BDA best structural use of Ibstock brick

Hopkins Norwich Forum wins BDA best structural use of Ibstock brick.

Multi-award winning practice Hopkins Architects has created a new landmark in the cathedral city of Norwich.

Sited in the heart of the city and combining several public interest functions, the Forum is a striking reminder of one of brick's most fundamental functions, being awarded the Best Structural Use of Brick in the BDA Awards 2004.

Michael Taylor, Director at Hopkins Architects commented: "As with other of our projects, we designed the wall to carry the load - why use brick masonry just for cladding when it has evolved to support the load of buildings?" The Forum combines the new County Library, a visitor centre, and a business and learning resource centre with the BBC's regional headquarters.

The building plan comprises a brick built horseshoe with a glazed facade to the atrium, which allows a seamless connection from the internal public arena across the newly paved external public space (The Millennium Plain) to the magnificent city church of St Peter Mancroft.

As well as connecting with the public space at its front, the brick wall's rear face is carefully designed to integrate with the existing historic buildings in the conservation area behind.

This is achieved by using specially hand made, foot long bricks from Ibstock's Swanage factory to complement the older bricks used in the City Hall, introducing brickwork detailing and piercing the wall with an array of large bay windows that echo the fenestration and massing of surrounding structures.

The Swanage Handmade bricks were carefully blended to create a heterogeneous appearance, and combined with burnt headers for extra richness of colour.

The wall was constructed without expansion joints by combining the flexibility of lime mortar with the English bond.

Irreversible moisture movement in the actual brick was avoided by storing the batches of brick for nine weeks in Ibstock's Swanage factory, prior to delivery on site and immediate use.

Tapered headers and stretchers in the Swanage Handmade were also designed for the curved front end 'chimneys'.

A further unusual feature in the rear wall is the external appearance of square white concrete nodes which indicate where the concrete floor slabs are anchored in the load-bearing brick wall, and connect the interior construction with the perimeter.

Client: The Forum Trust .

Architect: Hopkins Architects.

Brickwork Contractor: RG Carter.

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