Promotion: US agency Design Collective has developed a 27-storey mixed-use tower in Silver Spring, Maryland, which is clad in custom-coloured bricks by materials producer Glen-Gery.
Solaire 8200 Dixon is the tallest tower in Silver Spring, a northern suburb of Washington, DC. It consists of 403 residential models, amenity areas, a meals corridor and 4 ranges of above-grade parking.
Occupying a non-rectilinear web site, it connects its residents to the town’s Metro, Metropolitan Department Path and the encircling pedestrian and transportation community of downtown Silver Spring.
“The constructing has many alternative frontages and not likely a real again, which is a large design problem,” stated architect at Design Collective, Alyse Talbott. “Both sides must be checked out from all completely different angles and all completely different approaches.”
“With a 27-storey constructing, you actually do must do issues to convey it again to a human scale,” she continued. “Plenty of occasions we give attention to the primary 20 ft, that’s what you are going to be experiencing while you stroll alongside the road.”
The constructing’s curved entry sequence alongside Dixon Avenue includes a deep overhang that homes the Meals Corridor entrance and outside eating.
To clad the constructing, the architects specified Glen-Gery’s matte Klaycoat bricks in Norman dimension and used six completely different {custom} colors to create a extra intimate scale at road stage and make the tower mix into the skyline.
A {custom} trio of darkish gray shades have been chosen for the constructing’s podium and a palette of three gentle gray shades for the remainder of the tower.
“We wished two brick palettes and we wished there to be a excessive distinction between the 2,” stated Talbott.
“We went with the darker Klaycoat mix for the bottom and that basically grounded the constructing and made it really feel of the earth, after which for the higher storeys, to lighten the remainder of the excessive rise, we wished a lighter brick mix.”
Glen-Gery’s breathable Klaycoat bricks are coated with “liquid clay” that is available in 20 color variations and practically limitless {custom} colors. The coating is utilized to the unfired brick physique and fused to it throughout firing.
In contrast to a glaze, which is usually impervious, the Klaycoat floor coating permits water vapour to cross by means of the face of the brick with out damaging the floor.
Over 350,000 bricks in over 11,000 shapes are used to clad the constructing with accents of orange metallic strategically positioned all through.
“We have been drawn to brick for this venture due to its human qualities – its tactile qualities,” defined Talbott. “It has a lot character to it and possibly a part of that’s as a result of it is truly from the earth. You possibly can’t recreate that.”
One other venture that not too long ago utilised Glen-Gery bricks is a convention centre on a verdant web site in Iowa designed by US studio Substance Structure. Named Tree Huis, the 650-square-metre constructing in Marion County is adorned with Ebonite Velour bricks laid in a horizontal association and chosen for a timeless look.
Glen-Gery bricks have been additionally used for Grand Mulberry in New York designed by US architect Morris Adjmi. The bricks have been hand-moulded in an effort to create their distinctive patterns and shapes, which have been developed particularly for the venture.
The model’s Black Roman Maximus bricks have been additionally chosen as cladding for a New Jersey residence designed by Brooklyn-based structure agency Studio PHH, named La Clairiere.
The home is situated in Princeton, New Jersey, and is made up of two brick-clad volumes which can be linked by a glass central void containing communal areas.
To seek out out extra about Glen-Gery, go to its web site.
Partnership content material
This text was written by Dezeen for Glen-Gery as a part of a partnership. Discover out extra about Dezeen partnership content material right here.
