Handmade Kolumba bricks from the Petersen range used on the facade of The Turnmill Building in London won the builder the prestigious 2016 UK Brick Award.

Presented by the Brick Development Association in the UK each year, the UK Brick Award celebrates brick in every aspect of design and construction. Swift Brickwork Contractor Ltd, the construction company for The Turnmill Building received the award in two categories: 'Best International & Worldwide Project' and 'Specialist Brickwork Contractor of the Year'.

Designed by Piercy & Company for Derwent London, The Turnmill Building is an impressive structure located in the historic Clerkenwell area of London. The building was completed in 2015 with the architects achieving excellent outcomes in both architectural design and adaptation to the environment. The choice of materials contributed significantly to the spectacular results.

A key requirement in the client’s brief was for the building to live up to its predecessor on the site, a stable originally housing the London Underground workhorses, built in the late 1800s on several floors. It was also important for the new building to match the facade of the adjacent building, the listed Session House built in 1780 in sandstone, in various shades of grey.

The award-winning solution was to develop handmade Kolumba bricks in three bright shades, F56, F58 and F59, mixing them together, and using them to create the delicate, finely woven masonry on the facade. The entire facade used a total of 85,890 handmade bricks, including 27 special bricks produced specifically for The Turnmill Building.

Petersen bricks are helping architects and builders alike win awards across the world. Available in an extensive range of colours, sizes and textures, Petersen bricks are exclusively distributed in Australia by Robertson's Building Products Pty Ltd.