Download a magazine about brickwork and responsible architecture

33 | 2015
A MAGAZINE ABOUT BRICKWORK AND RESPONSIBLE ARCHITECTURE
|1
UN
DER
AN
TER
TR A
VE
MAIN
BUILDING
HIN T
The new European Hansemuseum stands at the foot of Castle Hill. The 14th-century Dominican monastery at the top is part of the museum.
Plenty of examples of medieval brickwork survive in and around Lübeck, but the many repairs conducted over the centuries have left their mark.
THE RIGHT BRICK
FOR THE SETTING
AND ITS SPIRIT
FINDING A BRICK WITH TEXTURES AND HUES TO
HARMONISE WITH THE MULTIFARIOUS AND
CENTURIES-OLD BRICKWORK IN LÜBECK
WAS A KEY PART OF THE DESIGN PROJECT
FOR THE EUROPEAN HANSEMUSEUM.
ER D
ER
BURG
Site plan
The European Hansemuseum, inaugurated in May 2015, is
a museum solely dedicated to the fascinating story of the
famous network of medieval merchants. Starting out as a
loose alliance in the 13th century, the Hanseatic League
evolved into a very powerful group of merchants and retained
its power and influence up until the mid-1700s. The League
consisted of northern European cities – mainly in Germany
but also including London, Bruges, Bergen and Novgorod. In
all, 70 cities were active members, while another 100 were
passive. Lübeck, which had accumulated vast wealth among
other items from the trade in silver and salt and had a strategically strong position as a shipping port for Hamburg and
the Baltic, was the League’s informal but undisputed centre
of power. The members of the Hanseatic League met regularly
for what were known as Hansa Days, usually in Lübeck, when
trade agreements were reached, transport routes agreed and
other shared issues discussed.“The Hanseatic League had a
defining impact on European history and can be seen as a
role model for the European Union today,” said Chancellor
Angela Merkel, in her speech at the inauguration.
The European Hansemuseum was a long time coming.
Studio Andreas Heller Architects & Designers conducted the
first feasibility studies in 2004. The project became a reality
when the Lübeck-based foundation Possehl-Stiftung decided
to cover €40 million of the €50 million Euro cost. Studio Andreas Heller was appointed as project architect partly on the
strength of a museum Heller designed in 2007, the German
Emigration Center in Bremerhaven, which demonstrated an
approach to museum architecture that appealed to the client.
It was also a plus that the studio employs historians, art
historians, graphic designers and exhibition designers as well
as architects, so possesses all of the skills needed for this
type of project.
The new museum turned out to be a highly complex job.
A site was found relatively quickly – in the northern part of
the old town on the banks of river Trave. The new museum is
at the front of Castle Hill, the highest point of which is about
11 metres above the river. Perched on the top of the hill is a
14th-century Dominican monastery, Friary Castle, which has
also served as poorhouse, prison, hospital and courthouse
over the centuries. The plan for the museum included restoring the monastery and making the many plateaus around the
monastery and the terrace outside the museum into a popular
place in town that locals and tourists alike would use all year
round.
Originally, the building work was scheduled to take four
years but a year had to be added when excavation work
stumbled across the ruins of houses from the Hanseatic
INTENTIONALLY
POORLY MIXED
2|
GRO
S SE
BUR
GSTR
A S SE
CASTLE FRIARY
It is standard Petersen procedure that no pallet departs the
brickyard until the bricks have been thoroughly mixed.
This helps prevent stains and scaffolding marks. For the
European Hansemuseum, Andreas Heller Architects wanted
dark, irregular areas on the façades reminiscent of
modifications and repairs to old brickwork, which makes
it the first project involving Petersen Brick where façades
look as if the bricks have not been properly mixed.
A staircase splits the middle of the façade and leads up
to the museum entrance on the top of the hill.
Entrance which leads to the museum is via a
large landing halfway up to the monastery.
At the top of the stairs, you turn left onto a large terrace covered
with the same handmade brick used to build the museum.
The monolithic façade is modulated with powerful, simple
shapes that reference the fortifications and city wall that once
stood here. To the west, the building turns sharply around
a corner and merges into the row of gabled houses on the
narrow street. The brickwork here is in a quatrefoil pattern
– a classic Gothic motif.
At the eastern end, the 95-metre-long building
ends in a square element, reminiscent of the
old Witch Tower – the part of the fortress where
unfortunate women once found themselves incarcerated.
|3
While the foundations were being dug,
the ruins of old Hanseatic houses were uncovered.
The archaeological site is now part of the museum’s exhibition.
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, opened the museum officially on
27 May 2015. After her speech, the Chancellor was given a guided tour
by architect Andreas Heller and museum director Dr Lisa Kosok.
VK Bestandsdecke
From the hall, you enter a large room housing the ticket office, bookshop and restaurant.
The brick cladding on the walls and floor enhances the sense of robustness.
The light clay slurry used as a lubricant remains in place,
leaving a semi-transparent surface after firing. The result is a
unique brick with its own character, but one that reflects the
play of colours and heterogeneous structure found everywhere
on the historic brick façades in Lübeck.
The architects used the brick as their starting point for
paraphrasing the medieval brickwork. The bricks that are
retracted into the wall are a homage to the permanent gaps
left in medieval façades when the wooden scaffolding was
removed.
The custom-designed bricks for the museum were produced
in three versions, with varied concentrations of the clay slurry
on their surfaces: 30, 60 and 90% sludge. They were laid with
the darkest at the top and the brightest at the bottom, creating a smooth gradation. The architects also wanted variations
to be built into the new brickwork, to endow the building
with a look similar to that found on buildings that have been
in use for centuries. To this end, some of the joints are flat or
retracted, creating strong shadow effects.
It is, of course, a Petersen hallmark that no pallet departs
its brickyard until the bricks have been thoroughly mixed.
This helps prevent dark stains and scaffolding marks. Andreas
Heller Architects wanted dark, irregular areas on the façades
to suggest associations with modifications and repairs to old
brickwork. This makes European Hansemuseum in Lübeck the
first project Petersen Brick has been involved in where the architect deliberately wanted the façade to look as if the bricks
had not been properly mixed!
period, complete with a variety of artefacts from the period.
The archaeological dig was incorporated into the project and
now forms part of the museum. The museum presents history
through paintings, coins, documents and other objects.
Scenography and interactive media also reveal how the merchants worked, lived and expanded their trading activities.
Lübeck’s historic old town, which is surrounded by water,
contains Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical buildings, original streets and alleyways, churches and monasteries, burgher houses and fortifications. This unique architectural area was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
The new Hansemuseum had to be literally carved into this
exquisite site.
The surrounding buildings are all brick and largely intact
– even though some of them are hundreds of years old. One
advantage of brickwork is that it can be replaced, refurbished
or repaired endlessly and this means, of course, that it acts
as a fascinating witness to history.
The new Hansemuseum should be added close together
with this distinguished whole. Andreas Heller architects chose
to listen to and respect Lübeck’s soul, and they have created a
building in beautiful harmony with the historic surroundings.
The 95-metre long, 15-metre-tall monolithic edifice
is modulated in powerful, simple shapes, reminiscent of
the fortifications and city wall that once stood here. But
the modern lines and features tell that this is something
unmistakably new. The museum has been hewn directly into
Castle Hill, where the deepest room measures 26 m. The main
wing follows the river and the slight bend of the road. At the
eastern end is a square element, which harks back to what
was known as the Witch Tower, which once formed part of
the fortress and served as a prison for alleged witches. To
the west, the building turns sharply, around the corner into
Kleine Altefähre, where it forms part of the narrow street’s
row of gabled houses. The brickwork here is in a quatrefoil
pattern – a classic motif in Gothic architecture. Around the
middle, a staircase splits the façade and leads up to the
museum entrance. The staircase then continues on up to the
terrace, from where there are views of the river and harbour.
To the right is the Friary Castle.
Choosing the right materials was of crucial importance
to Andreas Heller Architects & Designers, who worked with
Petersen Tegl to develop a unique brick for the museum.
After many test firings, an English red clay was chosen that
withstands firing at very high temperatures. The format –
305 x 105 x 65 mm – is close to that used in the Friary
Castle. All 120,000 bricks were made by hand in wooden
moulds.
European Hansemuseum, Lübeck
Client: Europäisches Hansemuseum, Lübeck gemeinnützige GmbH
Architect: Studio Andreas Heller GmbH Architects & Designers, Hamburg
Landscape architect: Andreas Heller GmbH Architects & Designers
and WES LandschaftsArchitektur
Exhibition Design, Graphics: Studio Andreas Heller GmbH Architects
& Designers
Engineer, construction: Kröger & Steinchen Beratende Ingenieure
Brick: Customised bricks measuring 305 x 105 x 65 mm made
of English clay produced in three versions, with varied concentrations
of the clay slurry on their surfaces: 30%, 60% and 90% sludge.
Various specially shaped bricks made of the same clay for
specific solutions
Text: Ida Præstegaard, architect
Photos: Anders Sune Berg
Photos, inauguration: Europäisches Hansemuseum
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First floor plan – entrance floor
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4|
10
and
VK Spritzbetonw
1
Ground floor
The museum terrace affords beautiful and expansive views
of the River Trave and the port of Lübeck.
The same type of brick is used as cladding on the terrace and on the
façade. On the terrace it is in three sections. The concentration of the
slurry on bricks in the different sections is 30%, 60% and 90%.
The architects and Petersen Tegl developed a 305 x 105 x 65 mm brick made of red English clay, which resembles the type used on the medieval monastery. All 120,000 bricks were hand made in wooden moulds.
The light clay slurry used as a lubricant remains in place, leaving a semi-transparent surface after firing. One of the many customised bricks was shaped to hold an iron gate hinge.
A selection of the 40
different bricks custom-made
for the museum.
Section
|5
RURAL
SOPHISTICATION
RAW, SENSUOUS MATERIALS AND SIMPLE SHAPES
MAKE FOR AN INFORMAL AND COMFORTABLE HOME, CLOSE TO THE BELGIAN NATURE.
The four-legged residents seem
to like their surroundings.
Relocating to a rural setting usually reflects
a desire to be closer to nature and watch the
seasons change. It perhaps means craving
a lifestyle that is quieter and more informal
than is feasible in a more urban setting. In
the countryside, the good life is also the
simple life, with a focus on the senses and
quality. But how do you integrate the rustic
with the modern? Or the minimalist with the
complex? Part of the answer lies in precision.
In attention to detail. And in choosing the
right materials, which are rendered beautiful
by simple processing and only become even
more distinctive over time.
The scent of lavender is unmistakable. An
organic, violet blanket, wrapped around the
Section
white trunks of the birch trees, forms the
setting for the ensemble of simple structures
that make up this rural home. The family
moved to Olmen to realise their dream of
a house with stables for their horses. An
old house on the site was demolished, but
a reddish-brown brick barn with a red-tile
roof was retained. The new residential wing
runs parallel to the barn, which now serves
as garage with an open-rafter ceiling. The
horse stable stands a little further away, on
the same axis as the residential wing. The
garage and the home are separated by a
narrow passage, in which the texture of the
older building’s bricks meets the new wing’s
red cover brick. The cover brick, in a custom
Birch trees, lavender and meadow
constitute a scenic setting.
your footsteps echoing and resonating. Then,
as you enter the house, coarse oak planks
absorb the sound, generating an atmosphere
of calm. The house is traditionally laid out,
with a living room and dining kitchen on the
ground floor, and private rooms on the first.
The basement has various utility rooms, but
also a large study and a guest bedroom with
access to a sunken courtyard. Here, we have
used red Kolumba and red mortar, giving
the brickwork the appearance of a calm,
continuous surface. The red brick, the floor,
the oak and the grey-brown Italian marble
in the kitchen and bathrooms combine to
create a natural, warm colour palette against
a serene backdrop of white walls.“When we
Terraces made of Afrormosiawood provide
excellent views of the beautiful scenery.
Steel, wood and brick
are the main materials.
A new entrance made of Corten steel
resembles a box inserted into the garage.
Circles cut into the steel provide
glimpses of the wooden rafters.
6|
colour, covers the roof and – without cornices – glides down over the façades on the
long sides of the building, interrupted only
by the windows. “We wanted something that
reflected the roof of the barn,” says architect
Pascal François. “Something natural, in the
same colour, but without too much detail. We
wanted to keep it simple.”
A new entrance made of Corten steel looks
like a box inserted into the garage. Circles
of different sizes cut out of the steel provide
glimpses of the wooden roof. Here, darkness
meets light, and the rigid rectangular form
contrasts with playful circles. The entrance
also produces special acoustic effects. On
arrival, you walk across rusted steel plates,
Basement
showed the client the materials we wanted
to use, she exclaimed that she had envisaged
a modern home and the materials reminded
her of her grandmother’s house. However, we
have used the materials in a way that is very
much of our time,” says Pascal François. The
familiar meets the new in rustic minimalism.
Although the basic shape of the building
employs a hipped roof, as seen in many old
rural houses, it also breaches tradition in
several sophisticated ways – particularly in
terms of how daylight is incorporated into
the rooms. The precisely positioned openings
are used to highlight the diversity of the
various rooms. Pascal François explains: “For
me, daylight is inspiring. We try to give each
Ground-floor plan
room at least two different orientations.”On
the first floor, storage units have been
installed in the spaces beneath the slope of
the roof, running the entire length of the
building. The ceiling is ridged, so that the
rooms feel even more airy and bright. The
bathroom only has skylights, but these face
in two different directions. The east-facing
one sheds light on the bathtub in the morning, while the skylight to the west illuminates the shower cubicle.
Every part of the building offers views of
the surrounding grassy meadow, where the
owners’ horses roam. Farther away, woodland frames the three-hectare site. From the
kitchen, you look towards the stables, which
The red Petersen Cover cladding glides down over the roof and,
without cornices, over the long façades, interrupted only by the windows.
First floor
have a raw and rational idiom, in prefabricated concrete with concrete floors and an
aluminium roof. The stable doors and wood
cladding add texture. The stable is also a
wing, but the roof widens at one end, giving
it a distinctive, twisting appearance. The
horses stick their heads out through the
stable door to say hello.
Architect Pascal François. Photo: Martin Søberg
Family home in Olmen, Belgium.
Client: Private
Architects: Pascal François Architects
Engineer: Util
Landscape architect: ffstyles
Brick: Petersen Cover, F6, Kolumba F6, custom colour
Text: Martin Søberg PhD, architectural historian
Photos: Frederik Vercruysse
The new house is parallel with an old red-brick barn, the colours of which are reflected
in the red Petersen Cover. The barn is now used as a garage.
The basement provides access to a sunken courtyard with walls made of red Kolumba.
The use of red mortar suggests a continuous, unbroken surface.
|7
WELCOME TO THE
CONGREGATION
TAUT CONNECTING ARCH WELCOMES PEOPLE INTO CHURCH
AND PARISH HALL LIKE A PAIR OF OPEN ARMS
How do you design a building for religious purposes without
falling foul of stylistic clichés? This is one of the recurring
questions in modern architecture, and the answer is often
expressive shapes and bold constructions. Building something
clearly of its time but which doffs its hat to the rich history
of ecclesiastical architecture is a difficult but noble task.
The small project in the German provincial town of Lörrach
– close to the Swiss and French borders, and near the cities
of Basel and Weil am Rhein – includes a church and a parish
hall. It is surrounded by train tracks and small new apartment
blocks with plaster façades in various colours. Further away,
vineyards stretch across the rolling countryside. Despite
occupying a difficult triangular site, the church merges quite
naturally into its surroundings. The almost heart-shaped
floorplan comprises two equal sides at right angles to each
other, connected by a third side in waveform. This sculptural
momentum continues in the roof, which rises to a point in
the western corner. A cross mounted at the apex pulls the
structure further upward.
Given the unspectacular nature of the surroundings, it was
important to design a building with strength and character.
“We wanted to make the church stand out and radiate a
special intensity that differentiates it from its surroundings,”
says architect Fritz Wilhelm. “We chose the curve because
it has an inviting effect: convex – concave – convex. When
designing for a triangular site, a triangular building is, of
course, an obvious option. But it’s not the only one. For the
competition, we produced a wooden model. We were also very
clear about the fact that it had to be brick-built.”
The body of the building is in Hamburg format with two
different shades of brick. The result is a highly varied façade
with shades of greyish-yellow, orange and dark brown. The
play of colours infuses the building with a warm glow, underscored by the use of oak in all window and door frames,
as well as dark brown copper on the roofs. A basic half-brick
bond is used everywhere except right above the entrance,
which has a course of headers.
“Brick isn’t typical of the area, but it is reminiscent of
19th-century industrial buildings,” explains Fritz Wilhelm.
“It’s all very straightforward, very simple. We mixed bricks
in different shades and used common, coarse joints. It isn’t
particularly difficult or sophisticated, but it underlines the
The architect felt that the site’s heterogeneous surroundings required a powerful,
sculptural idiom for the church and parish hall, both of which were completed in 2014.
The sculptural momentum continues into the roof, which rises to a point in the western corner.
A cross mounted at the apex pulls the structure further upward.
Section
Ground-floor plan
8|
building’s overall shape, which has an effect resembling a
gesture. The bricks endow the building with a solidity that
makes it strong and powerful. It stands out and has a great
haptic effect.”
The expressive shape is a salute to modern, expressionist
church architecture, while the simple detailing makes the
exemplary bricklaying stand out. The actual church is only
55 m2, has its own entrance and may be separated from
the 60 m2 parish hall or merged with it to form a single
115-m2 space. The interior has concrete walls with clearly
visible traces of the formwork, glazed in muted colours that
underline the architectural shapes. The height of the church
rises towards the altar. A horizontal row of windows creates
a visual link between the main body of the church and the
vestry, so that parents with small children can retire to the
latter but still follow what is going on in the church.
Religious buildings have to do more than just provide
space for practical activities – they form a communal setting
for the congregation. The layout and textural effects have to
add to the worshippers’ understanding of religion as a way of
life.
“The building will be used to practise faith, to allow people
to commune with their God and to delight the soul,” explains
Fritz Wilhelm.“As well as the social aspect of church work, it
has to house things that can’t be explained rationally.”
A simple bond signals peace. Three different shades of brick add texture to the façade.
The window box encloses the church bell, which is visible from both inside and outside the building.
Evangelische Kirchengemeinde,
Johannesgemeinde in Lörrach, Germany
Developer: Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Lörrach
Architects: Wilhelm und Hovenbitzer und Partner, Freie Architekten
Statics: Ingenieurgruppe Flösser GmbH
Brick: 60% D38HF and 40% D46HF
Text: Martin Søberg PhD, architectural historian
Photos: Paul Kozlowski
“The bricks endow the building with a
solidity that makes it strong and powerful.
It stands out and has a great haptic effect”
Fritz Wilhelm, Architect
The roof’s swooping curve is in contrast to the windows’ tight, rhythmic accentuation of vertical and horizontal lines.
The overall shape forms a welcoming gesture.
Architect Fritz Wilhelm. Photo: Martin Søberg
The interior’s concrete walls increase in height towards the altar, and are glazed in muted colours
that reveal traces of the underlying architectural forms.
|9
When St Pancras Station was inaugurated in 1868, the arched concourse
was the largest single-span building in the world. Nowadays, the station is home
to many services, including the Eurostar line via the Channel Tunnel to Europe.
For the new building, the architects chose blue-tempered bricks,
which harmonise beautifully with the neighbouring historic buildings.
“Most of all, we wanted the
brick to be dark and full of
character, to form a contrast
with the light brickwork.
We went through a number of
machine-made bricks, which
were either too monotonous,
too common, too modern
or not dark enough.”
Craig Downie, Architect
The brief specified visual and functional links between the new office building and the listed Stanley Building,
as well as the renovation of the latter. The solution was to curve a brick building around the listed one.
SEVEN
PANCRAS
SQUARE
A BUILDING DEFINED BY TWO DARK WALLS
THAT WIND THEIR WAY AROUND SOME
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE IS THE LATEST
ADDITION TO THE AREA AROUND ST PANCRAS
INTERNATIONAL AND KING’S CROSS
STATIONS IN CENTRAL LONDON.
At a total of 27 hectares, the King’s Cross
Central Masterplan in London is one of the
biggest new urban development projects
in Europe. The original plan was drafted
over ten years ago by Allies & Morrison and
Porphyrios Associates, with Argent as the
client. Work is expected to be completed in
2020, by which time the area will comprise
approximately 2000 new homes, workplaces
and study places, 20 new streets and 10 new
squares. Along with the enormous project,
10 |
the two mid-19th-century overground rail
stations, which are such close neighbours,
have also been restored. Combined with the
tube station and its six lines, King’s Cross
and St Pancras is one of the biggest transport
hubs in Great Britain.
The two beautiful stations are part of a
series of historic and listed buildings in the
area which have been restored and refurbished according to the plan for the area.
You spot two other examples as soon as
you step out of St Pancras Station and cross
Pancras Road – the Stanley Building and the
German Gymnasium. Fitting in with the historic architecture was the main challenge for
Studio Downie Architects LLP, who were commissioned to design a new office block that
would stand just a few metres from these two
important buildings. The client chose Studio
Downie Architects partly due to their work on
the Royal Geographical Society in London and
Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, both of
which had to fit into a combination of historical and contemporary surroundings.
The Stanley Building was built in 1864 as
one of five identical properties intended to
provide better housing for workers at King’s
The ground floor features a restaurant frequented
by the many people who work in the area.
Cross. A total of 105 families lived in the
five buildings, of which only one has been
preserved. The German Gymnasium, built in
the same year by the German Gymnastics
Society, was the first building in the UK built
specifically for athletics.
Studio Downie Architects were commissioned to create visual and functional links
between the new office building and the
Stanley Building, and to renovate the latter.
The two buildings, which together make up
Seven Pancras Square, were completed in
2014. Another aspect of the job involved
relating to the scale of the neighbouring
buildings, especially One Pancras Square,
designed by David Chipperfield Architects,
and Six Pancras Square, designed by Wilmotte
& Associates and leased to the big real estate
company BNP Paribas. Both of these
buildings were also completed in 2014.
Studio Downie Architects’ solution was
a partly curved building that winds its way
around the Stanley building, from which it
is separated by a glass-covered passage. The
architectural idiom and curved forms clearly
indicate that the new building is of its own
era but also exude respect for the historical
neighbourhood. Access to Seven Pancras
Square is via the glass passage’s gable, which
runs between the buildings, and serves to underline both their equal stature and distinct
identities.
The architects were in no doubt that the
new building should be built in brick, like the
neighbouring German Gymnasium and Stanley
Building, both of which are in yellow brick.
The brickwork on the former, including the
red-brick ornamentation that runs around it,
is quite well preserved but the Stanley Building was in poorer shape, e.g. a gable was
missing and had to be replaced with a new
wall in the same bright tone as the existing
brickwork. The brickwork was also repaired
and the original chimney pots were removed
and rebuilt brick by brick.
The new winding building is defined by its
two heavy external walls, whereas the gables
are made of glass. “The key element in this
project is the brickwork,” says Craig Downie.
“We spent a lot of time finding the right brick
that would suit the historic surroundings.
Most of all, we wanted it to be dark and full
of character, to form a contrast with the light
brickwork. We went through a number of
The Stanley Building was built in 1864
to house workers at King’s Cross.
STA
PANCRAS
SQUARE
Y PA
SSA
GE
PAN
CRA
S RO
AD
NLE
CLARENCE PASSAGE
BATTLE
BRIDGE
PLACE
S
G’
RD
VA
LE
U
BO
KIN
Site plan
A glass roof shelters the curved space between
the Stanley Building and the new building.
machine-made bricks, which were either too
monotonous, too common, too modern or not
dark enough.”
This led to in-depth studies of bricks of
different sizes, bonds, mortars and colours –
all to bring the 40-metre-long and
25-metre-high wall to life.
”At Petersen, we found brick with the
degree of blackness, depth of colour and
variation we needed,” says architect Chris
Binsted. ”We tested mixtures of three shades
because just one seemed too intense. The
result was a mixture of three blue-tempered
bricks in Flensburg Format: D55 (40%), D99
(40%) and D96 (20%) in block bond.”
”Since the building work was completed,”
concludes Craig Downie, ”we have studied
the building in all seasons and at all times
of day and seen that brickwork undergoes
interesting and pleasant changes in character depending on the sunlight and weather.
It adds a dimension. One that we are very
pleased with.”
The glass façade on the new building faces south to Pancras Square,
forming a peaceful oasis in this bustling neighbourhood.
Seven Pancras Square
Client: King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership (Argent)
Architect: Studio Downie Architects LLP
Masterplan Architect: Allies and Morrison Architects
and Porphyrios Associates
Structural Engineer: Arup
Building Services Engineer: Aecom
Main Contractor: BAM Construction
Executive Architect & Structural Engineer: BAM Design
Services Engineer: BAM Services Engineering
Brick: D55(40%) D99(40%) and D96(20%)
Text: Ida Præstegaard, architect
Photos: Paul Kozlowski
Ground-floor plan
Section
| 11
In 2010, a unique collection of 55,000 Danish works in porcelain, stoneware and earthenware
was donated to the museum. The new building allows the collection to be exhibited.
Grimmerhus, the former dower house at Hindsgavl Castle, Middelfart (Funen), housed the Danish Ceramics
Museum from 1994, when the museum was founded, until the new building was ready.
To the east, the museum is built in K48 and adjustable slats made of the same clay.
ENCASED
IN BURNING CLAY
THE NEW EXHIBITION SPACE IN
THE CLAY MUSEUM OF CERAMIC ART
DENMARK IS SUNK DEEP INTO THE PARK
AND EMERGES FROM THE SOIL IN THE
SHAPE OF A HANDMADE BRICK PAVILION.
The contrast is striking – between the
sharpness of the industrial steel and glass
structure and the rectangular brick slats that
cover the façade. From a distance, the building has the look of a precision-built treasure
box, but the nearer you are, the more uneven
and handmade the rust-red brick surface
seems. Available in three standard modules,
the bricks are arranged in columns and
mounted on vertical steel frames. Each column consists of five sets of brick slats, each
made up of a random selection of 2–5 bricks,
from very thin ones to something resembling
an elongated Kolumba, which is used to
cover the lower part of the building.
The slats can be rotated for a completely
closed look or for an open façade. This allows
visual contact with the art in the park as
well as the option of staging more intimate
exhibitions. From the inside, fingerprints are
visible on the bricks – clear evidence that
the bricks, like many of the museum’s exhibits, are handmade. The rust-red hue glows
more fiercely as you approach the building,
The former dower house from 1857, the trees on the site and the coastline are all protected, so the positioning options for the new building were limited.
The solution was that only 300 out of 1,800 m2 would be above ground.
12 |
and up close, on a sunny day, the wall is like
a sea of flames. Something special happens
when you fire clay. It is a process that has
fascinated brickmakers and ceramicists for
millennia – a magical transformation from
sodden grey gunge to glowing gold to solid
stone, finally blossoming into a dark rush of
colour. At any rate, that is how it must have
seemed in Nybølnor when these bricks made
their entrance into the world.
It was only natural for a clay and ceramics
museum to use this kind of brick for its
outside walls. Nothing else would do with
hundreds of years of ceramic art within the
building and the Funen clay of Kongebro
Forest outside, close to the Little Belt.
Architects Kjaer & Richter have captured the
essence and function of the site, without
resorting to conventional thinking, facile
effects or parochial craft romanticism. The
outside of Johan Daniel Herholdt’s ochrered building from 1857, Grimmerhus, which
was originally the dower house for Hindsgavl Castle, has been preserved, the inside
The new pavilion in the park has an air of lightness, despite the heavy materials.
CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark is beautifully situated overlooking
the Little Belt and across the water to Jutland.
The façade on the new pavilion has adjustable slats made of English clay in three different widths. The type of clay and the hard firing create a richly varied colour scheme
that takes on a different character depending on the light and the surrounding colours. The shades therefore change with the seasons.
The grounds slope 13 metres down to the Little Belt, so on this side the pavilion rises two storeys out of the earth.
The glass façade allows plenty of light to penetrate the big, deep rooms and affords magnificent views over the water.
“Something special happens
when you fire clay. It is a
process that has fascinated
brickmakers and ceramicists for
millennia – a magical transformation from sodden grey gunge
to glowing gold to solid stone,
finally blossoming into a dark
rush of colour. At any rate,
that’s how it must have
seemed in Nybølnor when
these bricks made their
entrance into the world.”
Thomas Bo Jensen,
Architect maa
| 13
The top floor of the new pavilion overlooks the Little Belt and the treetops,
and can be used for exhibitions, conferences and meetings.
beautifully refurbished. The new exhibition
room is sunk deep into the grass lawn in
the park and emerges from the ground in a
box-like pavilion in the north-east corner. At
this point, the underground exhibition space
merges with the main building, culminating in a large, double-height window, in a
manner similar to the Louisiana Museum of
Modern Art. The effect is just as natural here
due to the steep (by Danish standards) slope
down to the Little Belt. The big room above
ground – the visible, brick-clad part – houses
temporary exhibitions but is also available
for conferences, meetings, etc.
A generous donation from Royal Scandinavia, consisting of objects from Royal Copenhagen’s collection of 500 years of ceramics
and earthenware, triggered the museum
Site plan
expansion. When it was inaugurated in spring
2015, the museum was renamed the CLAY
Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark. The name
is a small nod to the group of pioneers from
the artist group Clay Today. With the support
of the local authority in Middelfart, the
group took the initiative to open a ceramics
museum in Grimmerhus in 1990. Clay Today
has its own room in the basement of the old
building, a fine little chamber through which
visitors return to the museum entrance. Its
celebration of hand-kneaded idioms is a far
cry from the refined porcelain in the ‘treasure
box’ of the new underground wing. But that
just stands as a testament to the versatility
of clay and its rich history, now so tastefully
presented and encased in burning brick on
the shore of the Little Belt.
CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark
Client: Grimmerhus Bygningsfond
Architect: Kjaer & Richter A/S
Landscape architect: WAD Landskabsarkitekter
Contractor for the carcass: Kjæhr og Trillingsgaard A/S
Contractor for the excavation: CJ-Anlæg A/S
Development, delivery and mounting of the slats: CO&LT ApS
Engineer: Henry Jensen Rådgivende Ingeniører A/S
Brick: K48, customised Kolumba K48 in slats
Text: Professor Thomas Bo Jensen, architect MAA, PhD
Photos: Anders Sune Berg
Photos, building site: Kjaer & Richter
Photos, inauguration: Rosa Engelbrecht
Building an underground building so close to the Little Belt presented a great challenge. The removal of such
large quantities of clay causes the remaining clay to swell (rise). As a result, the building rests on stilts
buried in the earth, so that the bottom can move freely without pushing the building upwards. In order to
ensure safe working conditions while digging the approximately seven-metre-deep hole for the building, a
permanent secant pile wall in concrete was installed to prevent the walls from collapsing.
The suspension system was designed by Kjaer &
Richter and produced by CO&LT ApS.
The bricks on the slats are
hand made in wooden
moulds and then fired.
Section
14 |
Upper level
The collection reflects more than 235 years of Danish ceramic design. The opening was marked
with an exhibition of works by Thorvald Bindesbøll and Peter Brandes.
Peter Brandes showed HM. Queen Margrethe II around at the opening.
A LUMP OF BAKED CLAY
PETER SAND, ARCHITECT AND OWNER,
AND LARS VILSGAARD, PROJECT ARCHITECT
AT KJAER & RICHTER, TALK ABOUT THE FAÇADES
ON CLAY MUSEUM OF CERAMIC ART DENMARK.
“Baked clay was an obvious choice for the
façades on a ceramics museum. But we also
wanted to transform the heavy brick into a
lightweight material that could convey the
pavilion-like idiom we had in mind.
We came up with the idea of shaping and
firing the clay for slats that open or close
depending on how the various exhibitions
behind the wall use the space. When the slats
are open, the park is incorporated into the
exhibition. When they are shut, they make for
a more intimate atmosphere, but also emphasise the building’s link with the Little Belt.
Petersen was the obvious choice. They
hand-make bricks in the exact format you
want. Along with the client, we chose the
same red English clay used for K58. The
finished product has the warm, red shades we
wanted. The slats are 37mm thick, 805mm
long and produced in three widths: 56, 123
and 190mm. At each end of the slats are
grooves into which the pin bolts are inserted.
To ensure that we achieved the right
dimensions, we designed our own mounting
system. CO&LT APS were responsible for the
detailed design, planning and assembly of
the metal parts, and produced precisely the
system we asked for. The slats are in eight
sections on each side of the building. All of
them can be opened and closed independently, controlled by an electronic panel inside
the museum.
The museum exhibits baked clay, the
park exhibits baked clay and the building is
a lump of baked clay. The whole narrative
harmonises well!”
Architect Lars Vilsgaard (left),
with architect and owner Peter Sand.
| 15
The big new restaurant at Glostrup Park Hotel is furnished with black tables and chairs in oak
designed by Hans J. Wegner.
The reception, lobby and lounge form a whole and establish a visual connection with the restaurant.
The open brick fireplace forms the centrepiece of the large lounge and restaurant area.
The Kolumba brick harmonises with the dark slate floor.
RESTAURANT
WITH A VIEW
with the existing hotel and come up with
something that paved the way for a further
planned expansion to the hotel.
The first hotel on the site was built in
1967. The current, well-regarded four-star
hotel was designed by Friis & Moltke in
2002. The buildings that Dissing+Weitling
had to take into account were simple wings,
placed at an angle, with sloping roofs and
white-painted brick façades. The expansion,
a separate building on the other side of the
driveway, shares features with the original
hotel but has its own unique, contemporary
look. The new building is also placed at an
angle, with white-painted brick façades and
copper-clad roofs without overhangs. The
architects opted for a pitched roof. At each
LIGHT FLOODS INTO THE NEW RESTAURANT
IN THE GLOSTRUP PARK HOTEL CONFERENCE
BUILDING, WITH ITS DARK SLATE FLOORS,
WHITEWASHED PINE CEILING AND RAFTERS
AND WALLS, CHIMNEY AND FIREPLACE
OF HANDMADE, HARD-FIRED DARK BRICK.
Driving along the busy main road to the west
of Copenhagen, you pass Glostrup Park Hotel.
From the road, there is no hint of the exquisitely beautiful park and expansive meadows
with several-hundred-year-old trees on the
other side of the hotel. Guests on the other
hand enjoy the view from the new conference
centre, completed last autumn, which uses
simple but elegant architecture and landscaping to make the best possible use of its
location.
Dissing+Weitling were commissioned to
design the addition to the hotel and make
the most of the countryside for diners in
the big new restaurant and people using the
14 conference rooms. Part of the brief was
also to design an exterior that harmonised
end of the L-shaped building, it juts sharply
up and out – a simple geometric trick that
has a significant impact. One such protrusion
shelters the inviting entrances, while the
other forms a functional and beautiful cover
for the restaurant’s south-facing terrace.
On the arrival side, the building is just
one storey, but to the rear, the site has been
excavated so that plenty of daylight floods
into the big conference room beneath the
restaurant and there is a fine view of the park
from the inside. Like the conference rooms,
the restaurant has views of both the park and
the multi-level garden terraces.
The architects have successfully fulfilled
their brief to incorporate nature into the project. Guests enter via the big, spacious hall,
Like the rest of the hotel, the new building has façades in white-painted brick.
The roof rises to form an inviting entrance.
Site plan
16 |
The large glass façades to the north and south, combined with skylights along the entire length of the roof, provide plenty of daylight in the 400-m2 restaurant.
The big glass sections also ensure that no matter where guests sit in the room, they feel close to the green parkland.
and immediately are afforded a clear view of
the park, which stretches as far as the eye
can see. Visually, the hall and restaurant are
linked by design and materials. Natural materials are used throughout – Spanish quartzite
slate on the floors, and eight-metre-high
ceilings with a ridge and rafters in light
pine. The third natural material that plays
a prominent role in the interior is the dark,
hard-fired Kolumba brick. It is used for the
large chimney and fireplace, which face both
the hall and the 400-m2 restaurant. The same
brick has been used from floor to ceiling on
the restaurant’s 30-metre rear wall.
“The heavy wall in the restaurant and
the chimney and fireplace were particularly
important elements in the project, so we
spent a lot of time considering what material
to use,” says Daniel Hayden, architect and
partner in Dissing+Weitling.
“We originally went for slate, which
proved too expensive. Kolumba was half
the price and also suited our client’s taste.
Working with brick has many advantages. We
removed some bricks from the wall, creating
a pattern that is not only decorative but also
improves the acoustics. They are also suitable
for cladding the niches we carved into the
wall to affix benches. We tried out 5–6 different sample walls with different brick and
mortar colours before settling on a medium
grey joint, the colour of which contrasts
slightly with the brick and therefore retains
the sense of horizontal movement.
The handmade, hard-fired bricks look a bit
like natural stone, and the dark, rich shade
interacts beautifully with the dark slate floor.
In particular, they add the weight we wanted
to counteract the lightness and transparency
of the rest of the building,” he concludes.
Extension of Glostrup Park Hotel
Client: Glostrup Park Hotel
Architect: Dissing+Weitling
Landscape architect: YARDS
Contractor: Einar Kornerup A/S
Engineer: HaCaFrø
Brick: K57 Royal Playhouse
Text: Ida Præstegaard, architect
Photos: Anders Sune Berg
“We originally went for slate, as
material for the fireplace and
the main wall. But it proved too
expensive. Kolumba was half the
price and also suited our client’s
taste.”
Daniel Hayden,
architect and partner,
Dissing+Weitling.
To the east, the soil has been removed so that the large conference room beneath the restaurant
gets lots of natural light and views of the terraces and park.
Longitudinal section
Cross section
Conference room – lower level
Restaurant – upper level
| 17
To house a modern company, the 19th-century townhouse
was extended with an plectrum-shaped pavilion in wood
and glass, as well as a rectangular brick building.
The narrow, brick building offers several different
views of the beautiful garden.
GARDEN
OFFICE
BRICK WING AND PLECTRUM-SHAPED OFFICE PAVILION
ADDED TO HISTORIC TOWNHOUSE SET AMONG OLD TREES.
When the client acquired the grand two-storey townhouse, it bore all the signs of multiple conversions to reflect changing times.
Built in the late 19th century, it has served
as both post office and residence. It occupies
a position on the corner of the main road in
the village of Rosmalen, set amid a beautiful
garden with tall, mature trees. The new owners wanted to renovate and extend it to serve
as headquarters for their company specialising in the import, export and production of
frozen fruits and vegetables. “The old building had to be completely refurbished,” says
Annemariken Hilberink of Hilberink Bosch
Architects. “We removed everything added
in the 1960s, including an old staircase that
was little more than a ladder. We wiped out
any trace of past renovations and brought
back the en suite rooms to the old building.”
The discreet refurbishment has brought
the townhouse up to date, and added meeting rooms, offices and a canteen. The old
conservatory, with its fine leaded windows,
has been restored and its original green-tinted colour scheme – uncovered by the architects in best archaeological style – revived.
A magnificent new staircase leads up to the
first floor, which houses an apartment that
accommodates visiting business contacts.
The most striking feature, however, is the
addition of two new buildings that complement the townhouse’s cubic form with
The architects chose the coal-fired D49, the many shades of which include a green tint
that complements the surrounding vegetation.
18 |
new geometric shapes. The low, rectangular
archive building that houses the company
archives extends from the townhouse out into
the trees and flowerbeds in the garden, forming a backdrop to the plectrum-shaped pavilion that houses the main office. Hilberink
Bosch wanted to avoid mimicking the existing
townhouse and came up with an ensemble of
structures that contrast and complement each
other in form and materials.
The narrow, vertical window openings
in the wing housing the archives look out
on the garden and let in natural light. The
level of detail is far simpler than in the
townhouse. The brick was never intended to
match the existing brickwork. It has darker,
more vibrant tones. The angles of walls and
windows (60, 90 or 120°) make the interiors and the façade feel dynamic.“We used a
custom-made brick for the corners and above
and below windows,” says Annemariken. Dark
mortar underlines the gravitational effect of
the wing.“The brown joints fit in well with
the walls on the existing building, which are
made of a brick typical of the 19th century.”
The office pavilion protrudes into the
garden on a raised concrete platform that
almost seems to float above the terrain. Its
roof consists of two staggered discs, creating
an overhang of varying depths that provides
the shade needed in the working space at
different times of day. Timber-clad walls
On arrival, you see right away that the colours and
structure of the brickwork in the 19th-century house
and in the extension harmonise – despite the bricks
being made about 125 years apart.
Site plan
break up the rounded surface, dividing the
terraces into smaller spaces. These lines of
division continue into the ceiling’s heavy
beams, where three intersecting beams form
a triangular skylight.
Looking at the pavilion from the garden,
it does not look like a hive of activity.
Yet inside, voices fill the room, negotiating international deals by phone. The dark
wood, metal and concrete endows the room
with a serious, business-like idiom, but the
wood also infuses it with a warm glow, so
that it does not feel sterile. Rather, it exudes
concentration. Do the employees even notice
the room around them? Actually, there is no
doubt that they do because the layout is
based on the principle that everybody in the
room must be able to see each other in order
to work together effectively. And that was
the thinking behind the rounded shape which
encloses the people working there while
blending confidently into the old garden.
Ground floor
Section
The one-storey extensions do not block the view of the old house.
Huize Vreeburg, Rosmalen, the Netherlands
Client: Sonder Jansen
Architect: Hilberink Bosch Architecten
Landscape architect: Anne Laansma ontwerpburo
voor tuinen, Esch
Brick: D49
Text: Martin Søberg PhD, architectural historian
Photos: Paul Kozlowski
The same coal-fired red brick is used on the floor
and on the brick façades.
The pavilion, which houses the company office, has fine views of both the garden and the old house.
The table is in the same shape as the room. It is a custom design by Roderic Vos.
| 19
One of the refurbishment project’s top priorities was to change the visual appearance of the buildings.
It was crucial that the new materials have a quality and texture that would allow them to age gracefully.
BRICK ADDS
SENSE OF
IDENTITY
NEW FAÇADES INJECT VARIETY AND SENSE OF IDENTITY
INTO HOUSING COMPLEX IN GREEN PART OF ELSINORE.
The blocks are staggered in height over the hills.
Vapnagaard in Elsinore consists of 1,738 homes, housing about
4,000 people, spread over 57 blocks on a hilly, green site.
In the 1950s and 60s, economic growth and urbanisation
in many Western countries led to a lack of good, affordable
housing, especially for young families. In response, very large
housing estates were built, using new technologies such as
pre-cast concrete. The architectural idiom was one of simplicity and rationality, lightness and air, echoing the pioneers of
modernist architecture in the early 20th century.
Many of these estates are now in need of refurbishment –
especially the roofs and outside walls – because the climate
has changed.
The Vapnagaard social housing complex in Elsinore is one
of the big Danish estates of the era – built between 1967 and
the early 1970s. It consists of 1,738 homes, housing about
4,000 people, spread over 57 blocks on a hilly, green site.
From the highest point, there are views of the old town in
Elsinore and across the Sound, with the Swedish coast visible
in the distance.
The idea behind the renovation project was to repair damage to the concrete and other building parts, and to make the
roofs and walls more thermally efficient. The bathrooms were
also to be refurbished. However, as well as purely technical
improvements, the project also provided an opportunity to
enhance the visual and material identity of the area, particularly with the addition of striking new gables made of brick.
“Vapnagaard was originally conceived of as sublime homes
for ordinary Danes, with more light, air and recreational
opportunities than in the town – but over the years, the area
has built up a bit of a bad reputation,” says Hanne Vinkel
Hansen, architect and director of NOVA5 Architects. “In the
1990s, the buildings were refurbished with the gaudy colour
schemes and light casing popular at the time. Our project involved making these buildings more robust, but we also took
the opportunity to use materials with a more textural look to
add variation and make the blocks more distinctive.”
The gables now consist of a broad and a narrow column,
separated by a vertical strip of new French balconies. Residents were involved in many aspects of the project, including the choice of the four brick colours: sand, light yellow,
rose-pink/ochre and maroon.“We started with a mock-up of
the ground floor before we put the project out to tender,”
says Hanne Vinkel Hansen.“It was a really good idea, and
set the quality framework for the project.” In some of the
blocks, both brick surfaces are smooth, while reliefs feature
on both surfaces in some of the others. On some gables, the
relief is only on the narrow column. The simple relief is the
result of pushing every second stone in a course of runners
slightly out form the surface. It adds rhythm to the gables
and the effect is different depending on which direction the
gable is facing and the shade of brick. In strong sunlight, the
relief casts deep shadows over the surface. At other times the
effect is softer and more textural.
VAPNAGAARD ANNO 1990
Vapnagaard was built between 1967 and the
early 1970s. The major renovation conducted
by NOVA5 began in 2013. The blocks used to
have brightly coloured concrete façades from
a previous renovation in 1990.
20 |
Some gables have a relief, created by pushing every second stone out from the surface in a course of runners.
This creates a rhythmic effect, which differs according to the direction the gable is facing and the shade of brick.
The newly rebuilt entrances now have a brick surround and are covered
in the same hard-fired brick used on the carpet-like path to the block.
Vapnagaard, roof and façade renovation, Elsinore
Client: Helsingør Boligselskab in partnership with Boligselskabernes
Landsforening
Full-service consultant: NOVA5 Arkitekter
Sub-consultant: Triarc Arkitekter
Engineer: Niras
Landscape: GBL/Rambøll
Brick: D32DNF, D38DNF, D46DNF and D78DNF
Text: Martin Søberg PhD, architectural historian
Photos: Anders Sune Berg
The architects used specially coloured ceramic baffle plates
in four colours, which beautifully match the nuances
of the four bricks selected for the construction.
Changes to the entrances to the blocks make them feel
more like social spaces and signal a sense of security and
community. Each door has a brick surround and is covered in
hard-fired brick, which runs like a carpet along the path to
the block, welcoming you inside.“The residents chose whether
or not to have French balconies beside the entrances,” says
Hanne Vinkel Hansen.“That’s why no two façades are the
same. It wasn’t really us who designed the façades – it was
the local people! The project has not only just transformed
the area physically, it has also had a psychological impact.
The people who live there feel that they have been given
something of quality that will age beautifully. They’re happier
living in Vapnagaard. It’s a matter of self-esteem.”
D78
D32
The residents were heavily involved in the project.
For example, they were asked whether
they wanted French balconies.
Billedtekst
“We chose four different coal-fired
bricks in shades of sand, light yellow,
rose-pink/ochre and maroon.
Each variant is used to clad the
façades in a different part of the
estate, making it easier to tell
the blocks apart.”
Hanne Vinkel Hansen
Architect, director,
NOVA5 Architects
D38
D46
| 21
A SCANDINAVIAN MARKET HALL
KVILLE SALUHALL IN GOTHENBURG COMBINES SIMPLE,
REPETITIVE CONSTRUCTION WITH EXPRESSIVE,
CAREFULLY DETAILED BRICKWORK.
Saluhallen’s terrace offers views of the Kvillebäcken district.
Light pours in from all sides of the market hall’s three floors.
The architects chose a block bond and used a neutral grey mortar,
almost flush with the bricks, some of them are glazed.
22 |
Buying food from market halls is fairly commonplace in
Southern Europe. It is a traditional and convenient way
to shop that suits buyers and sellers alike, and there is no
reason why it should not gain a foothold in Northern Europe.
At least that is what they think in Sweden. In recent years,
saluhaller (as they are called in Swedish) have been planned
and built in Stockholm, Malmö, Uppsala and, most recently,
in Gothenburg.
The Gothenburg commission was won in open competition
by the Stockholm-based architect Gustav Appell. Located in
Kvillebäcken, a new and fast-growing residential area close
to the city centre, Kville Saluhall was completed in 2011 and
is expected to act as a catalyst for the growth in the area,
which is soon to be extended.
Market halls are traditionally very closed-looking, but
Appell wanted to build one with plenty of light, open to its
surroundings. The openness is provided by the big windows
and generous access to the hall, via three main and several
secondary entrances.
From the outside, the hall looks like a three-storey building that tapers off into a lantern-like structure at the top.
The tapering of the main body allows the afternoon sun to
reach the small square next to Saluhallen. Once inside, you
see right away that the hall is not a three-story building
but it does have a very high ceiling. The first floor consists
of a balcony, with various restaurants that open onto a big
terrace. The shops are side by side on the ground floor, and
the atmosphere is bustling and intimate.
“We were highly conscious of the fact that market halls
are public buildings with an unusual typology. Their closest
relatives are arguably train stations or churches. Admission is
free and there is no obligation to buy,” says Gustav Appell.
“The repetitive and low-key design of the façade is based on
the idea of the building as a backdrop to its contents. But
the design also makes it simple to open and close entrances
and glass panels without changing the basic concept.”
In line with this thinking the functional and architectural
robustness of the market hall meant that the materials chosen had to be similarly robust:
Gustav Appell Architecture Office won the task of designing the new
market hall in Gothenburg in an open competition in 2011.
“The material was to be timeless, classic and maintenance-free, which made brick the obvious choice. But I also
admit to a personal yearning to build in brick. There are many
good, historic brick buildings in Gothenburg. But over the
last 40-50 years, the quality of brick and brick architecture
has fallen. Particularly when it comes to yellow bricks. All of
the classical buildings are plastered. Brick wasn’t considered
‘fitting’ before National Romanticism and the Arts & Crafts
Movement. This gave us a chance to start writing a new story
in yellow brick.”
Kville Saluhallen is a concrete structure – but given more
time, it could have been made entirely of brick.“We did what
we could to make it feel like a brick building,” says Appell.
“The look and character of the brick were essential. We
made our choice, stood firm and wouldn’t even countenance
discussions about alternatives. A brick that wasn’t handmade
would have resulted in a dead look. Our idea of an architecturally simple structure required a brick with a strong idiom.
The yellow one we chose derives its light tones and unusual
play of colours from the white porcelain clay, which is used
to slip the finished lump of clay out of the mould.”
“We decided on Flensburg Format, which is very elegant
and works well with all of the other building components. The
brickwork is in block bond, and selected bricks have a clear
glaze, which glistens in the sunlight at certain angles. When
the building work was completed, we had the pleasure of the
contractor and partners telling us that the brick had been
worth the money, and that they were glad we had insisted
upon it. Then, in 2014, the hall was named as the best building project in Gothenburg, the finest accolade we could wish
for because it didn’t come from architects!”
Kville Saluhall, Gothenburg
Developer: Älvstranden Utveckling
Architect: Gustav Appell Arkitektkontor
Contractor: AF Bygg Göteborg
Brick: D71 FF
Text: Ida Præstegaard, architect
Photos: Ulf Celander
Saluhallen is privately run but owned by the local authority, and therefore it is not entirely at the mercy of market forces.
The aim of the market halls, which are found in several locations around Sweden, is to support small traders and producers.
Appell’s idea was to balance the building’s simple structure
with a brick that makes a bold statement.
Site plan
The structural simplicity made it possible to refine the brickwork,
e.g. using holes to create patterns. Photo: Åke E:son Lindman.
Ground-floor plan
The pattern created by the glazed brick is particularly clear at sunset.
Photo: Åke E:son Lindman.
First floor
Section
“All of the classical buildings are plastered. Brick wasn’t considered ‘fitting’ before National Romanticism
and the Arts & Crafts Movement. This gave us a chance to start writing a new story in yellow brick.”
Gustav Appell, architect
| 23
CO NS ULTA NTS –PE TE RS E N TE GL
D E NM A RK E A S T
CHRISTI AN TEI TU R HARRIS
P: +45 2463 9235
E: CTH@PETERSEN-TEG L.DK
SKY-HIGH
KOLUMBA
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The DDG design studio hopes that its new building in Manhattan will inspire others to use handmade bricks. Visualization: DDG
Drilling into Manhattan’s bedrock has begun,
creating the foundation for 180 East 88th
Street, which will be the tallest building
(160 metres) on the Upper East Side once
it is completed in 2018.
In contrast to the surrounding glass skyscrapers, the 48-apartment brick building will
evoke associations with the brick skyscrapers
of the golden 1930s of Manhattan. The brick
chosen is handmade Danish Kolumba, combined with structural concrete mixed on site.
The New York studio DDG is the client, the
architect, the developer and the builder and
hopes the building will highlight the impor-
tance of handmade materials in architecture.
180 East 88th is the second building built
by DDG in handmade brick from Broager.
In 2013, the studio inaugurated the building
345 West 14th Street, a residential building,
also made in Kolumba.
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PUBLI S HE R
The ECD Centre is in the Nyamasheke rainforest. Its form replicates a type of building found in many places in Rwanda. Photos: Johan Eriksson
AFRICA IN FOCUS
AT LOUISIANA
BRICKWORK IN PLAY
Africa – Architecture, Culture and Identity,
the main summer exhibition at Louisiana,
explored cultural and social initiatives in
the world’s second-largest continent.
One of the exhibition’s focus areas was
Rwanda, where the architects Nerea Amorós
Local craftsmen worked on the construction project.
Photo: Johan Eriksson
24 |
Elorduy (PhD, Bartlett, London) and Tomà
Berlanda (director and professor at the
School of Architecture and Planning of UCT,
Cape Town) spearheaded the construction of
UNICEF’s ECD (Early Childhood Development)
Centre. The work was done in the period
2011–2014 under the auspices of ASA (Active Social Architecture) Studio, which was
founded and run by the two architects.
The centre in Rwanda is made of locally
processed red brick laid by local craftsmen.
Funding for toys is scarce, and so the rustic
brickwork incorporates details, e.g. perforations, designed to challenge the children
and involve them in play and learning.
The curators and architects wanted to
reproduce part of the centre in Louisiana, so
that visitors could experience the architecture at 1:1 scale. Using industrial-looking
brick was out of the question. Instead, a
sufficiently rustic brick with the desired
colouring was found at Petersen Tegl. The
brickworks was delighted to supply coalfired bricks.
In order to showcase the brickwork, part of the centre was reproduced at full size in Louisiana.
Photos: Anders Sune Berg
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