Exploring the artistry of texture: Why architects choose different brick textures for their projects

Just as brushstrokes define a painting, texture becomes the language through which architects communicate their artistic vision. We believe that one of the reasons that brick is an eternally popular material choice for creating beautiful facades is the wide variety of brick textures available.

From the warm, weathered appearance of a soft mud brick to the contemporary gloss of a glazed brick, architects wield the power of diverse brick textures as a vital tool in their creative arsenal. The careful selection of brick textures allows for the creation of visually captivating facades that define the overall aesthetic of the building, harmonise with the surroundings, or even pay homage to historical context.

Of course, aesthetics and practicality must go hand in hand to make a project a success. In circumstances where traditional brickwork isn’t practical, brick tile cladding systems such as Corium can offer a similar range of textures to play with.

Let’s explore the reasons why architects deliberately choose different brick textures to bring their visions to life and how they contribute to the overall aesthetic and functionality of building facades.

Every architectural project exists within a unique context, be it an urban landscape, a rural environment, or a specific architectural style. Architects skilfully leverage brick textures to integrate their designs seamlessly into the surrounding context. By carefully selecting the right texture, architects can create a cohesive visual language that complements the existing built environment while adding a touch of modernity or individuality.

Brick textures play an instrumental role in capturing the essence of a specific region or cultural heritage. Architects often utilise different brick textures to pay homage to local traditions, bringing a sense of authenticity and narrative to their designs.

Architects consider the use of brick textures to establish a symbiotic relationship between a building and its surroundings. For example, soft mud brick, known for its rustic and earthy appearance, resonates with projects seeking a connection to nature and historical craftsmanship. The brick's organic texture complements natural environments, green spaces, wooded areas, and other serene settings.   

An architect's understanding of how light interacts with various materials is crucial in creating captivating spaces. Brick textures can significantly influence the interplay of light and shadow, adding a dynamic element to architectural compositions. By incorporating a brick facade with different surface finishes or patterns, architects can manipulate light to create captivating effects, highlighting depth, and providing an ever-changing visual spectacle throughout the day.

As well as the brick selection providing texture, the inclusion of projecting bricks can also create dynamic texture on a building facade through protrusions and recessions. 

Texture plays a pivotal role in establishing visual hierarchy and emphasizing key architectural elements in exterior cladding. By employing different brick textures strategically, architects can guide the viewer's attention, highlight specific areas, or create focal points within a structure. This deliberate control of texture enables architects to craft compelling narratives and enhance the overall spatial experience of a building.

Architects understand that texture is more than just a visual aspect; it speaks to our senses, elicits emotions, and breathes life into a structure. The careful selection of brick textures allows architects to create a tactile experience, offering visual appeal and inviting individuals to use their hands to engage physically with the built environment. From rough and weathered surfaces to sleek and smooth finishes, architects can play with textures to elicit emotional responses and enhance the sensory experience within a space. 

Texture is an integral facet of architectural design, and architects embrace the diverse textures of brick to infuse their projects with a range of visual, sensory, and cultural experiences. Every texture has a story to tell, and every architectural masterpiece begins with a visionary architect who understands the artistry of texture selection.

As an alternative to traditional masonry, the Corium brick tile cladding system features a variety of textures, including glazed, dragfaced, creased, slate effect, bubbled, sanded and smooth brick. These surface effects are achieved by applying a texture onto the extruded clay tiles using a roller, with colours and glazes applied as an engobe.

Among the array of choices, more traditional, weathered brick textures are eternally popular, and this is why we have added the new Corium Rustic Texture range to our collection of brick cladding designs. These eight new designs share the same performance credentials and quality standards as the rest of our Corium range as they are extruded brick tiles, but a rustic surface texture is applied during the manufacturing process.

Watch this space for more new textures available in the Corium range soon.