The recently announced Structural Brickwork Awards are the 4th since their inception by the Brick Development Association in 1982, and a few observations are timely regarding lessons learnt from the awards and perceptible trends to be seen in structural brick design. The intention of the award scheme was to encourage the use of
brickwork as a primary structural material - hardly a new concept in 1982 but lacking focus. They have been an undoubted success, and the changes in design and construction techniques over the last few years are significant. There is far more widespread awareness of the behaviour of brickwork under stress, and some masonry design now forms part of many more university engineering courses. This was less usual in 1982. A high attendance at the CPD courses run jointly by the Institution and the BDA points in the same direction.
S.B. Tietz