting brick details, can be particularly effective when trying to achieve the latter.
To learn more about the trends of glazed brick being used by architects in 2023, check out this blog.
Practicality Of Facades And Why Architects Are Looking For It
Every architect wants their building to stand the test of time, by specifying a building that needs little maintenance. By using a building product like glazed brick slips architects can create something that is unique, yet durable.
Due to their coating, whether that’s coloured glazed, crystal clear or metallic, glazed brick slips are naturally fire resistant due to the materials and coating used. Also, their second stint in the kiln gives these products a longer lifespan, with less fading than other brightly coloured options such as lightweight board materials.
A building’s façade needs to be able to stand certain processes such as weathering and decay in order to be efficient, which can be achieved using glazed brick slips.
For example, glazed brick slips can be easily cleaned if needed, and they’re resistant to staining and potential graffiti, all of which is valuable to any building’s longevity.
Ultimately, an architect is looking to use a material that makes their specification experience easier, while still pleasing the eye.
Using Glazed Brick Slips As Part Of A Building System
Many architects will appreciate the aesthetic appeal of a façade, however, will only opt for a building product that benefits the overall building method.
Does using glazed brick slips benefit the overall function of the building?
In short, yes.
Glazed brick slips can be used with multiple types of brick cladding systems, allowing architects to design a building that benefits from a lightweight solution that offers an increased speed of construction.
Furthermore, due to being fire clay glazed brick slips, they are naturally fire resistant. This is a major benefit for architects as their specifications help to reduce risk for the build. For example, used in conjunction with Ash and Lacy’s Natural X Mechanical fix brick cladding system, glazed bricks slips would be A1 fire rated for a through wall solution.
Speed and safety of a build is a major factor when designing a project, so once this is paired with a design that can be durable and aesthetically pleasing, architects have hit the jackpot.
The Reasons Architects Are Using Glazed Brick Slips For Facades
To conclude, the main reasons architects are using glazed brick slips when designing facades is because they are aesthetically pleasing, practical, durable and they can be used within a system to gain the benefits that come with it. By utilising such a material, architects can create a façade that not only pleases the eye but appends to the overall practicality of the building system and structure.
If you are considering using glazed brick slips to bring your façade to life, make sure to contact an expert like those at Creative Brick Solutions to gain further insight.
Creative Brick Solutions are an independent company that help architects to deliver their vision, from choosing the right brick to delivering them. Make sure to get in touch with any ideas or queries you might have.