Britain’s Brick Specialist is always looking for ways to highlight the importance of education, knowledge and experience amongst all parties throughout a construction project, involving the design, use and production process of clay products. This is why Michelmersh was extremely enthusiastic to invite a team of designers from award winning Duggan Morris Architects and representatives from EH Smith, to Charnwood, the prestigious Leicestershire based plant. Eight architects grasped the opportunity to get their hands dirty and learnt how to ‘throw’ clay bricks.
David Storring, Technical Director of Duggan Morris Architects said: “As the largest producer of handmade bricks in the UK, Charnwood is an impressive and specialist brickworks. We were given a full tour of the works by the Charnwood team and we were able to see the complete process from raw clay to final packaged bricks. We were shown the benefits of the handmade process, ranging from special brick moulds to full-scale terracotta casts. Later, we had the opportunity to try it out ourselves, firstly ‘throwing’ our own bricks (each of our best bricks were initialled and fired for us), and then laying our own brick walls under tuition from the on-site bricklayer. Thank you to EH Smith, Michelmersh and all at Charnwood for such an insightful, inspiring and interactive day out.”
Michelmersh is the UK’s premium producer of bricks, pavers and roof tiles with a wide variety of innovative, popular brands that continue to attract the attention of leading design practices. Its products and services have become the most trusted and renowned within the construction sector, as competitors now look to Michelmersh for pioneering ideas to stimulate, motivate and enthuse the younger generation.
Frank Hanna, Joint Chief Executive Officer of Michelmersh, commented: “Architects traditionally draw brickwork in their design proposals and rarely get the opportunity to physically feel the clay and watch the process from start to finish. We hope that Duggan Morris felt inspired by watching this natural material transform into our bricks, offered in a comprehensive selection of colours and textures. Whilst we continue to see a revival in modern brick architecture and a demand for strong craftsmanship values, we hope that our ethos and processes exceed the expectations and demands of our clients.”
Michelmersh continues to showcase the ingredients of raw clay materials that transform into remarkable, tactile products. By using the most cutting-edge technology and refined traditional methods, Michelmersh will continue to deliver highly demanded, beautifully crafted, durable products that complement the most outstanding architecture, both traditional and contemporary, to improve our built environment.
