3 reasons to enter the Brick in Architecture Awards
/Photo by Jimi Billingsley
It’s that time again. The Brick Industry Association (BIA) is accepting entries into its annual design competition. If you are an architect or designer whose firm completed a great project done in at least 50% clay brick over the last several years, you should definitely enter the Brick in Architecture Awards. Here are three reasons why.
Reason #1: Be recognized by your peers.
When you submit a project for consideration in the Brick in Architecture Awards it’s not evaluated by some intern in a dimly lit back office at the BIA headquarters. Oh, no. Your entry will be routed to a jury of professional designers — usually previous Brick in Architecture winners and experts in masonry design. Winning a Brick in Architecture award affirms the excellence of your product and demands attention from your peers, colleagues, and competitors.
Reason #2: Build your credibility and grab some positive PR.
If you’ve recently completed some excellent brick projects, you know that brick is one more medium you can now claim as being part of your firm’s repertoire. But does anyone else know? If in the past your firm has tended toward designs using other materials and building systems, how will potential clients know that you’re great at brick masonry too? Being part of the Brick in Architecture Awards brings instant credibility to your brick project, and the exposure you’ll get from BIA’s promotion will announce to the world, “We do amazing masonry buildings!”
Reason #3: Your clients want brick, so show them you can deliver!
If you haven’t already, eventually you’ll be approached by a client who specifically asks for a structure in brick. Why? Because people love brick! It’s true with home buyers and with multi-family, commercial, office, and institutional decision makers, many of whom are tying their own legacy to the structures they have a hand in commissioning. School boards want buildings that are safe from wildfires and storms and that will last for generations. Corporate brands want to convey staying power and environmental sensitivity. Apartment developers want facades in a variety of styles that maintain their attractiveness over time with little maintenance. It all adds up to this: when you’re asked for your ideas on a brick structure, it will be nice to be able to say, “Absolutely! Let me show you some of the award winning brick buildings we’ve designed.”
Find more information about entering the 2022 Brick in Architecture Awards by clicking below, and be sure to check out the video of winners from 2021.
