Construction World June 2017

Exterior of vestry offices at Sankt Petri showing various brick patterns.

ABOVE AND BELOW: St Mark’s brick vaults supported on angled steel beams. (All Images: T. Deckler.)

project which called for construction in the local dark clay brick to two world renowned Swedish churches, St Peter’s in Klippan and St Mark’s in Bjorkhagen, Sweden. Both churches show his investment in brick as a material and his mastery of the medium. And, both churches are a showcase of his ability to transform the use of clay brick from what many believe to be the mundane into tactile spaces which resonate with atmosphere. In the St Peter’s structure, Deckler was particularly admiring of Lewerentz’s ability to allude to and evoke the atmosphere of the Roman catacombs where early Christians hid to escape capture. Here the entire structure is made from brick including the walls, floors and ceilings. He also forbade the workmen to cut any of the bricks or grind off welding burs on the steel work to ensure an unpretentious directness. “One can argue that this is what most builders in South Africa achieve without even trying….but in the case of Lewerentz it’s a premeditated move over which he presided with utmost control and intent,” explains Deckler. The Brutalist movement was a big fan of brick – utilitarian, stark and rugged, Brutalist brick buildings are typically massive in character if not in size and are renowned for their functionality. Favoured for educational buildings, government projects and public housing, Brutalism can be seen as an expression of moral seriousness amongst architects after the lightness and frivolity of some 1930s and 1940 architecture. “I have some feelings for Brutalism where it was handled less dogmatically and where proportions, human scale and the integration of nature are well considered,” says Deckler recalling many of Lewerentz’s works. Favoured long before Facebrick, however, was favoured long before the Brutalist movement as is witnessed in the Monadnock Building in Chicago, USA. Built in 1891 and completed in 1893 the Monadnock was the tallest load bearing building ever constructed and is identified by its unornamented vertical mass of purple-brown brick. Deckler, who recently returned from a trip to Chicago was impressed by this 16-story high- rise. “The facebrick material made an incredible impression on me and the building’s deep window reveals and rounded corners gave it a tactile feel that was almost African in nature, reminding me of the earth architecture of Mali,” he commented. From churches to corporate buildings and suburban homes, around the world facebrick has featured prominently in the last century, the choice of architects looking for honesty, practicality and integrity.

Deckler leaves us with this thought: “This all goes back to the argument that decent architecture, no matter what material and style it is, can be enabling, comforting, inspiring and memorable if it is in control of proportion and scale, and offers intimacy and generosity.” Corobrik, the brickmaking giant has been supplying the Southern African market for the past 115 years. “Our bricks are as relevant today as they were a century back, “said Musa Shangase, Corobrik Commercial Director. “We continue to invest in our business to ensure we remain relevant and can produce bricks, that are environmentally friendly, long lasting and never go out of fashion.” 

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JUNE 2017