Wienerberger bricks win Brick Development Association Awards
(24/11/2009)

The Brick Development Association (BDA) awards celebrate the use of brick and recognise best practice, excellence, professionalism and innovation within the industry. The use of Wienerberger bricks in a residential scheme has been recognised at this year’s BDA Awards. The world’s biggest brick manufacturer has been recognised in the award for the best Private Housing Development.

The award was presented to Glenn Howells Architects for the Highcross development in Leicester, a mixed use scheme including a 120-apartment residential block. The judges were impressed by the strong and confident design of the housing at Highcross which, they said, answered the demands of the brief, providing good accommodation and a transition between the old and the new.

Paul Miller, the architect at Glenn Howells who specified the Wienerberger bricks, said: “Fine brick and terracotta panels are prevalent in Leicester City Centre so we specified Wienerberger bricks in a red sand colour as it reflected the aesthetic of neighbouring properties. The Wienerberger bricks were used in a simple, elegant and modern way to break up the elevations with a clear vertical delineation.”

Mark Morris, sales and marketing director at Wienerberger, added: “The Highcross scheme is a stunning development which seamlessly combines contemporary city centre living with bustling urban retail space. We are pleased to be involved in such a fantastic project which really demonstrates how bricks can be used to perfectly blend the past with the present.”

Wienerberger had 14 other projects shortlisted in various categories at this year’s BDA Awards. Wienerberger’s Rothsay Blend brick was also used on the Inglis Point scheme, one of the examples submitted by VB Contracts Ltd, winner of the Specialist Brick Contractor award.