Modern Masonry: 6 Technically Advanced Brick Buildings Turning Tradition on Its Head
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As one of the few materials that has stood the test of time, brick holds a unique place in architectural history. From ancient Mesopotamia to contemporary urban architecture, bricks have been a constant, adapting to the needs and styles of each era. In ancient times, bricks were handmade from local clay, sun-dried and used to build everything from humble homes to monumental structures.
In contemporary architecture, brick is often seen as a vernacular material rooted in tradition and regional identity. This is a common misconception, however, since modern bricks are products of sophisticated fabrication processes, offering a range of finishes, strengths and ecological benefits.
While traditional brickmaking was labor-intensive and dependent on local resources, today’s bricks can be mass-produced with precise specifications, improving their performance and versatility. This shift has allowed architects to push the boundaries of brick use, creating structures that are both aesthetically unique and functionally superior.
These advancements have enabled architects to honor traditional aesthetics and vernacular uses while embracing modern design innovations. This collection explores six remarkable A+Award-winning projects that demonstrate the versatility and potential of modern brick, transforming this ancient material into a cornerstone of contemporary architecture.
Twisted Brick Shell Concept Library
By HCCH Studio, Zhejiang, China
Jury Winner, 12th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Brick 
This 32-foot (10-meter) diameter, 16-foot (5-meter-high) spiral shell structure uses red bricks with an unconventional technique. Instead of traditional masonry, bricks are cast in-situ, positioned by perforated steel plates and filled with high-strength concrete. This approach creates a continuous, double-curved surface that blurs the lines between interior and exterior spaces.
Unique construction techniques involve distributing bricks of 12 different widths along a UV grid to ensure radial continuity. This method subverts conventional brick construction, resulting in a pixelated, dynamic appearance. Encouraging visitors to connect with nature, body and mind, the library’s design and poetic integration with the landscape offer a transcendent experience.
Choice Headquarters
By Plan Associates Co.,Ltd., Chiang Mai, Thailand
Popular Choice Winner, 12th Annual A+Awards, Office – Low Rise (1-4 floors)
While it definitely does not seem like it at first sight, the unique façade of this project is made out of brick. Locally sourced, these slender, hollow bricks act as heat-protecting louvers. Carefully aligned along the building’s exterior, they create a dynamic and functional façade.
Mounted onto a steel framework, the hollow bricks serve both as shading devices and aesthetic elements. Arranged in a pattern, they provide natural ventilation while shielding the interior from direct sunlight. This technique improves energy efficiency and gives the building a distinctive visual identity.
By integrating traditional materials with modern engineering, the design respects the region’s cultural heritage while embracing contemporary architecture. This approach demonstrates how vernacular materials can be adapted to meet modern sustainability and design standards.
Canvas House
By PARTISANS, Toronto, Canada
Jury Winner, 12th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Façades
Canvas House stands out in its Georgian neighborhood with a unique, undulating brick façade. The designers used a monochromatic brick palette and improvised corbel variations, creating a dynamic, sculptural look that contrasts with the surrounding symmetrical homes. Inspired by Larry Poons’ visual effects, the technique uses a repetitive bond pattern of five bricks. This achieves a consistent form that highlights brick’s potential for modern artistic expression while maintaining its traditional look.
Functioning as both a residence and an art gallery, the house features curved walls that integrate with ceilings and fixtures. Light and shadow play across the façade, which swells to form overhangs and recedes to allow skylights, reflecting the client’s theater background and maintaining traditional grace without conforming to conventional standards.
The Grand Mulberry
By MA | Morris Adjmi Architects, New York City, New York
Popular Choice Winner, 12th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Façades
Drawing inspiration from historic Italianate tenements, The Grand Mulberry uses custom-profiled bricks to reference its heritage. The tripartite façade features traditional banding at the base, pediment windows in the middle and arched windows with a cornice on top. Quoining details further define the structure.
While the façade pattern is traditional, the application of the hand-molded domed bricks is very modern — each brick was carefully positioned within the double-stacked running bond coursing to present the illusion of an Italianate façade.
KOLBADI HOUSE
By L.E.D Architects, Garmsar, Iran
Kolbadi House showcases yet another innovative brick facade. Only this time, it’s inspired by traditional Iranian desert architecture.|
Prefabricated steel grids position bricks with precise spacing, creating a textured surface inspired by historical designs. The grids can transform into transparent meshes in front of windows, seamlessly blending solid and open areas. This method enhances visual appeal while ensuring natural ventilation and lighting, maintaining the functionality of a traditional central courtyard.
Utilizing locally sourced bricks and adaptable construction methods, the design honors regional heritage while meeting modern building needs, demonstrating the potential of traditional materials for contemporary applications.
Bricks in Common
By AART, Copenhagen, Denmark
Did you know that advanced brick technology can cut carbon emissions by up to 75%? “Bricks in Common,” a pavilion at the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023 in Copenhagen, demonstrates this potential through its design. The pavilion features three intersecting arches, each representing a different approach to sustainable brick production.
The smallest arch is made of traditional bricks, which are quite energy-intensive to produce. Next, you encounter the medium arch, crafted from the latest climate-friendly bricks. These bricks cut carbon emissions by 50%, showing significant progress. But the most ambitious is the largest arch, designed to achieve a remarkable 75% reduction in carbon emissions.
Through this design, “Bricks in Common” illustrates the vast potential of brick as a sustainable building material, serving as a powerful reminder of how innovative approaches to traditional materials can drive us towards a greener future.
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Murka Hotel is part of a rural revitalization initiative aimed at attracting urban citizens to the countryside and encouraging young locals to return and contribute to their hometown’s development. Nestled on a south-facing slope, the building complex features staggered blocks that blend seamlessly with the mountains. Using local rocks for the buildings and retaining walls creates a visually cohesive extension of the natural environment, paying homage to traditional culture and harmonizing with the village context.
The Maison’s architecture reinterprets Arabic elements with a fresh perspective, drawing inspiration from Marrakech’s rich history without replicating it. The design’s sculptural form nods to the ancient rampart walls of the Marrakech Medina, with openings that transition into private interiors, much like a sandcastle or sculpture. Deep recesses, reminiscent of traditional Mashrabiya screens, ensure bedroom privacy and create terraces that connect to the surrounding gardens.
Situated on the island of Hawaii, Kona Village offers a truly unique Hawaiian experience rooted in centuries-old culture and tradition. This reimagined resort, spread over 81 acres, draws inspiration from the rich history and local sensibilities of the ancient Ka??p?lehu. Every aspect of the property has been designed to honor the essence of the original resort, showcasing a deep respect for the natural environment and cultural heritage.
This Radisson Hotel project is tied to Ka?, a district of Antalya known for its turquoise sea, natural beauty and historical ruins. The design began with an analysis of the region’s topographic and cultural areas. Inspired by ancient Lycian granaries and the monumental architecture of Antiphellos, the design incorporates natural stone façade cladding, traditional tiles and wooden joinery. The goal was to offer a lodging experience that feels private and comfortable, akin to the comfort of one’s home, while providing beautiful social opportunities in common areas without losing touch with greenery, nature and simplicity.
Born on October 15, 1957 in Katanga (ex-Belgian Congo) to an architect father. Family origins in Rhodes and Salonika. First architectural memories of the family home in Elisabethville, designed by Julian Elliott in 1957 and published in Udo Kultermann’s “New Architecture in Africa”. Studied architecture and art history under Roland Schweitzer, Yves Lion and Alain Pélissier at the Ecole d’Architecture de Paris-Tolbiac and Daniel Arasse at the Université Paris I Sorbonne. DPLG in 1993, founded Moussafir Architectes the same year, after 10 years of training and practice with Christian Hauvette, Henri Gaudin, Dominique Perrault and Francis Soler. First interior design projects (Apostrophe and IGAS headquarters, administrative departments of the Conseil d’Etat), then participation in numerous cultural competitions, alone or in association.
On the ground floor, the kitchen/dining area and living spaces are intentionally designed as separate entities to accommodate different schedules and movement patterns, ensuring flexibility and privacy for all occupants. Large sliding glass doors connect the kitchen and living spaces to the outdoors, creating a fluid indoor-outdoor transition. This design allows for distinct spaces while enabling easy movement between them, enhancing the overall flow and connectivity throughout the home. These outdoor areas, where family members can relax and enjoy each other’s company amidst nature, serve as extensions of the indoor living spaces, fostering a seamless indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
Chengdu is the home of the beloved Giant Panda and the National Giant Panda Research and Breeding Center. Showcasing their commitment to preservation, the latest expansion of the center includes four new panda pavilions designed to feel like they are part of the natural landscape. These pavilions feature open-air circular courtyards that serve as outdoor playgrounds for the pandas, while visitors can observe and learn about their behavior without disturbing the animals.
Tianfu Art Park in Chengdu features the Chengdu Museum of Contemporary Art and the Tianfu Library of Humanity and Art. The park’s stunning curved roofs mimic the nearby mountains, creating a breathtaking skyline.
Drawing inspiration from traditional Sichuan verandas, the design of this courier station (that serves both tourists and locals) reinterprets it with contemporary aesthetics. The building features a double-height semi-enclosed area, providing ample natural light and a multifunctional space for social interaction. This project is a key part of the rural revitalization effort, creating a flexible and inviting communal area.
This pavilion spans a historical site of over 2300 years and offers a prime vantage point overlooking the Eastern New Urban District and Three Forks Lake. Inspired by bamboo culture, the design incorporates elements of bamboo shoot towers, reinterpreting traditional Chinese pavilions with inclined supports that resemble bamboo shoots. The structure uses locally sourced materials, including high-performance bamboo-based fiber composite, promoting local employment and sustainable building practices.
This 538,195-square-foot (50,000-square-meter) museum celebrates Chengdu’s modern ethos and historical legacy with expansive exhibits, public spaces and educational facilities. The design reflects the region’s geological history with dramatic forms that mimic volcanic activity and tectonic shifts. The exterior granite surface features organic perforations, creating a striking visual effect that resembles daylight on mountain snow. Inside, sculpted wooden bridges evoke Chengdu’s ancient water passages, while outside, indigenous plants and waterways create an immersive natural experience.
Tucked away in Chengdu’s “green lung,” this unique restaurant offers visitors the perfect spot to enjoy good food and great design. Inspired by the organic shapes of the eucalyptus forest and nearby lotus pond, the restaurant eliminates traditional walls, using pillars and open platforms to immerse diners in nature. The free-flowing roof curves and tree-integrated structure evoke the steam and smoke from boiling hotpots, strengthening the connection between the dining experience and the natural environment.
This project is all about bamboo! Located near a vast bamboo forest, this pavilion highlights the beauty of the material in its design. It serves multiple purposes: a visitor center, a workshop for local crafts and a village gathering place. The pavilion features two interlocking roofs that form a public courtyard, often used by locals for dancing and events. The overall design gives visitors the sensation of walking through a bamboo forest.
Another fun fact about Chengdu is that it’s actually China’s leading incubator of science fiction. Showcasing the city’s contribution to the genre’s evolution and popularity, the new Chengdu Science Fiction Museum opened by hosting the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) and Hugo Awards for the first time in China.
If you want to try Chengdu’s signature traditional food in a uniquely designed space, this is the place to be. The teahouse retains the original slanted roof and incorporates bamboo-woven elements like awnings and screens. The layout creates an uninterrupted connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces, offering an engaging and traditional dining experience.
Serving as the entry to the Luxe Lake development, this center combines art, theater and dining into one cohesive space. Inspired by Chinese culture and the Sichuan landscape, the design mimics the movement of a dragon, with the structure descending from the hills to meet the lake.
This complex stands out with its sun-sliced geometry, maximizing natural light throughout its structure. The design includes urban terraces, cascading pools and green roofs, creating vibrant public spaces inspired by Du Fu’s poetry. Sustainable elements like geothermal heating and rainwater harvesting make it a forward-thinking landmark in Chengdu.
The Xinshan Bookstore is a key part of the historical district’s urban renovation. Featuring a creative design inspired by traditional curvilinear roofs, it does a great job of combining modern and historic aesthetics.
This multifunctional cultural space is located in Anshi Village near Yibin, not too far from Chengdu, making it a perfect day trip destination.
If you find yourself on a day trip from Chengdu to Xi’an, don’t miss the Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts. Neri&Hu’s latest design is envisioned as a new landmark for the city, standing out with its monolithic urban monument concept and subterranean layout.
