YOUR CONCEPT
Stood astride an existing London stock brick wall and incorporating a range of brick bonding styles, including a unique vertically-bonded structural wall, Southwark Brick House in Bermondsey is a showcase for this highly versatile building material.
The new build three-bedroom house, designed and project-managed by Satish Jassal Architects, comprises two floors and a basement level spread across two brick wings accessed via a central staircase.
The end of terrace property is positioned on the site of a former car garage, in Thorburn Square conservation area, a residential neighbourhood typical of Southwark, characterised by historic terraces and more modern apartments.
OUR SOLUTIONS
With the design seeking to reconcile an elegant and sensitive spacious home within an historic setting, it was crucial the right products were specified – something that led the architects to speak to Ibstock.
Ibstock recommended its West Loathly Sharpthorne bricks, to compliment, yet contrast, with the existing yellow London stock brick wall and the golden tones of the oak panelled windows. The rough and imperfect texture of the brick lends the property a time-worn appearance, giving it the feel of an established fixture of the street scape.
The bricks align to three different bonding patterns, which each define a different part of the building. A horizontal running bond defines the kitchen and dining areas, a stack bond (bricks are aligned directly on top of each other) defines the stair core. The first floor living space is enclosed by an innovative vertical running bond that’s also expressed internally.
All the bricks are separated by a 10 millimetre recessed mortar joint, the maximum possible, to create deep shadows in all the joints and accentuate patination.
SOUTHWARK BRICK HOUSE
“Contemporary and eye-catching, yet complimentary to its surroundings, the Southwark Brick House showcases the exciting design potential of brick slips. Durable and cost-effective, brick slips can also lend real kerb-appeal to a property – something neatly demonstrated by this project.”