The London School of Economics was the clear Supreme winner at this year's Brick Awards, as well as the winner of the Best Education Category and Innovative Use of Brick and Clay Products.
The Awards were held at the Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel in London on 12 November, 2014.
Described by the judging panel as "sophisticated, ambitious and a fine example of just what brick can achieve", architects O'Donnell + Tuomey, have created a building masterpiece that introduces a whole new language for brickwork, which architecture has never seen before.
The New Students' Centre at the LSE is a complex scheme within London's "city of bricks". The faceted facade of the building is composed of both solid and perforated brick areas and glazed screens. Brickwork Contractor Swift Brickwork used 175,000 handmade Saxon and Wessex Bespoke bricks from Coleford Brick and Tile to create both solid and perforated areas. Constructed from a single leaf of brickwork with spaces in the Flemish bond pattern, the perforated planes allow light to both infiltrate the interior spaces and filtrate out at night to create a beautiful lantern effect.
The openwork brickwork is constructed in front of glazed screens that seal the building and incorporate opening sections to naturally ventilate the building. The perforated masonry is supported by a series of posts which connect back to the primary concrete frame.
The building design refers to the adaptability of a lived-in warehouse. It does not feel like a hotel, office or even an academic institution. It is fresh and airy with no closed-in corridors. Every landing has a bench or built-in couch. Every hallway has daylight and views in at least one direction. Every office workspace has views to the outside world. The result is a light, spacious and delightful environment for the hum of student life to occur.
Simon Hay, CEO for the Brick Development Association, said: "The Brick Awards is one of Britain's most respected design competitions. With the construction industry in a phase of growth and optimism, we are delighted to have received so many excellent entries demonstrating just what brick can achieve within the Built Environment."
In addition to the Supreme Award, there were 14 category awards, each showing excellence in different aspects of design and construction. You can see pictures and find full details of the project teams on the BDA’s website www.brick.org.uk/brick-awards.
Entries are now being invited for the 2015 Brick Awards. Entry forms can be downloaded from the BDA's website www.brick.org.uk/brick-awards or a hard copy can be requested by emailing brick@brick.org.uk or by calling 020 7323 7030.
