Brickarchitecture

 A Mock-up That Became a Home  For an architecture practice, a mock-up is often a means of testing an idea before it is translated into a larger project. It is an opportunity to work at full scale, examine materials and construction techniques, understand their limitations, and accept the possibility of failure as part of the process. Such experiments demand considerable investment in time, labour, material and energy. Once the research is complete, however, the mock-up is often left behind—its purpose fulfilled, but its physical existence rendered temporary. This project began with a simple question: can a mock-up have a life beyond research? For a practice concerned with sustainability, the idea of investing substantial... More

Designed by Francesco Pierazzi Architects, Sawtooth House transforms an ageing rear extension to a Victorian property in Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, into a more energy-efficient and adaptable family home. Rather than pursuing substantial additional floor area, the project adds only 15 square metres to the existing building while undertaking a broader retrofit of the original house. The resulting 180-square-metre residence demonstrates how targeted additions can be combined with improvements to the existing building fabric to reduce operational energy demand and extend the useful life of established housing. Peter Molloy The architecture also draws on Kingston’s industrial history: its distinctive double sawtooth roo... More

The recent revival of viticulture in Poland has brought renewed attention to the landscapes and buildings that support it. Set among rows of vines, the vineyard building emerges as a quiet, utilitarian structure shaped by place, material, and the rhythm of wine production. Its architecture is defined by restraint and clarity—a single, coherent volume that draws on the typology of traditional agricultural buildings of the Opole region, while responding to contemporary needs. Maciej Lulko The building combines functions of storage, warehousing, and small-scale wine production within one compact form. Large sliding windows, recessed into the walls, allow the interior to open completely from one side to the other. On one side, the v... More

Founding partners Pauli Siponen and Niilo Ikonen of Avarrus Architects had a common vision to create housing that would last for generations and set new standards in sustainability and resilience. Tuomas Uusheimo Tuomas Uusheimo ”Inspired by Helsinki’s architectural heritage, our goal was to build something that could standfor at least a hundred years, much like the historic brick buildings that continue to grace ourcity,” says Pauli Siponen. ”Modern materials and construction methods have certainly broughtefficiency and lower costs, but they often come at the expense of durability and repairability.” Tuomas Uusheimo Tuomas Uusheimo   Since the late 1950s, the Finnish building indust... More

"Villa Link" is a narrative of the bond and coexistence between two generations of a family (parents as the traditional generation and children as the contemporary generation), considering their needs and lifestyles. The family consists of five members, including a father, mother, and three children who have reached adolescence and youth, expressing a desire for greater independence while still seeking the warmth and support of the family nucleus. Consequently, they sought a home design that embodies both the notions of privacy and intimacy. Scale Architectural Group Scale Architectural Group The design process began with the question of how to create flexible boundaries that, while preserving the autonomy of both the children an... More

 St Hilda’s was founded in 1893 and the College site has evolved into an informal sequence of buildings set within beautiful gardens on the banks of the River Cherwell. Gort Scott – appointed following an international design competition in 2016 – introduced spatial coherence and a greater sense of place elevating the landscaped setting and the verdant edge of the River Cherwell. Peter Cook The previous entrance sequence was underwhelming and confusing, with a distinct ‘back of house’ feel and a large swathe of tarmac that detracted from the potential of the College’s picturesque setting. A small residential building dissected the College grounds at this pivotal location within the estate. P... More