Around the globe, today’s architects face several rising challenges. The demand for affordable housing is increasing significantly, but so is the urgent need to save the planet’s resources and reduce carbon emissions. At first glance, these two goals might seem mutually exclusive. However, the history of architecture is one of great minds overcoming challenges through creativity and innovation.
In 2004, wienerberger, a leading provider of innovative and ecological solutions for the entire building envelope in the areas of new construction and renovation, as well as infrastructure for water and energy management, launched the biennial Brick Award to recognize and, more importantly, support such innovative solutions and the people who create them. In June 2024, for its 11th iteration, the prize will once again be awarded to extraordinary feats of brick architecture from around the world.
As a building material, brick is uniquely suited to today’s construction challenges. It is naturally climate resilient by having vast thermal storage capacity. And with their lifespan exceeding 100 years, bricks reduce the overall impact buildings have on the planet. While bricks have been used in construction for thousands of years and around the world, there is still untapped potential for innovation in bricks, as past Brick Awards have shown time and again.
Five Categories for the Nomination of the Brick Award From Living to Public Spaces
For this year’s competition, 743 projects from 54 countries have been submitted. An internationally renowned jury that changes with every award has selected 50 outstanding brick architecture projects as nominees in five categories:
- Feeling at home
- Living together
- Working together
- Sharing public spaces
- Building outside the box
Along with the winners of the five categories, the overall winner of the Brick Award 24 will be announced at a festive ceremony on June 6 in Vienna, Austria.
“Innovative power is the driving force behind any progress, and it is the key to solving our triple challenge of tackling climate change while providing high-quality yet affordable buildings for more people to live and work in. As we have fully embraced innovation within wienerberger, we also aim to support it outside of our company. To that end, the Brick Award shines a spotlight on architects who found new solutions to today’s construction challenges, while also demonstrating the vast untapped potential of brick for creative solutions,” says Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger AG.
Symposium on the Horizons of Brick Architecture
To further explore the future of brick architecture and how it can continue to play a role in tackling ecological and social challenges, wienerberger has initiated a symposium as part of the Brick Award 24, to be held the day after the award ceremony, on June 7.
Titled “Sustainable horizons: Advancing architecture through scalable innovations,” the symposium will gather international pioneers in brick architecture. From Thailand, Boonserm Premthada will join the symposium, creator of Elephant World, a massive brick-based complex that guarantees the ethical treatment of animals and a steady income for the community that hosts it; Danish landscape architect Jens Linnet, who designs visionary, realizable, and sustainable scenarios for the future; Jennifer Beningfield from the United Kingdom, whose work reflects an interest in collaboration, research and landscape, as well as sustainable design strategies, materials and technologies; and Gabriela Carrillo from Mexico, whose work focuses on public projects and their capacity to increase the well-being of entire communities.