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J UNE 2018 | 45 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ARRISCRAFT INTERNATIONAL Masonry Brick dominates the masonry market by ROBIN BRUNET S trictly from an esthetic viewpoint, masonry is experiencing a renaissance, not only in the residential sector but in commercial settings as well. Whether it's brick, stone, or even creatively tex- tured block, developers appreciate the tactile appeal of these products and are willing to spend extra money and effort to showcase them in their projects. When asked what trends are governing the North American masonry sector in 2018, Ray Leonard, president and CEO of the Brick Industry Association, recently noted that clean, cool shades are predominant as well as sandy earth tones in residential projects; black and dark grey brick is trending primarily for con- temporary and Art Deco looks; and genuine thin brick is sought for commercial entrance foyers, accent walls, and other interior and exterior applications. Arguably, one of the more unique uses of brick in a new project can be viewed in Vancouver, as The Independent at Main project nears completion on the corner of Kingsway and Broadway. This 27,600-square- metre, mixed-use residential, office, and commercial development is located in the heart of the surrounding Mount Pleasant neighbourhood; the project reinter- prets and reflects various aspects of Mount Pleasant street life, materiality, and colour through jumbled effects inspired by the diverse periods and styles of buildings throughout the neighbourhood. Mutual Materials is supplying the clay masonry component of this project, and technical representative Gerald Martin notes that, "the developers and archi- tects were keen on using brick and to showcase it in a distinctive way, by employing different colours and a variety of brick bond patterns, including some of the more unique herringbone and basket weave patterns. "Needless to say, this is an ambitious use of the material and is labour intensive, but it demonstrates the fact that more and more brick is being used as an exterior design element in major Canadian cities." Mutual Materials was also the supplier for the diverse range of building projects that has trans- formed Vancouver's Marine Drive and Cambie intersection into a high-rise urban neighbourhood. "Again, lots of brick is required in this region; all the new developments heading north along Cambie are going with the clay brick theme as well, and I think this is inspiring other developers elsewhere in the city to follow suit," says Martin. "However, while the volume of brick required for The Independent is less than the accumulation of brick required along the Cambie corridor, The Independent is a spectacular showcase for the material." It's worth noting that Mutual Materials has an edge over other clay brick manufacturers for the B.C. market in that it has brick plants closest to the Lower Mainland: one in Oregon and the other in Washington state. "This allows us to respond to an increasing demand for brick, as well as reduce transporta- tion costs for the client," explains Martin. "All other brick plants are located farther afield, in places like California, North Dakota, Utah, and Nebraska." Of course, increased demand eventually results in new product offerings; Expocrete has achieved a ter- rific reputation for quality products in the realms of hardscape, masonry, and precast concrete that look timeless and enhance the value of any project. This year, the company released its new ExpoBrick and EuroBrick concrete blocks that provide the rich look of brick masonry in a variety of classic and contemporary colour finishes – but with efficient, one-step installation. ExpoBrick specifically provides the esthetic appeal of traditional clay brick, but at a cost-effective price point, along with compressive strength (55 mega- pascals), fire, sound, and mould resistance. Eurobrick offers the same efficiencies as the ExpoBrick but in a tumbled texture profile resulting in heritage-style design options for designers. EuroBrick colours and textures perfectly replicate the look of traditional clay brick units for value driven projects. Another company renowned for responding quickly to design preferences is Arriscraft. In 2017 the company introduced two thin-clad stone products to meet the growing demand for veneer stone: Coastal Series and Midtown, the latter featuring two slim face rises, in long lengths, to deliver a sleek, modern look (similar to linear brick). The new Coastal Series incor- porates a mortar joint with modern stone – giving designers a distinct option to the drystack look. A key reason why Arriscraft is a trusted source for designers is product consistency. Whether thin- clad, full-bed or brick, all of Arriscraft's products are created using the same Natural Process technology, which uses only natural materials (plus colour pig- ments) and replicates how stone is created in the earth. This patented process creates stone products with the natural esthetics and durability of quarried stone, plus the convenience of efficient installation and unlimited supply. This spring, Arriscraft launched Architectural Linear Series Brick, a full-bed, long brick that mim- ics a distinct brick style popular in Europe – one that is both distressed and modern looking. Rather than importing this long brick from Europe, design- ers in North America now have access to the unique design through Arriscraft for significantly less cost. Building Blocks Linear Series Brick.

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