The Timeless Charm of Exposed Brick: 7 Inspiring Projects

The Brick Weave House is a part of a mixed-use building located in Cubbon Peth, Bangalore. This used to be the oldest silk weavers' colony, but over time, traditional silk weaving lost its importance. However, for the client, traditional silk weaving was a core memory from their childhood and was very close to their heart. Therefore, the architects decided to translate silk weaving as a metaphor into the design by creating a beautiful brick-woven screen at the facade. 

The facade is a combination of solid brick walls and brick woven screens that blend well with the surroundings. The front brick facade allows filtered light to enter through the bricks that are placed in an angular fashion. This results in minimum solar heat gain and acts as a shading device as the shorter side of the brick is exposed to the sun, which slows down the heat gain. Although this facade resists thermal heat gain, it allows ventilation into the building, making it a passive design solution. Having these brick fenestrations creates a unique spatial quality indoors as well.

This is an Advocate's office located in a three-storied mixed-use building in Pune, Maharashtra. The building features exposed brick and is spread across two floors. The office was designed to accommodate the young advocate couple's staff and a large number of people coming in for consultation. During the design process, the architects focused on creating a soothing atmosphere both inside and outside the building. This was particularly important as the clients coming in for consultation were under stress due to their legal issues. 

The exposed brick façade creates a warm and welcoming feeling to the people entering the building. The use of brick cladding, warmer wood tones, and an earthy palette in the interior of the building further help in achieving the goal. The architects focused on conceiving a formal space that will enhance the sensorial experience that a user or a visitor goes through while moving around the premises. The textures, colours, greenery, and materials were intended to create this experience.

The brick house is located in a peaceful residential area in Pune. Before the construction of the new home, there was a single-story house that was not vastu compliant and was taken down due to its dilapidated condition. The new home is designed according to the principles of Vastu Shastra and is divided into two zones - private and public spaces, along the north-south axis. The material palette is carefully chosen to give the house a simple and natural look, using brick and concrete. 

The interiors of the house also have teakwood finishes and light colours to create a spacious and clean atmosphere. To complement the colour of the brick on the exterior, exposed concrete box windows are used to highlight and break the monotony of the brick. The house also features brick ‘jaali’ work to create a sense of interest and bring natural light into the space.

The brick lantern house is located on the outskirts of Bengaluru on an oddly shaped corner plot. The architects decided to construct a form that blends in with the site profile to make the most of the available area. The spaces are arranged around a triple-height green courtyard that encompasses the main circulation of the house. The house boasts a unique parametric brick facade that is carefully crafted, and the light well complements it with the interplay of light and shadow throughout the day. The perception of this house changes constantly due to this. 

The main feature brick wall depicts the face of 'lord shiva.' Brick is a timeless material that has excellent thermal performance properties, which is why it is extensively used in both the exterior and interior of the house. The brick perforations, which are most numerous on the north side, let natural light in while preventing heat gain. These perforations are fitted with clear glass to avoid insects. The facade creates an interesting play of light and shadow on the exterior. At night, these perforations form a captivating pattern on the exterior, creating the Brick Lantern Effect.

Located in an urban area of Vadodara, India, this house sits on a linear plot surrounded by houses on its east and west sides. The spatial planning of the house naturally includes rectilinear geometry to respond to the site with each floor alternately staggered to achieve double-height spaces. The dwelling radiates a Zen-like atmosphere because of the interweaving of the built environment with the landscaping. The house's facade captures the viewer's eye because of the drama created by the earthy material palette with the backdrop of robust walls. 

Rustic-toned clay bricks are fixed on the perpendicular surfaces and the balconies that pop out from it. The art of brick patterns defines the bonds in aesthetics, transforming the conventional way into contemporary expressions. Some bricks are crafted as undulating blocks, aiming to create perforated brick claddings in the front. Various brick moulding strips orient arch forms, bubble cuts, and semi-circular forms flowing on the accent wall. 

This home is situated in a serene location close to Auroville, away from the chaos of cities. The design of the house considers two important factors: the site context and climate. As the plot doesn't provide any external views, the structure is mostly inward-looking, with a courtyard and an L-shaped house around it. The design of the house is inspired by the Indo-French architecture of the nearby town of Pondicherry. Red clay bricks have been used on the exterior walls to blend in with the surroundings, as the area is abundant with red earth soil. 

The interior and exterior of the house are designed to encourage lively conversations. The checkered brick entrance to the villa is intentionally simple, drawing the viewer's attention to the green spaces in the courtyard with the background of the house. The walls and ceilings have muted colours to maintain focus on the living space, human interactions and surrounding nature.

This design solution is presented to a couple who work as IT engineers. They had a very narrow site in Thiruvananthapuram, which posed an inherent challenge. Despite the narrowness of the site, the interior spaces were designed to allow for the ingress and movement of light and air circulation all while maintaining privacy with the use of brick jaali-like appeal because of hit-and-miss brick bonds. The house showcases the power of purposeful spatial design and planning to deliver deft functionality and charm, even in constrained plots. The exterior brick façade gives it a rustic, warm and robust visual impact on the viewers. This visual continuity is maintained for the interiors as well, with exposed brick walls.

In retrospect, the use of exposed brick in architecture is a timeless and classic design choice that continues to be popular among architects and builders in India. The versatility, durability, and aesthetic appeal of brick make it an ideal material for creating beautiful and functional spaces. From the intricate brickwork of ancient forts and palaces to the contemporary brick facades of modern-day buildings, brick has a rich history in Indian architecture. The projects showcased in this article demonstrate the innovative ways in which Indian architects are using exposed brick to create unique and inspiring spaces that blend seamlessly with their surroundings

If you are eager to learn more about the projects mentioned earlier, There’s good news for you. Volume zero provides a comprehensive and detailed coverage of each project, which will definitely satisfy your curiosity bug and help you gain a deeper understanding of them.

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Text provided by Samiksha Ghuge-

Samiksha Ghuge is a newly budding student writer with an insatiable passion for storytelling and a keen interest in Architecture. She is presently pursuing a degree at the L.S. Raheja School of Architecture. Samiksha is on a mission to deliver high-quality, well-researched content that is both informative and engaging. when she is not writing she enjoys sketching, reading, and visiting art museums.