"brick slips"

Hand-formed Crème bricks from high quality manufacturer, Vandersanden, are core to the design vision behind Westbourne Park Baptist Church, a recently completed mixed-use development in West London, designed by award-winning architects, Allies and Morrison. A Baptist church was first established on this site, close to the Royal Oak Underground station, back in 1875. This original church was damaged beyond repair during the Second World War but its replacement, erected in the 1960's, had become outdated, was poorly configured and expensive to maintain. A community-led project and partnership between social housing provider, Dolphin Living, and Westbourne Park Baptist Church, appointed Allies and Morrison to design a scheme that would include new accommodation for the church, a family centre, and the Paddington Children's Library alongside a community hall and 33 intermediate affordable homes. Winner of a Highly Commended accolade in the Civic Trust Awards 2021, the Allies and Morrison design creates an exemplar in the integration of religious, community and residential uses through a compact mixed-use development. A 'campanile' provides a focal point that announces the presence of the church at the heart of the scheme. The main building itself features large windows which signal the location and provide generous direct daylight into the five upper floors of apartments. As well as reflecting its multi-use character, this scheme also addresses the sensitive heritage of the site and its residential context. Here, the choice of brick as a material was significant. Allies and Morrison selected Vandersanden’s Crème facing brick in a 50mm size for the project. “We went through an extensive design review process in brick selection before settling on Crème from Vandersanden,” says Richard White, Associate at Allies and Morrison. “This hand-formed cream-coloured brick helps elevate the status of the design, forming a consistent and restrained material and colour palette of brick, steel, aluminium and glass that sits harmoniously with the stucco of the adjacent villas. The geometry of the brick modules is important both in expressing the building’s aesthetic and helping to harmonise its scale with its architectural context.” Crème is created from a combination of different clay forms which yield a white base colour, then coated with specific sand types to bring a grained, creased texture and shades of yellow to the overall final appearance. At Westbourne Park Baptist Church brick headers and stretchers are layered alternately in each course with headers centred on the stretchers of the course below in an attractive Flemish bond. At the same time, the 50mm format of the Crème brick, in combination with splayed reveals on the campanile, pulled headers on the building’s uppermost recessed storey and evenly placed vertical break lines help order the building’s massing as it steps down to mediate between the taller mixed-use buildings of Porchester Road and the smaller-scale residential character of the historic Westbourne Park Villas. Approximately, 150,000 bricks were sourced for the project.To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link 

The Palais Coburg in Vienna was bought by POK Pühringer, a private foundation, with the intention to convert it into a luxury hotel resort. The architect goal was to reveal and use the beauty of the old and well-preserved bricks beneath the entrance hall by building a skylight above it. Vetrotech recommended the use of Lite-Floor, a walkable fire-resistant glass solution, which resists fire for up to 30 minutes. This eye-catcher made of glass, features a special screen printing on its surface, which acts both as a design element and a protective anti-slip layer.

Chelwood House by Napier Clarke is a clean, modern building in Chesham Bois, Amersham. It was built to replace an existing suburban house and is located within an area of special character meaning it was vital to seamlessly blend into the local area.Napier Clarke elected to use local brick and charred timber to ensure the house’s materials were able to sit visually well within the immediate area. Chelwood’s impressive size (5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, living space, snug, kitchen/ dining, play area, garage, utility room and an attic yoga room) and modern visual leanings were expected to be a challenge for local planning authorities. However, the building’s sympathetic materials and centrepiece vaulted roofs were inspired by the local area and the proposals were accepted.Chelwood introduces a cantilevered brick upper floor to its design which contrasts the simple design of the ground floor. Internally, the same materials used in its external spaces are repeated, creating a series of truly dynamic focal points.Chelwood uses legacy Michelmersh products in its production and recently won the Individual Housing Award in the 2022 BDA Brick Awards.

Part of the Wembley Park masterplan, this mixed-use development designed by GRID Architects delivers 396 Build to Rent dwellings for Quintain Living, together with a large health centre and retail along two streets. The specification of Vandersanden’s Majestic and Luna Taranis bricks responds to the setting of the development and helps visually separate the buildings.Repton Gardens is the next generation of Build to Rent developments at Wembley. The form is two long buildings on either side of a large amenity courtyard, with a smaller block between. The two main buildings are split into two, the southern half is 11 storeys high and the northern half steps up to 21 storeys. These brick-clad forms present a strong architectural statement within the huge regeneration of the area that is seen on arrival at Wembley Park station. From the first drawing, the facade material for the development was conceived as being brickwork. The architecture is simple and elegant but there was the desire to visually separate the elements of the two stepped buildings. To achieve this it was decided to use contrasting bricks with a light, but warm brick for the taller elevations and a dark - but again warm - brick for the lower areas. With this in mind, Vandersanden’s Majestic brick, which is a light grey with a hint of buff, was selected for the upper part while the darker Luna Taranis brick was chosen for the lower. The colour and texture of these bricks also contrast with the greyer, smoother brick of the existing, neighbouring buildings. “The brick choice was crucial,” explains Colin Veitch, director at GRID Architects. “We didn’t want the appearance of a normal mixed brick. The colour variation and texture that the Vandersanden product offers are an essential part of the richness of the overall design; they feel more natural and less engineered.”  GRID Architects had previously used Vandersanden products on Emerald Gardens, part of the same Wembley masterplan. “The bricks have a texture and almost handmade quality that you don’t get with many other brick types. When selecting the bricks for Repton Gardens we were looking at the colour first and foremost but, within that colour, the variation and the mix of slightly different colours within a batch. Another key consideration was the brick’s texture and the variation within that. We were very pleased with all these qualities and how they work together,” notes Veitch. The bricks were laid with a stretcher bond using a mortar as close as possible to the brick colour. Although slightly recessed, the joints are as flush as practicable so it feels like a homogeneous material across the wall. On the courtyard facades of the buildings, panels of corbeling were introduced to provide patterning - where the building cores meet there were no windows. To achieve this, every other course stands out by 20mm, creating light and shade to the facade. Appreciating the colour and texture of the buildings, both from afar and close up was an essential part of the vision. On arrival at Wembley Park station, the visitor looks towards Wembley stadium and sees the light coloured ends of these buildings at a distance and they appear to be smooth. Getting closer, the buildings reveal themselves differently as the texture, colour variations and tactility of the surfaces are perceived. Another goal was to tie together the external and internal visions. ‘Botanical living’ was the concept for both the inside and outside of the development. There is greenery, planting and colour in the corridors; it is about bringing nature inside. With this in mind, it felt right to have a natural feeling material on the outside; rather than a smooth and engineered product. Colin is enthusiastic about the resulting aesthetic. “The bricks have exceeded expectations and everybody is very pleased with the look of the project. Working with Vandersanden has been an incredibly positive experience!”

Designed by architect Karakusevic Carson Architects with Maccreanor Lavington, Dujardin Mews is a multi-award-winning collection of 38 new homes and is the first social housing to be built in Enfield in 40 years.Built to replace nearby high-rise social housing towers, Dujardin Mews is a traditional street of attached houses but with a distinctly unique style. The homes achieve a Code for Sustainable Homes level 5 with reduced running costs thanks to their designs. Freshfield Lanes First Quality Multi bricks help the project blend into the area and allow a soft, traditional red brick glow to palette the area.Dujardin Mews has won a host of awards since 2018 including a Civic Trust Award, A RIBA National and London Award, A Brick Award and more.

A new crematorium facility for Huntingdon Town Council, Huntingdon Crematorium is a collection of buildings equipped with ceremonial spaces and the appropriate crematory functions. The specification of Vandersanden’s Perla and Morvan bricks has resulted in buildings that have made a striking contribution to the landscape of the greenfield site while also helping to change the accepted perception of crematorium buildings. “We were looking for a way of making the process of going to an end of life ceremony uplifting and hopeful,” explains Mark Doohan, managing director at Benchmark Architects. “We had the idea of creating a curved, white, brick building within which there are beautiful, light filled and airy spaces.” When envisioning the scheme, the team at Benchmark Architects realised that by inserting a black brick wall across the site they could create a ‘canvas’ that provided the separation between the front of house and working areas of the crematorium. Against this, on one side, they packed three curved white brick volumes to create the key spaces, adjusted in height according to the hierarchy of their importance: the entrance lobby, waiting room and chapel. Out of sight, behind the wall, are the cremators, plant rooms, offices and other functional elements. The design focuses on a central drum flooded with natural light. The main building contains the ceremonial hall for 125 people, waiting rooms and crematory with capacity for two cremators. A second building contains a multi-purpose function room - that can be used for wakes - and a café with associated catering facilities and administrative offices. Having created the design vision, the choice of appropriate bricks was crucial. Good white bricks are hard to come by, often they’re tinged with yellow or beige; finding black bricks that are not simply colour coated or are a dark blue is equally hard, says Doohan.“We were delighted when we were able to find the Vandersanden bricks. We genuinely love the texture and through colour quality of Vandersanden’s white Perla and black Morvan bricks. They set off our concept perfectly, with the white brick capturing the light in the way that we envisioned when first sketching out the idea.” A double soldier course heads the windows to form a band around the building and is repeated close to the top of the main drum. There is also a recessed course 500 mm off the ground that creates a scored line at the base, bringing additional balance to the building. This is achieved by setting one course back by some 25 mm. Another advantage of the Vandersanden bricks is that they can be used in the ground below DPC level, visually rooting the building to the landscape. It was essential that the volumes were homogenous in feel so a good mortar match was vital. Lime mortar was selected and was aesthetically important due to its colour, texture and because its flexibility reduced the number of movement joints required. The lime used, NHL 3.5, was naturally white; for the black brickwork it was pigmented. When seen from a distance, only the overall form of the building is perceived but, on getting closer, the brick details start to stand out. Then, when really close, the contribution that the texture, pattern, shape and almost handmade quality of the individual bricks makes to the quality of the building becomes clear. We’re always keen to specify products where we get really good technical support, notes Doohan. “Vandersanden were excellent at providing advice and technical backup whenever we had a question. Since becoming aware of Vandersanden products, they are our go-to source for brick. As architects, we’re image-based creatures so the website is incredibly helpful. It’s an excellent way of being able to see the bricks in loads of different and inspiring building types. Many brick suppliers don’t show that connection. Most importantly, our client for Huntingdon Crematorium is delighted with the brickwork.”To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link

BackgroundLocated in Stroud, the Park Parade, Park Road refurb project was part of a large refurbishment planned by Stroud District Council. The shopping area and sheltered accommodation scheme were given a complete revamp with internal and external work being completed.MD Group from Bristol were awarded the contract by Stroud District Council and were appointed as the main contractor. A new external wall insulation system was installed, along with an extensive refurbishment to the communal areas, external balconies and roofing. Our approved installer Elite Rendering Systems were contracted by MD Group to complete the exterior wall insulation.Alongside Elite, we transformed the premises aesthetically creating modern homes and commercial premises. The buildings were given a new lease of life, and together with Elite we delivered safe, stylish and energy efficient buildings that will help to reduce fuel bills for residents and help decarbonise the Council’s housing stock.Our ServiceOur Technical team were available to provide hands-on-guidance throughout the duration of the project. As part of our service commitment, our K Systems Site Technician regularly visited the project to inspect progress, offer support and ensure high levels of construction quality.As the ground floor of Park Parade is used for commercial premises, one challenging aspect of the project was the detailing and installing around complex interfaces such as air conditioning/refrigeration units. We transformed the outside of the properties with a durable, low maintenance solution that is fully compliant with fire regulations and fulfilled the Council’s criteria.The combination of finishes used not only delivered the desired contemporary aesthetic but provided an additional benefit of cost savings for the client. Residents of Park Parade, Park Road will enjoy reduced energy bills and better living conditions thanks to the U-value improvement.Technical Project DetailsFollowing design and site meetings with the K Systems Technical team, K Systems M (Mineral Wool) was specified by Bailey Partnership Architects and Stroud District Council. This system incorporates eco-friendly mineral wool insulation boards. As an A2-s1, d0 firerated solution, it is widely specified to provide thermal and aesthetic improvements to buildings, reducing energy usage and therefore energy costs.K Systems M, utilising non-combustible insulation, ensured the latest building safety regulations were met. Thanks to its exceptional properties, the thermal performance of the walls after installation has been significantly enhanced. A U-value of 0.27 W/m²K was achieved, which will help to reduce the residents fuel bills and reduce the level of condensation forming on the inside walls – two key objectives for the client.For the finish, high-performance Silkolitt+ silicone renders were supplied along with our lightweight synthetic brick slips (VBriQ). This combination improved the aesthetics of the buildings for its residents.Silkolitt+ silicone thin coat renders are available in a wide range of colours offering a contemporary finish. The excellent vapour permeability allows the building to breathe and prevents interstitial condensation. The flexibility of the finish provides resistance against cracking and increases the durability, ensuring a long-lasting finish to the properties. It is very user friendly, and its hydrophobic properties reduce maintenance requirements.Accredited by the BBA, the K Systems VBriQ brick slips provide top tier Cateogory 1 impact performance and are ideal for use on this project. This lightweight system is quick and simple to install and has high UV resistance while also allowing the original brick colour to be maintained. An extremely durable finish that will withstand the day-to-day demands placed Park Parade, Park Road.

Gripsure non-slip decking was chosen for the Samsung offices in Chertsey, South West London, which underwent a refurbishment in the Spring of 2021. 800m2 of our Contemporary profile was installed, replacing decaying slippery deck boards, creating safe access for employees to enjoy the outdoor spaces that surround the building.The smooth profile, with two anti-slip inserts, allow for leaves and debris to be easily swept away, ensuring the decked areas overlooking the lake can be easily maintained and enjoyed safely all year round. Moreover, this modern-looking profile compliments the glass façade of the building giving it a truly stylish finish, without compromising on safety. 

Ibstock Place School opened its newly built refectory in 2021. Designed by Maccreanor Lavington the competition-winning design is a dedicated space for the most communal part of the school. With a high ceiling and intricate woodwork, the open space is functional but uplifting.The high-level roof lanterns form a chimney to pull out hot air during the summer as well as fill the space with soft natural light, which is perfectly accented by acoustic dampening panels of oak.Handmade Bricks from Freshfield Lane were used in the construction of the cloister and work perfectly with the school’s previous uses of brick. Additionally, the choice of bricks helps set the building within its tranquil garden setting. The handmade Freshfield Lane brick helps the building age gracefully into the landscape while retaining a notable elegance. This sophisticated taste is mirrored inside by soft copper notes and long, hanging light fittings.

Gripsure supplied Premier non-slip decking for Audley Redwood retirement village in Bristol. The anti-slip timber decking was installed on 14 luxury retirement apartments to ensure the residents’ safety. The retirement village has been built to a high specification. It comprises of 106 apartments and 20 cottages. The 15-acre parkland also features a restaurant, library and health club for residents to enjoy. With unspoilt views of the surrounding greenery, the balconies, have been finished to a very high standard. They include decorative railings that complement the local Georgian architecture. Gripsure Premier non-slip decking combines a traditional grooved timber decking board with two anti-slip strips for a high slip resistance. This ensures the residents of Audley Retirement Village get the most out of their outdoor space all year round in a secure environment.

Student Castle aims to create the ultimate university experience for students by providing high quality contemporary accommodation at locations across the UK. In Brighton, East Sussex, international design practice, Hassell, is responsible for designing one of the company’s latest schemes – an impressive, nine-storey mixed use building. With brick as the principal element, the studio worked closely with Vandersanden to achieve the detailing and precise finish required.Located in a prominent location on Lewes Road in the heart of Brighton’s student district, the building includes student accommodation, a new home for the Centre for Inclusive Music and a local community ‘Hub’ space. Although the scale of the building is substantially larger than the buildings previously on the site, its massing was carefully managed by creating a scheme with a stepped and staggered zigzag form. To support and strengthen the architectural composition, the materials were reduced to a simple palette. Vandersanden’s Anicius hand-formed facing brick wraps all sides of the building - a light coloured, slightly indented 10mm mortar joint enlivening the whole - its use and colouration tying the building into the local architectural context. The brick facades are broken and capped by a series of horizontal bands and copings formed from white precast GRC (glass reinforced concrete) sections, setting out the horizontal order and announcing breaks in the building’s geometry. The aesthetic is further enhanced by dark bronze coloured aluminium sections framing the windows. Notably, all window reveals are brick, including the cills; an important feature of the project.“The selection of the brick began with a brainstorming session where we looked at different ranges and options, but knew an engineered brick look wouldn’t be suitable,” says Tiago Arieira, project architect at Hassell. “We chose Vandersanden’s Anicius brick because it was dark, but also had a slight white softness. We liked the idea of a more natural and irregular material with its sand-coated, grained structure.” One of the biggest design challenges with the brickwork was creating the multiple corners that result from the zigzag and stepped detailing that helps break up the mass of the building and allows sea views from the terraces. “Many of the junctions are not at right angles, so conventional brick joints would have been impractical,” explains Arieira. “Vandersanden’s Sales Team were incredibly helpful from the beginning. We talked about the different angles and how we were looking to achieve neat edges. Through this consultation, we were able to identify that the bricks could be cut and the corner bricks formed off-site to achieve a precise finish that would also save time with site installation.” The desired outcome was achieved using Revit digital software to map every angle at every level and to quantify the number of bricks and the exact mitre that had to be formed for each junction. The distances between the windows and the heights of the brick courses were also carefully calculated to ensure a precise aesthetic. “On site, the solution worked well and, because everything to do with the brickwork was carefully pre-planned, there were no issues during construction,” says Arieira.“Although it was the natural look and feel of the Anicius brick that first impressed us, Vandersanden was really helpful throughout the process,” notes Tiago Arieira. “The process worked because of a strong collaboration from the early stages. Vandersanden understood their product and were able to give us the support we needed in achieving our design vision.”To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link 

Trafalgar Place, London designed by De Rijke Marsh Morgan Architects (dRMM) is a Stirling-award shortlisted mixed-use project designed as part of the Elephant and Castle regeneration. It offers 235 homes set within a reinvigorated area, designed to replace 1960’s era mega blocks. Each new home comes with its own garden, balcony or roof terrace and has been designed to maximise light and space.A rich combination of MBH PLC’s Freshfield Lane clamp-fired Danehill Yellow, Anthracite, Selected Lights, Selected Darks and First Quality Multi bricks were used to create a stunning vertical gradient that helps to both blend in with the established vernacular while creating a modern identity befitting such an expansive redesign of the area. FabSpeed blended all the brick special products which had to be meticulously coordinated and blended to achieve the gradient colour change on the main facade.Additional care was given to the landscape, with pre-existing trees integrated into the project and a variety of open spaces created to allow residents to find solace amongst natural environments despite the site’s proximity to the wider city.Trafalgar Place won the ‘Best New Place to Live’ and the ‘Mayor’s Award for Planning Excellence’ at London Planning Awards, in 2016 and Best Housing Design Award at the 2015 Brick Awards.

Valette Square is a community of 33 mixed 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms townhouses with private gardens and terraces, built in Salford’s historic centre. Developed by @buttressarchitects , it was designed to introduce new homes to the area, create easy links to nearby areas and for community spaces to exist where possible.The area is named after Pierre Adolphe Valette – a French impressionist who taught the local painter L.S Lowry, and taught at the Manchester Municipal School of Art. The local existing Georgian aesthetics were echoed in the development with Floren’s Brunello bricks being selected for their tones and subtlety, leaning towards nearby red brick buildings.Amongst numerous sustainable efforts, the townhouses’ façade and positioning make the most of natural daylight to reduce the amount of artificial lighting needed, improved insulation and smart heating systems.Valette Square was shortlisted for the Housing Design Award in 2020

The Grid is a four-storey project in Leeds, it consists of 11 apartments housing 38 beds with a cycle store, gym and laundry facilities. Its modern approach to design fits the aesthetic choices of university students while landscaped grounds offer an area of calm with limited parking for each flat.The Grid makes perfect use of Carlton’s Wolds Minster Blend and its internal contemporary leanings. The dark orange, red, purple and brown bricks create a harmonious visual synergy with the ageing brickwork in the surrounding area.

London Brick wall panels in Sandy Brown were specified for this office redesign for their strength and natural characteristics. Our highly durable Texture panels are ideal for busy areas with high footfall so are perfect for the large wall in the social breakout space. In addition,Texture wall panels can support decoration and integrate features with ease, such as the television screen in this project. London Brick Sandy Brown also provides a perfect backdrop for the orange neon-lit sign. Throughout the design, the execution is impeccable with high quality fixtures and colourful furnishings bringing the office to life.

Upper Longcross is a development project by Crest Nicholson. The project involved the construction of new homes in Surrey. The development was designed to provide a mix of affordable and luxury housing, with a focus on sustainability and green spaces.Crest Nicholson’s commitment to sustainability was evident in the design of the Upper Longcross development. The homes were built to a high standard of energy efficiency, with features such as solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems. The development also featured extensive green spaces, including a central park and a network of footpaths and cycle routes. The Upper Longcross development has been widely praised for its innovative approach to sustainability and for providing high-quality homes in desirable locations.Michelmersh’s Hampshire Stock Dark and Light Multi bricks are instantly recognisable and assist the houses to stand out from their leafy scenery and help harmonise modern and more traditional facades. Freshfield Lane Lindfield Yellow bricks are also seen within the development.

The cast iron flyscreen air brick has the advantage of protecting the property from insect and rodent ingress but can help stop flooding with this innovative and simple barrier. The flood screen is a cork gasket for our single and double flyscreen air bricks and is simply inserted in the air brick when flooding is likely or imminent in place of the fly mesh. Once the danger has passed the copper fly mesh is replaced and the cork flood screen stored away safely until require again. It is available with our 9x3 and 9x6 cast iron air bricks here

Our newest designed cast iron 225x225 air brick allows for an unprecedented free area of 28,000mm2. It is known as the MAX9 air brick and has recently been cast in Oxfordshire, near Cotswolds and is ideally suited to period properties looking for enhanced ventilation. Existing customers include Prime Minister Cameron for installation in Chequers as well as Jesus College Cambridge

Poundbury is an urban extension to the town of Dorchester. Developed over a period of nearly 30 years, and designed to a masterplan by Leon Krier, Poundbury has been an extraordinarily influential demonstration of the Prince of Wales’s vision for new mixed-use development. The development started in 1993 and is expected to complete in 2025.The development is notable for its use of traditional materials such as clay brick, distinctive architecture, and its mix of residential and commercial uses. It also includes a number of affordable housing developments, which is one of the key aims of the project; 35% of homes being built in Poundbury are affordable housing for rent, shared ownership or discounted sales.Since 2009 much of the development has been the responsibility of Ben Pentreath Ltd who has created a variety of architectural styles throughout the development which is based on what local housebuilders are able to do best. A high level of detail is notable throughout and will continue into future phases of the development, including the Urban Quarter, which will be more representative of London’s built aesthetic.Freshfield Lane’s ever-popular Lindfield Yellow, First Quality Multi’s and Selected Darks are in frequent use throughout Poundbury, where their combined characteristics help to reaffirm the grandeur of the project, while also providing a comforting, familiar sense of style. The lighter tones of the bricks help to add to the already noticeable sense of space created by the architects and help to settle the extremities of the expansion into the picturesque, surrounding Dorset scenery.Special thanks to Taylor Maxwell

Monier Road is a residential project designed by Pitman Tozer Architects in East London’s Fish Island neighbourhood. The development comprises of 16 houses and 7 apartments, constructed in two rows with a shared courtyard between them. The buildings are arranged in a stepped configuration, with the taller apartments on the east side and the lower houses on the west side, providing views across the site towards the River Lea.Monier Road uses an eyecatching combinatrion of Floren.be’s Vecchio and Vega Rustic clay bricks. The soft brown and pinks of the bricks allow Monier Road to maintain a distinct visual identity from other Fish Island regeneration projects.The Monier Road development has received critical acclaim for its innovative design and high-quality construction. It was shortlisted in the Housing Design Awards in 2017 and 2019 and featured in numerous architectural publications. The project demonstrates Pitman Tozer Architects’ commitment to creating sustainable and socially inclusive communities through thoughtful and well-designed residential developments.

An ambitious self-build project can provide the perfect opportunity to infuse a new home with creative flair, character and lasting appeal. Bringing together these attributes was front of mind for Luke Lawrence, an experienced builder and property developer, when imagining two adjacent family homes for a recent scheme in the affluent commuter town of Hornchurch in Essex. The prime location demanded something quite special and the finished project delivers with a development that marries an attractive, characterful aesthetic with a timeless, contemporary build, achieved with the help of Vandersanden’s multi-coloured Lithium facing bricks.To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link 

Geraint Thomas House in Crawley is a 9-storey new build development of 91 modern homes, designed to impeccably high standards by Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt and Claylens Mills with the additional aspiration of setting a future benchmark for other developments in the area.The apartments have been designed to meet the needs of modern families, with spacious living areas and plenty of storage space. Two-thirds of the apartments are available through shared ownership schemes, making them more affordable for local residents.One of the key features of the development is its incredibly detailed brickwork. The brick façades provide a striking contrast to the glass and steel of the surrounding buildings, and playful patterns create a distinct and detailed façade that stands further sets it apart from previously built local projects. Delicate shades of bronze are prevalent amongst the building’s rain-screen cladding and balustrades.A bespoke blend of Blockleys Sterling Grey and Black Wirecut bricks adds a premium sheen to a project that already oozes impressive aesthetics and cuts a unique shape into Crawley’s existing architecture. Geraint Thomas House was recently shortlisted in the Medium Housing Development at the 2022 BDA Brick Awards.

London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage site, Kew Gardens welcomes over 2.1 million visitors a year. Gripsure decking is helping more people enjoy the botanical attraction’s natural area, which is home to 15,000 species of wildlife.Gripsure non-slip decking now tops a new 300-metre walkway, which takes visitors across a conservation area to a treehouse. The two-metre wide platform is raised to avoid impacting on wildlife.The platform was created by Artisan Fern. With a number of slopes, it needed to be as safe as possible and accessible to people with disabilities. It was also important to use sustainable materials that fitted with the natural environment.Gary Walker of Artisan Fern said: “When we were building the walkway we needed to ensure it complied with DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) legislation so non-slip decking was a great choice. When we were choosing decking we needed it to be sustainable and durable, as well as looking good. Gripsure non-slip decking is a sustainably sourced product that works really well for all Kew’s visitors. It looks fantastic and we are really impressed with it.”

The world-famous Eden Project in Cornwall attracts one million visitors each year. Gripsure non-slip decking is used in many areas at the Eden Project, with some decks being in place for 15 years. Our products have helped contribute to the attraction’s excellent health and safety record. Treetop Canopy Walkway The Eden Project installed a Treetop Canopy Walkway in the Humid Tropics Biome to give visitors a unique opportunity to experience the rainforest from among the treetops. The walkway needed to be accessible to wheelchairs and buggies, as well as being able to cope with the heavy footfall from the tens of thousands of visitors that visit Eden every year. The Eden Project's Humid Tropics Biome is designed to house over 2,000 species of tropical plants in an environment that will allow them to reach their full potential. This means that the paths, floor surfaces and bridges can be damp. In this severe environment, which is maintained at 30°C and 60% humidity, materials degrade more quickly than in a normal external environment. The Eden Project has strict requirements for sustainable, renewable materials, and a modest budget. Rather than using conventional decking that becomes slippery when wet, Eden approached Gripsure. We supplied them with Gripsure Contemporary non-slip decking. The profile is a plain deck board with two non-slip aggregate inserts that deliver a high slip resistance with a sleek finish. Safety is top of the agenda for a large attraction such as The Eden Project. They required something durable, low maintenance, and above all safe. Eden were delighted with the outcome: "We are very happy with the added safety the product brings for our visitors and we have received excellent service from Gripsure" Canopy Rope Bridge Visitors to The Eden Project can stride out with confidence – even on the new wobbly bridge! The 23-metre aerial rope bridge stretches between two of the 50 metre-high Rainforest Biome’s tallest trees. Fitted with Gripsure non-slip decking, it has a safe and hardwearing surface, so explorers can enjoy a new perspective without any slip ups. The Eden Project selected Gripsure’s Yellow Balau hardwood anti-slip decking. These boards are extremely strong and hardwearing, boasting an expected in-service life of more than 50 years. Gripsure non-slip decking will help visitors safely experience a hot, steamy rainforest as they travel to the treetops. Bamboo Steps Our most recent collaboration with Eden was the installation of Gripsure Bamboo non-slip decking in the Malaysian hut and other areas of the Rainforest Biome. The facilities team chose Bamboo decking for its sustainability credentials, which are so important to the Eden ethos. Moso bamboo only takes 5-7 years to reach maturity and is a net carbon sink over the life span of the product. The non-slip decking boards will provide a safe surface for Eden’s visitors for many years.

Pavillion Point is a Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) development on London Road in the centre of Brighton in East Sussex, close to the University of Brighton's main campus. Managed by student accommodation specialist Fresh, the building provides 232 student rooms, dedicated social and study areas, a gym, cafe, multimedia space and landscaped courtyard as well as retail units on the ground floor. The five storey development, designed by Corstorphine & Wright, targeted BREEAM Excellent standards as well as high levels of acoustic performance.In addition to the TECHNAL windows, curtain walling, doors and sliding systems chosen, the external facade features a clay brick slip system for the ground to third floors with a grey rainscreen cladding on the set-back fourth floor. The use of TECHNAL's aluminum systems contributed to creating an A1 rated non-combustible facade, a client requirement given the increased focus on fire safety.To ensure high levels of natural light in the student room, the design features large floor to ceiling windows. The aluminium tilt before turn windows were installed above a fixed glazing panel to create this feature. The TBT windows were selected as the inward tilt opening provides suitable ventilation whilst ensure the safety of the residents. The aim of achieving BREEAM Excellent certification as well as the building’s location on a busy road meant that the door, window and curtain walling systems had to also meet a number of specific performance requirements, not least a high level of acoustic performance. This was a challenge due to the size of some of the panels included in the design. TECHNAL system allowed a 41dB sound reduction to be achieved while optimising the weight of the glazed units.

Boardwalk Short break experts Center Parcs contacted Gripsure when replacing its iconic wooden boardwalk with a new structure. Center Parcs Longleat Forest in Wiltshire needed to replace the boardwalk, which formed a main thoroughfare for the village and had been well used by visitors for the past 20 years. Gripsure Heritage was the perfect choice to revamp the walkway. Its innovative non-slip decking guarantees the safety of guests and staff, whatever the weather. A representative for Center Parcs Ltd, said: “The Heritage board within the Gripsure range very much matched what we were looking for by giving good coverage in terms of non-slip but also retaining the feel of using a natural product. We are very pleased with the results. We had trialled some of the boards in another area of the village so were confident about how it would perform but the decking has really helped to give an excellent finish to the whole look of the boardwalk.” The structure was designed and installed by B and B Innovations, who chose the thicker 50mm decking, due to the span and use of the boardwalk. The firm created an innovative boardwalk with no bolts passing through any of the structural timbers. Unusually the decking was also fixed underneath to minimise water ingressions and maximise the life of the boardwalk. The team at Center Parcs were so impressed with the quality, safety and finish of the product that they have since used Gripsure non-slip decking on bridges, boardwalks, steps and deck areas. Subtropical Swimming Paradise Gripsure supplied 1,200 linear meters of solid green Gripsure Aquadeck® for part of the development of the Subtropical Swimming Paradise at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest. The water park is considered the crown jewel of the family friendly short break destination. The refurbishment of the pool marks the 30th anniversary in the UK for Center Parcs, which had its first British site in Sherwood Forest. The Subtropical Swimming Paradise is heated to 29.5c all year round. It is adorned with tropical plants and features water rides, flumes, a wave pool and family cabanas. New additions to the water park at Sherwood Forest include Tropical Cyclone, an exciting four-person raft ride, as well as family-friendly water play areas Venture Bay and Venture Harbour. Vibrant green Gripsure Aquadeck® was used for an outdoor poolside lounge area. The non-slip decking features two anti-slip rubber inserts that are soft underfoot and therefore suited for barefoot use. Unlike other rubber crumb products Gripsure Aquadeck® benefits from drainage channels designed to allow water to drain through the timber board. This ensures safe use in both wet and dry conditions for guests of all ages, making it the perfect non-slip solution for any poolside application.

TG Escapes designed and built an early years eco-building for their client Colston’s Lower School in Bristol. The building was tailored to the school’s needs, providing a separate learning space to house all the early years' students in one building. When designing any environment for young children, safety is a priority. That is why TG Escapes chose non-slip decking to surround the new school building. Gripsure met TG Escapes' rigorous non-slip requirements on this project with brown-treated Gripsure Classic, featuring three anti-slip strips. This is the first project regular Gripsure customer TG Escapes has completed in a brown-treated decking. They chose this finish to complement the Western Red Cedar cladding used on the eco-building. It is also the first project for which TG Escapes has used three-strip non-slip decking to further reduce the risk of slips and falls. A representative for TG Escapes explained “In early years buildings some of the children are of nursery age. Their feet may be so small that they would fit in between the space of two anti-slip infills, and be offered no coverage at all. Having three anti-slips eliminated this risk.” With a PTV value of 100, Classic allows access all year round offering peace of mind.

Gripsure decking has been used on an office roof terrace in the heart of the City of London’s financial district. Workers in the tall building in Fenchurch Street, home to many corporate offices and company headquarters, can now take time out on a stylish, non-slip decking area.Gripsure supplied 586 of the MOSO® Bamboo X-treme with black Gripsure non-slip inserts and a smooth finish for the project, completed last year. The private roof terrace serves as a ‘breakout area’ for office staff to relax, meet and entertain in an outdoor setting, which has fantastic views over the Thames.The existing timber deck had come to the end of its service life and risks of slips and falls had meant that the terrace area had to be closed. Contractors MJ Ferguson stripped away the old boards and installed 150m sq of MOSO® Bamboo X-treme with Gripsure decking. These sustainable, durable boards are Euroclass B fire rated, providing further peace of mind.Company staff have already been making the most of their new safe, contemporary-looking rooftop terrace, which can be used in all weather conditions.Gripsure have been supplying bamboo decking to the UK market for the past four years as a sustainable alternative to composite and tropical hardwood products. There are thousands of species of bamboo and our decking is made from a giant species, called Moso. This bamboo is a woody perennial, so has more characteristics in common with a timber, rather than a grass. Like grass, however, Moso grows rapidly – up to a metre a day in the height of the season. There has also been a carbon study, which shows that the product is a net carbon sink over its lifespan, even taking into consideration transportation and manufacturing.

In Rugby, 57 aerial masts and a radio station are the genesis for the beginning of a new town, centred around the recently finished Houlton School. The carefully considered design of the School by Van Heyningen & Haward (VHH), is the successful retrofit of a collection of historic, grade 2 listed radio station buildings. Its cost-effective evolution into a thriving, sustainable secondary school comes through the careful integration of the previous buildings and by choosing to use products that fitted soundly within the pre-existing vernacular.Adapting the original framework to today’s standards was a job that took years to come to fruition, careful application of steel frame and the restoration of the original brickwork has meant that the two main listed structures, Transmission Hall and Power Hall will become a place of learning for generations of students. Handmade clay bricks provided by Michelmersh were vital to the restoration of the project, where they were used to ensure the structures could be repaired and retained rather than rebuilt from the ground up.Throughout the project, various elements of the building's industrial past have been retained, with arched windows and high ceilings to ensure that the history of this nearly century-old building is revered, but not overpowering compared to its newly instated modern sensibilities.Houlton School recently won the Refurbishment Category at the BDA Brick Awards.

Belle Vue is a 5,700 square metre retirement community of 60 one and two-bedroom apartments in Hampstead, designed by Morris+Company. It’s surrounded by carefully landscaped gardens and manicured courts, with which it offers a communal environment for its residents.Inside the feeling of community is continued with a restaurant, cafe, library, spa, gym, lounges and activity rooms. All are thoughtfully considered to ensure the residents are catered for in all ways. Journeys throughout the project are open to communal areas as well for further social considerations.Due to Belle Vue’s surroundings, Floren.be’s Avorio brick was used to retain a similar, but a visually distinct homage to the brick structures in the multiple local conservation areas. The lightness and fluctuating tonality of the red Avorio allows the building to appear as light and airy externally as it is inside, due to its large windows, open plan layouts and community spaces.With a clientele whose average age is around 77, it’s insightful that Pegasus Life Pegasus Lifestory chose to hire from architectural practices who had no previous experience in the retirement sector. Modern sentiments are clearly visible throughout, but care and consideration are shown to its inhabitants where a calm environment is melded with the benefits of inner-city living.Belle Vue was recently shortlisted for the 2022 RIBA London awards.

Sixmile Boardwalk is a wooden walkway located in Ballyclare, a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The boardwalk stretches for over a mile through Sixmile Water Park, providing visitors with stunning views of the surrounding natural beauty. The boardwalk is an accessible and family-friendly attraction that allows visitors to explore the park’s wetlands and wildlife, including ducks, swans, and otters. It is a popular destination for walkers, joggers, and cyclists, as well as families and nature enthusiasts. The boardwalk also features several rest areas and interpretive signage, providing visitors with information about the park’s history and ecology.The second phase of the Antrim Boardwalk refurbishment project involved an extension and upgrade of the walkway, including the removal of existing slippery timber deck boards and replacing these with new anti-slip timber deck boards. For this, Gripsure’s non-slip Premier decking were carefully chosen for the new raised boardwalk and viewing platform area, installed by Martin Contracting Services Ltd.Primarily chosen for its safety benefits, Gripsure’s Premier profile achieves a PTV rating of 78 assuring a safe and comfortable walking surface for visitors, even in wet or damp conditions. Gripsure decking has been tried and tested on projects for over 15 years and is now trusted by many household names, such as Center Parcs and Samsung.In addition to the proven safety benefits, the Gripsure decking used at Sixmile Boardwalk is also extremely durable and long-lasting, making it a cost-effective choice for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. The decking requires minimal maintenance and is resistant to rot, decay, and insect damage, ensuring that it remains in excellent condition for years to come.Overall, the Gripsure non-slip decking used at Sixmile Boardwalk has been a great success, providing a safe and sustainable solution that enhances the park’s natural beauty and functionality. The decking has helped to increase visitor safety and comfort, and has helped to make Sixmile Water Park a more accessible and enjoyable destination for visitors of all ages and abilities.The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Billy Webb, said: “These refurbishment works will bring more footfall to Antrim town centre and help us tackle the challenges of climate and environmental change by encouraging active travel whilst also proving a local business with the contract.”All media is courtesy of Martin Contracting Services. ©2022 Martin Contracting Services

Gripsure has played a key part in the transformation of the Story Museum in Oxford. The much-loved attraction has undergone a £6 million revamp, which involved extending, altering and refurbishing a mixture of existing buildings to create space for interactive exhibitions, displays, theatre performances and activities.At the museum’s core, is a courtyard with a bespoke steel and timber feature staircase and walkways, which connect the three main buildings, including the 19th Century Rochester House and a former postal office. Gripsure’s Classic boards with three non-slip aggregate inserts have been used to provide a safe, non-slip surface on the courtyard’s feature staircase and along the curved walkways.Our Classic deck boards achieve the highest non-slip safety rating on the market, meaning museum-goers – many of them young children – can safely work their way up, down, back and along the circular route as they explore various magical storytelling worlds, including a whispering wood and an enchanted library.Project manager Barry Doyle of Buckingham-based construction firm Edgar Taylor said Gripsure decking was a great choice. “It had to be non-slip because it’s a museum and there are children going up and down the stairs all the time,” said Barry. “The decking needed to be safe.”Gripsure’s Classic boards were chosen with a mixture of widths selected to suit the curved nature of the staircase. Gripsure’s Step profile was also used, which has a wide insert. As well as being a safe choice, the contemporary look of the Classic timber boards blends in well with the style of the museum’s timber and steel staircase and walkways.“This was a project of passion for the people that ran it,” said Barry Doyle, adding that it was vital to get details, such as the decking exactly right. “The staircase and external walkways are an important part because they effectively tie the buildings together on all floors.”The Story Museum was founded in 2003 and initially operated as a virtual museum before moving to premises in Rochester House, Pembroke Street. The redevelopment project first started in 2018 and was broken down into ‘chapters’.The Story Museum, which has worked and associated with and associated with authors and illustrators including Michael Morpurgo, Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett, Jacqueline Wilson and Quentin Blake, was finally able to open its doors again in 2020, to the delight of children and their families.The extraordinary renovation project - led by Purcell architects – has been mentioned in the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Journal.The museum was also a finalist in the Art Fund’s 2022 museum of the year.See storymuseum.org.uk; edgartaylor.co.uk

Sugar House Island‘s Cooperage Yard is part of a transformative project just south of Olympic Park intending to create a distinctive urban environment that has been carefully designed to create a balance between work, life and leisure. Designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects it offers a stunning riverside view to its users.Set next to the Islands creative quarter, Cooperage Yard covers 8000ft2 over of the area. Its immediately recognisable sawtooth-shaped roof overlooks the river and courtyard. Natural light floods both floors of the building and a south-facing roof terrace offers further space for its inhabitants.Freshfield Lane’s Danehill Yellow bricks are immediately recognisable and offer a positive contrast to the tones of other nearby brick buildings. The tones are further complimented by shafts of natural light that penetrate the pathways between buildings. When combined, the colour language and open space create a sense of optimism between the structures.

One of the first residential developments created and offered for sale by Westminster City Council, Cosway Street, in Marylebone, London is a collection of 49 contemporary homes set around an attractive communal garden. Vandersanden’s Cayenne, Woodland Mixture and Lima bricks are integral both to the pre-cast Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) panels, forming the facades, and the traditional hand-laid brickwork lining the balcony spaces. This landmark building was inspired by the area’s Georgian terraces and Victorian mansion blocks. From the choice of materials to the precise proportions and the gentle curves of the scalloped panels, every element of the architecture has been considered to help stitch the scheme into its setting. David Miller Architects took over the project post planning approval. The design intent was to craft the building as if it had been carved from brick. A key decision was to employ pre-fabricated DfMA brick panels for the main facades, alongside traditional hand-laid brickwork for the inset balconies. Using this approach allowed the construction team to build quickly to a precise, high quality and efficient standard in a controlled manufacturing environment, using less energy and carbon and creating less waste. The idea was to split the building’s mass using the materiality, colours and textures of the three different bricks and the scalloped form of the panels to respond directly to the context of the site. The choice of bricks was incredibly important and had to meet the planning design intent explains Sundas Rohilla, project architect at David Miller Architects. “It was essential to ensure we were picking up the right tones of reds, yellows and greys from the existing buildings; Vandersanden’s Cayenne, Woodland Mixture and Lima do this perfectly. They also harmonise with the pigmentation of the concrete sills and copings, as well as with the window and balcony railing colours.” “We’d used Vandersanden products on a previous project for Westminster City Council and we’re now using them to deliver two other projects in the same area, Ashbridge Street and Ashmill Street. It comes down to the hues and the textures that the bricks offer and the company’s commitment to sustainability.” The mass of the building is reduced not only by the different blocks of brick colours but also by the gradation of the mortar colours across the façade. In all, there are five mortars with the darkest at the base of the wall and the lightest at the top. Using mortars in this way meant that there was no need to use different brick types to achieve the same effect, but it did mean that it was essential to have bricks of the right texture and consistency. The brick panels were pointed off-site in the factory. With such a complicated design, off-site construction meant that precise tolerances could be achieved, and the quality of the brickwork could be seamless. In all, 285 precast panels were manufactured by Decomo in Belgium to create 3.500m2 of finished facades. Dueto the façade’s differing curvatures, Decomo had to cut and bond the bricks to various sizes with 117 different shapes for each of the three brick colours. The bricks used by Decomo in Belgium exactly matched those being used on-site by the bricklayers, with Vandersanden working closely with the design team and directly with Decomo to manage this process. “Vandersanden was incredibly helpful and responsive from the start, providing samples and initial quotes during brick selection,” notes Rohilla. “The company’s approach to sustainability and collective wellbeing resonates with ours as an architectural practice. Knowing that Vandersanden has Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that are super open means that we can easily compare against other products. It feels like sustainability is really embodied into their culture.”  “Our experience with Vandersanden has been great and their products have helped us deliver top quality housing. Everyone involved is very proud of the building’s aesthetic and that is due to the bricks. It’s been a very good experience and we hope to keep working with them.”The design for Cosway Street was by Bell Phillips, realised by Osborne and David Miller Architects as their delivery architects. To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link

The Stratosphere building in London, designed by Allies and Morrison, is a sleek and contemporary addition to the capital’s skyline. Its location in the Stratford area of London makes it a part of the vibrant cultural and business hub of East London.The building’s striking design is characterized by its distinctive saw-tooth facade, which is made up of a series of alternating angled and flat planes. The facade was inspired by the industrial heritage of the surrounding area, which was once home to factories and warehouses. The saw-tooth design also serves a practical purpose, allowing for maximum natural light to enter the building while minimizing solar gain and glare. The building’s interior spaces are designed to be flexible and adaptable, making them suitable for a range of uses from office spaces to residential apartments.The Stratosphere building uses Floren.be’s Sirius clay bricks. The deep browns help set it apart from its contemporary counterpart and also speak to the industrial heritage of the area.

Located on the edge of Cambridge’s De Freville Conservation Area, Clare College’s St Regis site has provided accommodation for postgraduate students of the University of Cambridge for over fifty years. In recent times, the need for regeneration became clear and Freeland Rees Roberts Architects was appointed to design a new scheme. The practice worked closely with Vandersanden, selecting brick as the principal element of the attractive new facades.While the old buildings failed to fit into the surrounding urban context and lacked the facilities required, the new scheme provides more and improved student accommodation for the college together with market flats. To achieve this successfully in a residential area, it was vital to consider the massing and perceived scale of the buildings. Consequently, the volumes were broken down to feel more like a series of big houses than large residential blocks.Clearly of a confident, contemporary design, the buildings respect their surroundings, repairing and maintaining the rhythm of the street scene. In large part, this is due to the choice of bricks and the splitting of the facades into separate gables with slopping roofs. Vandersanden’s Majestic and Luna Apollo facing bricks were selected and contribute to the detailing of the facades.“There is plenty of life and colour variation in the bricks,” explains Alexander Hobohm, director at Freeland Rees Roberts Architects. “This assists in breaking down the overall massing of the facades and works well with the dark zinc of the roofs.”The bricks act to soften the appearance of the facades and link the context of the new and neighbouring buildings. The beige grey Majestic brick predominates with the darker grey Luna Apollo providing detailing. It forms the plinth that anchors the buildings while a soldier course of Majestic bricks above provides the transition to the main body of the walls. At the junction with the zinc roof, the detailing is subtle with the transition provided by stepped courses of the Luna Apollo. Panels of projecting brick headers are a further feature, introduced to add a textural quality that brings light and shade to the facades.“The brick’s colour, tone and texture were qualities that other manufacturers couldn’t offer,” says Hobohm. “Usefully, Vandersanden invited us to see a number of projects using the same bricks which was so much more helpful than relying just on sample panels.”Another contributory factor to the look is the choice of mortar. This was specified to create a natural, lime mortar-like appearance and was achieved by fully pointing and, after the initial set, brushing back; there are no struck joint lines.A defining feature of the front facade is the public art. The college commissioned a carving featuring swifts in flight, inspired by the birds that were in residence in the original buildings. Swift boxes have been integrated into the new facades to provide a home for these beautiful birds. Using hand tools and following trials, stonemasons carved some 5-10mm into the face of the brickwork to create the design. A breathable paint finish was applied to highlight the indentations - a single bird at the very top is gold-leafed.  For Hobohm, working with Vandersanden was a positive, supportive and proactive process. “It was very straightforward. Early on, Vandersanden supplied product and technical information, plus a batch of the two brick types, enabling us to create sample panels. The bricks helped deliver the project vision and the client is delighted. It’s now one of the college’s signature buildings and has already won several awards.” To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link