On 28 May this year, 50 projects – from an initial 600-strong nominees – competed in the eighth international Wienerberger Brick Awards. To win a prize – awarded across seven categories – a building has to exemplify modern and innovative brick architecture.
It’s no surprise that Petersen Tegl supplied bricks for a Grand Prize Winner and the Sharing Public Spaces category winner: Kunstmuseum Basel Extension, by Christ & Gantenbein, Switzerland. Most exciting indeed.
This building used an innovative combination of Petersen D91 bricks and specially moulded Petersen D11 bricks. The effect was jaw dropping. Jonathan Sergison, a Wienerberger Brick Award jury member comments, “In terms of its material investigation, it’s powerful in the way that it employs brickwork as the external expression of this big, new building.”
The Kunstmuseum Basel is an extension to the existing art museum, but is a free standing building on its own and fits well with that existing building. Emanuel Christ, partner, Christ & Gantenbein, explains, “We wanted to create an image for that institution that is a traditional institution, in the sense that the museum existed long before. It’s a new building, it’s a new face, and still what you see is so familiar. I mean, it is bricks .. it is you could say the most banal element, but they way they are put together, the way the bricks are laid, the different colours, the composition that is very smooth, it is brand new.”
The Kunstmuseum Basel is an architectural delight, exemplifying modern, innovative brick architecture. As Christoph Gantenbein, partner, Christ & Gantenbein, says “This project is really celebrating the possibilities of brick and it’s celebrating the fundamental qualities of architecture.”
Watch here for an intriguing interview with both Christoph and Emanuel on this remarkable project.
To find out more, and see the full list of winners, click here.
Petersen Tegl also supplied bricks for five award nominees, shown below. While they didn’t receive awards, all are to be congratulated for their diverse and innovative use of Petersen bricks:
Denmark
The Carlsberg Foundation Researcher Apartments, Frederiksberg by Praksis Architects, using custom-made D190 bricks developed by Praksis Architects.
Kannikegården, Church Hall, Ribe, by Lundgaard & Tranberg. Petersen C48, dimensions 630 x 350 x 55mm customised version designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg.
Villa Platan in Aarhus, by Adept Architects, using Petersen K91 bricks, including custom bricks at corners.
Germany
The European Hansemuseum, Lübeck, by Studio Andreas Heller Architects & Designers. Custom-made brick, English clay produced in three versions with varied concentrations of the clay slurry on the surfaces.
Sweden
House Juniskär, Sundswall, by Hermansson Hiller Lundberg Architects using Petersen D48 bricks.