Brick - the exhibition

On May 24th 2007, the exhibition "Brick" opened at the Groot Handelsgebouw in Rotterdam during the manifestation Rotterdam 2007, City of Architecture. The exhibition will highlight the results of the Brick project that was carried out over a three-year period at the European Ceramic Work Centre.
The architecture project Brick was aimed at product innovation. The .ekwc wanted to stimulate the technical and artistic development of the manufacturing and application of brick as a construction material. Architects, designers and artists from both the Netherlands and abroad have been working on the development of a new type of brick since 2005. The .ekwc expects to be able to use this to provide a new stimulus to the application of brick and subsequently the brick appearance of the Netherlands.
The exhibition does not consist of a showroom full of products, but is a special designed presentation of both true works of art inspired by brick and new, commercial designs suitable for further development by the brick industry. A rich, multidisciplinary exhibition based on the experiments the participants entered into with ceramics as a material.

Read more about the Brick project and its participants

Brick: the exhibition
25 May - 1 July 2007
Opening 24 May 2007
Groot Handelsgebouw (Conradstraat 40-48)
Rotterdam - The Netherlands

Ben Oostrum in collaboration with Rob Bonneur

For me the Brick project was a good occasion for an intensive collaboration with architect Rob Bonneur. We have known each other for years, but never got around to working together. This was the perfect opportunity. Thereby we wanted to work from start on the development of a series of producible brick products. No conceptual approach, but a design process aimed at concrete results.
We combined different experiences and backgrounds. Our brick project has turned out a number of innovative brick products. For example we looked into what possibilities the joint offers to beautify the facade image.

A simple design is the Line Brick Horizontal, a brick with an extra horizontal joint along the full length. During application the image is created of an extra flat brick, while it doesn’t differ from the standard size stone.

A variation is the Line Brick Vertical Brick whereby the standard stone is divided into little rectangle parts by multiple vertical grouts.

The Line Brick Horizontal combined with the Line Brick Vertical gives the Pixel Brick, a stone which creates the image of extra small bricks. Special for this design is the possibility to create pixel-art images, text and more when so-called pixels are chopped off while assembling.

The Cube Brick has a hexagonal basic shape with joints that accentuate the cube’s contours. Interlinked in a wall surface a dazzling “spatial” effect is created.

Brick: architecture café

Every Friday in the period of 25 May - 1 July
from 16.00 - 18.00 hrs,
Brick: the exhibition will make room for the Brick: architecture café . In cooperation with interesting parties, the .ekwc organises inspiring presentations for architects, designers and artists.

The programme for the Brick: architecture café:

25 May – ‘The Intelligent Wall’ i.c.w. Delft University of Technology, department of Industrial Design, BeamSystems and Philips Lighting*

1 June – ‘The role of architecture museums in The Netherlands' i.c.w. Museum Hilversum

8 June – ‘The Village Office, office furniture by Samas’ i.c.w. Samas

15 June – ‘Mix & Match dating show’ i.c.w. The One Minute Foundation of the Sandberg Institute, BNO and BNA Kring Rijnmond

22 June– ‘The office in the future' i.c.w. Samas and Apple*

29 June – ‘Who’s the greatest?!’ i.c.w. NAi Publishers and various municipalities
* these parties are to be confirmed

The entrance is free, you are very welcome!
After an inspiring Friday afternoon, you can relax and enjoy the panoramic view on Rotterdam's architecture. Restaurant Engels is offering a special Brick tapas menu after every Brick: architecture café on the rooftop terrace of the Groot Handelsgebouw (costs € 17,50, reservations: info@engels.nl | t +31 10 4119550).

Brick: architecture café
every Friday afternoon between 25 May and 1 July 2007
16.00 - 18.00 hrs
Groot Handelsgebouw
Conradstraat 40-48
Rotterdam

Brick Design

Together with Rob Bonneur (VVLFB Architects) and Julia Voigtmann, we worked at the EKWC in 's-Hertogenbosch on new brick designs for the EKWC Brick project. A project sponsored by Wieneberger, the world's largest brick manufacturer.