As the sole sponsor of this year’s Manchester Society of Architects’ (MSA) Design Awards, Wienerberger, the leading provider of wall, roof and landscaping innovations, was proud to announce Chetham’s School of Music as the worthy winner of the Wienerberger Design Award.
Awarded to architects Stephenson ISA Studio by Wienerberger’s Director of Sales – Bricks, Simon Pearson during the closing ceremony, the project boasted an innovative use of a traditional material used to create a unique and contemporary building for the academy.
A total of 400,000 specially designed long thin handmade British bricks were used, with the buff colour of the brickwork complimenting the sandstone of the original buildings. More than half of the flush-pointed bricks, which help to acoustically insulate the building, were set in pre-cast panels; the joints of which were almost invisible. The curved façade was complimented by the deep-set medical-looking horizontal slit windows that chase each other along the straights of the building.
Annette Forster, Director of Marketing at Wienerberger, said: “This really is a landmark building. Making the best use of the available space, the design is unique. It is a beautiful example of traditional brickwork used on a modern and creative building, demonstrating the elegance and diversity of brickwork in modern architecture. The decision amongst the Wienerberger judging panel to announce Chetham’s School of Music as the winner was unanimous, and we’re proud to have been associated with the good quality work carried out by architects in Manchester and the surrounding areas.
“Wienerberger is really keen to build on its already strong relationships with architects on a local level, so we look forward to working with the MSA in the future and continuing to support the undeniable talent in the region.”
Highly commending the 1 Ellesmere Street project, which is the design of Ollier Smurthwaite Architects, Wienerberger thought it was fantastic to see a stock brick being used over the typically more popular wire cut brick. The use of the stock brick will help the building blend in with its older neighbours. It was thought that updating the back-to-back terraced housing concept was an excellent example of developing existing architectural concepts and allowing residents to enjoy a family style environment in a city centre location.
Taylor Young’s Kensington Neighbourhood Health Centre was also commended. The state-of-the-art health facility is in one of Liverpool’s most deprived areas, marking an important milestone in the wider regeneration of the area. A dynamic mixture of traditional and contemporary façades, the centre creates a dramatic, eye-catching and welcoming building. Inscriptions across the façade resonate with the history of the city and highlight the centre’s links to health and wellbeing.
As part of its work with the MSA, Wienerberger is also hosting an architectural bus tour on Thursday 23rd May. For more information on the MSA Design Awards and other winners please visit the MSA's awards website.
