Awards success for Ketley Brick
Ketley Brick has achieved major success for the third year running in theBrick Development Association's Brick Awards.
The awards recognise excellence in design and construction using brick and clay products.
Two of Pensnett-based Ketley’s flagship projects claimed top prizes. Walthamstow Wetlands scooped best refurbishment and the Red House was outright winner in the individual housing development category.
Walthamstow Wetlands is a series of 10 reservoirs, which has been transformed into one of Europe’s largest urban Wetland nature reserves.
Described by the judges as "a very skilled work of refurbishment on an industrial building", the award-winning project from architects Witherford Watson Mann used Ketley Brown Brindle ‘Class A’ facing bricks for the listed Victorian Engine House and the reconstruction a striking new 24m ‘swift tower’. Ketley quarry tiles were also featured on much of the interior flooring.
The Red House, from Architects 31/44, is on the site of an old garage building at the end of a Victorian terrace of London Stock Brick/
The aim was to make this impressive new build a part of its Victorian surroundings, but with a modern interpretation with the red brickwork connecting with the red detailing on neighbouring properties. Ketley’s Staffordshire Blue Star patterned pavers featured in both indoors and outdoors and in the entrance to the property, providing a nice contrast to the red brick.
Alex Patrick-Smith, managing director of Ketley Brick in Dreadnought Road, said: “We are proud to have been involved with such high calibre projects, which are widely recognised for their excellence of design and construction. This achievement is a testament to the technical performance and aesthetic qualities of our clay products.”
Ketley Brick is a family business which, along with sister company Dreadnought Tiles, has operated continuously from the one factory since 1805.
The company, which employs 67 people and produces more than 14 million bricks and tiles a year, is recognised for the quality of its projects, including previous award winners Victoria Gate in Leeds and Maggies in Manchester. Ketley’s Staffordshire Blue bricks have also been used widely in the borough of Dudley including on the archives building and many restoration projects.
