A painstakingly detailed extension to a chapel at Radley College, a private school in Oxfordshire, was the overall winner in the 2022 Brick Awards, held in London last night. The heritage project won in three award categories – Supreme Winner, Contractors’ Choice and Craftsmanship. 

Purcell Architecture’s Oxford studio designed a series of “localised” extensions, including a new octagonal Sanctuary at the east end of the chapel. The brick supplier Northcot Brick was able to “exactly match the bricks to the original 1894 chapel,” said the Brick Development Association (BDA), who organise the awards. 

Northcot worked closely with the specialist subcontractor O.G. Stonemasonry, who laid the bricks and manufactured and installed stonework. They created three bespoke brick blends in imperial sizes to match the chapel, both internally and externally.  The judges commented: “The overall use of brickwork and well-considered complementary materials work fully within a historic context, yet the building is still very much 21st century.”

Also awarded was a four-storey workspace in Brixton, London – The Department Store Studios picked up the Sustainability Award for commercial projects. Designed by Squire & Partners, the building provides 13,000 sq ft of workspace, in a “highly sustainable development.” The judges commended it as being “subtly beautiful, complementing the local area perfectly,” featuring Ravenshead Tradesman Common bricks.

In the Sustainability – Residential category, Barratt won for its Zed House, a zero carbon home concept developed with Salford University. What is claimed to be the first new home in the country built by a major housebuilder to deliver a carbon reduction of 125 per cent used Forterra Butterley Blue Smooth bricks. Alongside overhead infrared panels that provide “instant zero carbon heat” and air powered showers, the building has clay brick facing the ground floor level. The judges said: “Barratt have done a fantastic job of considering the sustainability of the materials.”

Woodmore Mews, a development of 37 affordable homes for rent in London was awarded Architects’ Choice. Peter Barber Architects specified Forterra brick for this project built by Neilcott Construction for Greenwich council; 29 houses, 7 flats and 1 maisonette creating a “pretty neighbourhood” of houses, plus a series of mews streets which connect into the urban fabric, said BDA. The houses are built from a “soft and rustic brick that helps ensure that the new homes feel embedded into the surrounding area.” The judges said it showcased “sculptural, whimsical, bold and well-articulated architecture.”

Medium Housing Development winner was The Gables in Liverpool, by DK Architects, a RIBA National award-winning development of 30 family homes for Musker Developments on a former factory site. Wienerberger’s Con Mosso brick was chosen as the main facing brick for its “subtle textured finish and tonal variation.” Large Housing Development was won by Goodluck Hope at Leamouth Peninsula in London, a riverside development opposite the O2 by Allies and Morrison architects working with Todd Architects. The eight separate buildings and 19 townhouses, range in height from three to 30 storeys. “Brick is integral to the design with buildings paying homage to the former brick industrial buildings with a modern warehouse approach.”

Chelwood, a large home in Amersham by Napier Clark Architects won Individual Housing Development, featuring handmade local red brick and local charred timber cladding. Gardenmore Green in Belfast (Small Housing Development), is a high-quality social housing scheme by Hall Black Architects. Buff brick used as the primary cladding material “offers a contemporary marriage of the red brick and buff render used by houses close by,” said the BDA.

In healthcare, winner of the Public category was The Alder Centre, a counselling facility for bereaved families, designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. The judges said: “Clay bricks have been used to excellent effect. The rational, elegant design balances solidity with transparency with a series of parallel exposed brickwork walls bringing the garden in.”

Other winners were Neptune Wharf at Fish Island Village by Haworth Tompkins architects (Urban Regeneration), Royal College of Art Battersea Campus designed by Herzog & De Meuron (Education), Houlton School in the Refurbishment category, designed by van Heyningen and Haward Architects. The Innovation category was won by the major redevelopment of Battersea Power Station by WilkinsonEyre, Purcell Architecture and Nanci Jones, considered to be the largest brick structure in Europe when completed. 

The international project chosen for the Worldwide award was form created in Tehran for the Hitra Office and Commercial Building by architect Hooman Balazadeh, sloping outwards to combine a tight footprint with natural light. A “homogeneous mass was formed which creates a varying combination of brick and turquoise colours,” to which the judges responded resoundingly: “The stunning building effect reconsiders the morphology of a typical office building to enhance the quality of lighting of the space.”