Brick News

BIA Announces the 2022 Brick in Architecture Awards are now open!

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) has opened entries for the international 2022 Brick in Architecture Awards.

Operation Damage Control - General Shale

Learn about this project completed in Jonesborough, TN as General Shale Brick® embarked on efforts to reclad a hail damaged vinyl home with durable, safe and energy efficient thin brick.

Brick Apartment Interiors: 5 Examples of Rustic Warmth - ArchDaily

There is no material more diverse and timeless than brick - which can be seen as a staple in both ancient and modern architecture.

Science Backs Superior Fire Resistance for Brick Exteriors

As October launches Fire Safety Month, independent tests show the innate superior fire resistance of brick home and commercial exteriors.

BIA Reports Emerging 2021 Brick Trends

Brick Industry Association (BIA) member manufacturers report 2021 trends for residential and commercial exteriors and interiors.

BIA Announces 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

The BIA Executive Committee is pleased to announce that Mark Kinser is the recipient of the 2021 BIA Lifetime Achievement Award.

2020 Brick in Architecture Awards Honor Inspired Design

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) has awarded the 2020 Brick in Architecture Awards, the nation’s premier design competition featuring clay brick.

Brick is Back: After Years of Decline, the Exterior Material Returns

More builders are choosing brick as an exterior wall material after years of decline, reports Home Innovation Research Labs.

BIA Launches New US-Canada Industrywide Clay Brick EPD

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) announces that clay brick can now contribute toward fulfillment of Materials and Resources requirements in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4.

Brick in Architecture Awards 2020

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) has extended its deadline for the 2020 Brick in Architecture Awards. Entries are now due by Dec. 7, with 50% fewer required items for faster submissions.

Longtime Brick Company continuing to serve Public during Pandemic

Clay, shale and fire - that's how you make a brick. Making a brick business also requires grit and sweat. Scott Mason has the story of a longtime company remaining solid and strong mid-pandemic.

Case Study: An elegant Design Solution to Providing an Extra Durable and Long-lasting Structure

The Robert J. Richardson Middle school in Chicago opened to students in 2017 featuring dramatic, bright white brick walls with negative accents and striking color pops of glazed brick panels.

Architectural Products

A gold winner in BIA’s paving and landscape category, Urby Harrison in Harrison, N.J., by landscape architects Mellilo + Bauer, is a housing complex which delivers a playful and organic experience.

School Construction News

DENTON, Texas—VLK Architects was recently awarded a 2019 Gold Brick in Architecture Award for Ray Braswell High School, located in Denton, by the Brick Industry Association (BIA).

Project of the Week: a Chicago House that reinterprets Traditional Architecture

Located among Chicago’s largest and best examples of Victorian-era architecture, the Wicker Park Residence by Wheeler Kearns Architects embodies a reinterpretation of traditional methods and details.

BIA Fires Up 2020 Brick Trends

As brick showrooms reopen around the country, fresh trends are emerging in residential and commercial applications.

2019 Brick In Architecture Awards Honors Dynamic Design

The results of the 2019 Brick in Architecture Awards.

BIA Sets Renewed Course with Smith

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) has elected General Shale CEO Charles Smith as chairman effective January 1.

Brick Home Tests Show Fire Prevention Starts Outside

As homeowners change their smoke alarm batteries this month and keep fire extinguishers handy, brick home studies show fire safety starts on the outside.

Red Brick Architecture And Indonesian Vibes From East Java

Project Omah Boto (which means ‘Brick House’) was born out of a client’s request for “Indonesia vibes”.

Red brick: our Favorite Designs from around the World

Overexposed? Not while architects are working new angles on this so-solid material.

BIA Opens Entries for 2019 Brick in Architecture Awards

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) has opened its entries for the 2019 Brick in Architecture Awards.

Vinyl Siding melting on many Subdivision Homes

Something strange is happening in newer subdivisions across the country: vinyl siding is melting off homes.

Mohamad Samiei Redefines the Residential Tower with Sweeping Brick Envelope

Iran-based architectural designer Mohamad Samiei introduces a residential concept which hybridizes the living environment, traditional materiality, and contemporary urbanism.

The Streetscape Symphony of Chicago’s Brick Buildings

From houses of worship to working class homes and apartment buildings to park field houses, brick built Chicago.

Brilliant Brick

There are plenty of reasons Western Australians have a deep-seated fixation with bricks – they think they look great, help with heating and cooling and reduce energy bills, and guard against weather.

Traditional Materials | Made Fresh

Few materials are as iconic in American academic settings as classic red brick. That popularity remains today, but architects are exploring new ways to keep this traditional material fresh.

Masonry: Not Only Strong, But Beautiful

Masonry’s challenge as an industry: showing its versatility and how it balances the aesthetic requirements and resilient needs of a project over its life.

Deck Ledger Mounting System for Masonry Veneer (and Other Challenging Cladding)

Simpson Strong Tie's new BVLZ ledger mounting system solves the problem of mounting deck ledgers over existing masonry veneer cladding.

Brick: The House that Stands

As the wildfire season approaches, the latest studies show that brick exteriors protect homes best, according to the Brick Industry Association.

What's Causing Those Stains on the Chimney?

Stains to brick could be mold, dirt, algae or soot, but a chimney sweep can offer an assessment worth listening to.

BIA States that Cool Trends are Topping the Charts

Although many trends come & go, the sustainability of rich patina brick is timeless and here to stay.

The Best Reasons to Use Clay Bricks in Your Home

Clay bricks have been used to build homes, temples and large structures for many, many years now, and most of these settings are still standing the test of time.

Brick Trends: Sleek Glazes, Thin Brick and Metallics in Bold Colors

Sleek exteriors are on the rise for commercial fired-clay brick exteriors, striking a slick sheen with glazes and metallics in bold colors.

Five Factors That Boost Brick’s Energy Efficiency

While clay brick masonry veneer walls are widely known for their extreme durability, fire resistance and wide aesthetic options, there are more ways in which the material boosts energy efficiency.

Resiliency of Reinforced Structural Clay Unit Masonry Construction

It is common to overlook Structural Clay Units (SCU) as a viable, and often more desirable, solution during discussions of structural masonry.

Birds Cause Extensive Damage to Northwest College Dorm

Northwest College plans to spend up to $240,000 to keep Simpson Hall from going to the birds.

Brick Homes Test Highest for Fire Resistance

As the worst wildfire season spurs testing for fire-resistant homes, the latest studies show that brick exteriors protect homes best.

Beyond Red

Fired-clay brick manufacturers report that lighter colors continue to lead residential exterior trends, especially among mellennials.

Take Advantage of Opportunities in Thin Brick Installation

When you need someone to install brick, you typically don’t turn to your expert flooring contractor. That is unless it is brick that is thin…

A Review of our Brick Flooring – One Year Later

A year after the installation of brick flooring, the author reviews the questions she had for the material that only time could answer.

Spring is Coming: Lay the Bricks

Using bricks in renovation works are starting to gain popularity once more as the material is one of the time-tested classics. Renovate this spring with brick!

Brick Trends Shine with Metallic Glazes and Lighter Colors

Top trends in fired-clay brick exteriors feature a lighter palette, sleek metallic glazes, pattern changes and Renaissance inspired design elements.

Sustainable Building Materials Revolutionizing Architecture

Environmentally-friendly architectural materials aren’t exclusive in their benefits. In fact, many sustainable materials on the market are also a good economic choice and have longer lifespans.

Thin Brick Veneer for Multistory, Wood-framed Construction

Thin fired-clay brick veneer is increasingly specified for multistory, wood-framed construction to gain the flexible aesthetics, durability, and performance benefits of traditional anchored brick.

Improve Performance With Fired-clay Brick

Fired-clay brick offers sustainable value through its proven durability, performance and aesthetics.

Specifiers’ Guide to Green Building Products

PRISM asked building materials manufacturers for information about some of their latest and/or most innovative sustainable products that architects might consider specifying for their next project.

Fired-clay brick’s aesthetic flexibility and sustainability honored by the Brick Industry Association

Last month the 2018 Brick in Architecture Awards honored 19 winners for outstanding design that incorporates clay brick.

Brick in Architecture Awards Honor Creativity with Clay

Judged by a jury of independent design professionals, the Brick Industry Association’s (BIA) preeminent design competition awarded Best in Class, Gold, Silver and Bronze awards to 19 of 88 entries.

BIA Launches New Brick Website for Pros and Consumers

Offering multimedia content in a streamlined format, BIA's new website houses the most comprehensive brick resources.

Oni Joseph Dodged a Bullet Tuesday Evening, and Not in the Poetic Sense

A neighbor a few doors away, in fact, discovered what looked like bullet tracks in her siding and soffit, with a near-perfect circle in the cladding.

Brick Association Calls for Award Entries

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) is calling for nominations for the 2018 Brick in Architecture Awards, a national architectural design competition.

Evolution of Masonry Cavity Wall Designs

Masonry cavity drainage construction became the norm when architects and masons came to a realization.

BIA Supports New Brick Bill Aiming to Extend EPA Emissions Timeline

New bipartisan legislation would help the nation's brick, clay and tile producers avoid devastating investments to comply with the EPA's national emission regulations.

2018 Brick Trends Show Whites, Grays, Black, Painted and Glazed Exteriors

Brick Industry Association (BIA) member manufacturers around the country report that clean, cool shades top the trends at all home price ranges.

Latest Cost Study Stacks Brick Homes Against Competitors

Brick vs. Manufactured Stone, Stucco, Wood Siding, Wood Shingle, Fiber Cement, Vinyl Siding

How to Decide Thickness of Different Masonry Walls in Buildings?

Thickness of masonry walls in a building is designed based on loads and other factors.

2017 Brick in Architecture Awards Celebrate Outstanding Design

The 2017 Brick in Architecture Awards honor 35 winners in 19 states for outstanding and resilient design that incorporates clay brick.