"ibstock"

Durability, safety and aesthetics needed to work together for the Viking House project. With the refurbishment nestled among conventionally built brick buildings there was a need for a contemporary look that mirrored the local vernacular. Viking House, a managed student accommodation at the University of Lincoln made up of three five-storey buildings and standing 20m tall, was designed to reflect the university’s continuing progress. Mechslip was chosen along with Ibstock’s Leicester Red facing bricks, due to its A1 rated non-combustible to EN13501-1 standards making it the ideal choice for a modern high-rise structure.

This 2018 Brick Awards winning project, the development on Creek Road, comprises of 83 contemporary homes and 1,800 sqm of commercial floor space. The architectural brief called for the brickwork to mirror an existing type and colour dating back to Victorian times. The selection of building materials was pivotal to the realisation of the project, and after careful consideration of the various options a decision was taken to centre the construction around one primary brick type: British manufactured Ibstock’s Funton Old Chelsea Yellow bricks, locally sourced from our Ashdown Factory, East Sussex.

Renovation work on a grade II listed church building in Merseyside - designed by the renowned Liverpool architect Francis Xavier Velarde - included new roofing utilising concrete roof tiles from Ibstock, with the work undertaken by Fulwood Roofing Services (Northern) Ltd.

Ibstock's precast concrete Utility Troughs and Lids provide total protection for large power and communication services as well as packing a significant environmental punch, delivering up to 60% less embodied carbon than traditional concrete mixes.

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.

GRCA Full member Telling Architecture Ltd demonstrates how innovative 21st Century Modern Methods of Construction can be used to replicate 19th Century, Victorian inspired architecture. The key to authenticity when replicating historic construction methods or styles, is care and attention to detail. Get it wrong and at best you create a poor pastiche of a bygone era. This was the challenge presented to Telling Architectural that required them to develop further the techniques they have already established and utilised in the design and manufacture of brick faced GRC, to create convincing complex 3D forms.This £300 million project nestled between iconic 21st century London landmarks including Tate Modern and The Shard, comprises mixed use buildings that provide offices, shops, gallery restaurant and cinema adjacent to the historic and world-famous food destination Borough Market.This project identifies heavily and sympathetically with its Victorian past. Brick railway arches have been re-purposed to integrate with the facades of retained warehouses in addition to new contemporary architecture that is weaved in amongst connecting pedestrianised yard spaces that creates a refined reimagining of a bygone age.Telling Architectural Ltd continue to innovate and develop the capabilities of Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete. The addition of real brick facings provides the Architect/Specifier with a whole new range of possibilities that they can consider as a means to achieve their creative goals. There is a huge demand for the skills of a brick mason that can replicate the standard of detail and workmanship specific to this project. Unfortunately, as a result of an ageing workforce and low intake of new tradespeople, they are in short supply and come at a premium. The construction industry has had to evolve and adapt to find a solution to this problem, in addition to having to rethink its approach about the way we build. All these issues can be addressed and remedied by introducing off-site/premanufactured innovations that remove key elements off the critical path and in so doing deliver sustainable solutions in an on-time/just-in time basis.In most circumstances the go to solution would be to utilise traditional precast concrete, however using Brick Faced GRC provides significant savings in weight and use of raw material, which in turn can lead to further added benefits in both the extent of groundworks and design of the structural frame.  For Borough Yards London project, the challenge to fabricate masonry elements that include intricate features such as faceted columns utilising cant bricks, splayed sawtooth pattern beams with brick soffit returns, the term masonry cladding falls short in identifying what has been achieved on this project - this is façade engineering of an exceptional standard. Proof indeed of the opportunities Brick Faced GRC provides, not just for contemporary architectural styles, but also as a means to maintain and preserve a part of London’s Victorian Heritage.  Client: MB Bermondsey LtdMain Contractor: Wates ConstructionInstaller: LesteroseEngineer: EvolveArchitects: SPPARC ArchitectureScope of Work: 776m2 Brick Faced GRC Grade 18P  

Scope of work: 776m2 Brick Faced GRC Grade 18P intricate brick work achieved with Brick Faced GRC

Buildable"Glass Fibre Concrete (GRC) was identified early on as the ideal material for the project to achieve the desired civic aesthetic but also to avoid adding significant stress to the existing structure." - Nat Keast, Associate, Wilkinson-Eyre.DesignableThe project is an AJ Retrofit Higher Education & Campus Award 2023.The lightweight, three-dimensional GRC cladding panels featuring a stylisation of LSBU’s “sail” emblem give the building a welcoming, civic quality."We worked closely with subcontractor Tellings during the design phase to develop the three-dimensional panels, as well as vertical slats and horizontal bands. Alongside the 100% white bromo brick with white grout used for the existing concrete stair cores and shear walls, GRC helped change the perception of the building."We had to fight hard to keep the GRC through various value engineering exercises, but the university supported us and was able to appreciate the impact of the new facade." - Nat Keast, Associate, Wilkinson-Eyre.SustainableThe building has received a very good BREEAM rating and by retaining the existing structure, total embodied carbon is half of the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge target benchmark.

Working in collaboration with façade specialist Dane Architectural enabled the design to be developed towards a light weight facade solution that combines GRC fin shaped columns and feature beams fixed directly over areas of the curtain wall grid system at locations where insulated panels were present.This strategy had several advantages, in the first instance a weather tight structure was provided early on in the programme, whilst the GRC facade option provided a much lighter solution that provided significant savings in both cost and time. The access strategy, based on mast climber platforms adapted to include lifting beams, enabled glazing and GRC panels to be hoisted swiftly into position.

Designed by SPPARC Architecture as a place for living and a space for learning, the 14-storey Music Box is a mixed-use development incorporating a campus for the London College of Contemporary Media and 55 residential units, including on-site affordable housing. The three-dimensional projecting brickwork pattern, which required special bricks glazed on all visible surfaces, reads like a sheet of musical notes across the page, providing relief, rhythm and interest. Those able to read guitar tab may recognise that the brick patterns resemble Eric Clapton’s guitar riff in Cream’s song ‘White Room’.

Ibstock supplied over 100,000 roofing and ridge tiles as the sole supplier for McArthurGlen’s newly opened Designer Outlet West Midlands

STEPOC helps keep station developments ‘On-Track’ with quick and easy system installation. STEPOC, the precast concrete block retaining wall system from Ibstock, has been specified and installed to provide a fast and efficient walling solution on two railway station upgrades being undertaken in South Wales

Ibstock Junior School is located in north Leicestershire. In recent years there has been a rise in the number of pupil intakes due to the amount of new housing development in the local area. Leicestershire County Council granted planning permission for an extension of the existing school to increase pupil capacity. The development comprises bright, energy efficient, modern teaching spaces. Furnitubes’ RailRoad Edge family was chosen as the external seating for the scheme, offering the opportunity for straight and curved configurations to suit the confined spaces available and designed to encourage social interaction amongst the pupils.

Designed by EDF and NORD Architecture, the first building completed on the Olympic site was the Substation that powered the whole Olympic site. The Legacy plans also meant that it would remain for the post-Olympic development as well, to power future developments for the Stratford City Development. Construction started in 2007, was completed in time for the 'Power On' date of June 2009 and was built by Winchmore Brickwork, using Ibstock Himley bricks and including Naylor Concrete Lintels supplied by Civils and Lintels, Erith. The building won several awards including the prestigious 'Best Brickwork in Britain' award in 2010.

The Burton Borough School development is a brand new sports hall for Burton Borough School in Newport, Telford. As this building will be used primarily by schoolchildren, it was especially important that it was built using a durable solution which can stand up not only against weather conditions, but is fully non-combustible.Ash & Lacy worked through Kynaston Contract Services with Pave Aways Building Contractors and TACP Architects to deliver for Telford & Wrekin Council a MechSlip façade employing Ibstock’s Himley Ebony Black brick. Developed in conjunction with Ibstock Kevington, MechSlip is a lightweight, mechanically fixed system that offers significant advantages including reduced installation times and associated costs, as well as being classified A1 (non-combustible) to EN 13501-1 fire testing standards by Exova Warringtonfire.This project shows some of the design versatility of MechSlip as well, with the projecting header pattern on the building’s front elevation being achieved by alternating between half bricks and full bricks to create a memorable impression which manipulates shadow well. MechSlip allows specifiers and architects to create distinctive façades thanks to the flexibility of different sizes of brick slips and choice of multiple colours and textures.As well as offering the reassurance provided by a mechanically-fixed design, MechSlip has been rigorously tested to the Centre for Window & Cladding Technology (CWCT) standards, for wind resistance, water tightness and impact resistance. The result is that it eliminates the weather dependency of traditional building methods without compromising on the choice of brick finish.

Leviat’s Ancon MDC Masonry Support and Ancon CombiDeck, along with Ibstock Kevington’s Nexus® Brick-Faced Units have played key roles in constructing a major student accommodation complex in the heart of Lincoln, offering overall efficiency and ease of construction.The complex is spread across ten blocks, ranging from 4 to 10 storeys in height, which have been sub-divided to reduce scale and facilitate a progressive change in character across the development. The first phase included 1,222 bedrooms in apartments, comprising six to 12 en-suite bedrooms. Students will also benefit from associated internal and external amenity space.

Durability, safety and aesthetics needed to work together for the Viking House project. With the refurbishment nestled among conventionally built brick buildings there was a need for a contemporary look that mirrored the local vernacular. Viking House is a managed student accommodation development at the University of Lincoln. Made up of three five-storey buildings and standing 20m tall, it was designed to reflect the university’s continuing progress. Converted from several repurposed properties, the design of the buildings was in contrast to others in the largely traditional area of Brayford Wharf.One of the main challenges was the University’s desire to complete the project within only six months in order to accommodate the new intake of students at the start of the 2018/19 term, but without compromising on safety.Working in partnership with the Globe Consultants, Ash & Lacy proposed the use of its exclusive MechSlip façade. Developed in conjunction with Ibstock Kevington, MechSlip is a lightweight, mechanically fixed system that offers significant advantages including reduced installation times and associated costs, as well as being completely non-combustible and classified A1 to EN 13501-1 standards.