DETAIL 4.2025: Solid Construction

Solid Trust

There are many reasons to opt for brick, including local building traditions. In Limerick, Ireland, Níall McLaughlin Architects designed a brick exhibition building celebrating rugby, the national sport. In Berlin, nearby brick cemetery structures inspired the facade colour of a foundation centre. Using single-coloured exposed concrete and two brick types, AFF Architekten made a bold red statement in the cityscape, with a striking exposed concrete ceiling inside.

Rammed concrete plays a central role in Casa 1736 by H Arquitectes in Barcelona, where its distinctive layered aesthetic dominates the interiors. Different concrete mixtures and formwork were used – wet rooms differ from the atrium, columns from solid walls – while achieving a cohesive result.

While enthusiasm for material diversity grows, sustainability questions persist in solid construction: cement, the binding agent in concrete, and the brick firing process both worsen the CO2 balance. Manufacturers are exploring CO2-reducing alternatives such as clay and recycled bricks, which show promise. Germany’s new earth block masonry standard, DIN 18940, could spark a revival for this traditional material.