The Contemporary Elegance of Arriscraft Architectural Linear Brick
Brick has long been revered for its durability, versatility, and timeless appeal. Arriscraft Architectural Linear Brick Series (ALBS) is a modern interpretation of this classic building material that brings a sleek, contemporary edge to any design. This extra-long, elegant brick features a distressed finish and, being a silicate brick versus a clay brick offers the performance benefits of natural quarried stone. From the meticulous selection of raw materials to the precision manufacturing process, each Arriscraft brick is crafted to the highest standards.
Arriscraft is the stone products group of General Shale, the North American subsidiary of Wienerberger AG and a leading manufacturer of brick, one of the world's oldest green building materials. At the Stone Products Division of General Shale, Arriscraft shares General Shale's mission to continue as the preferred solutions provider of building materials in North America because of the enduring quality, energy efficiency, and natural beauty that these products provide. Driven by innovation that is modern and future-oriented, General Shale employees share a commitment to safety, the environment, and an intense focus on customer experience. Headquartered in Cambridge, Ontario (60 miles west of Toronto), ALBS is manufactured at this Ontario location and an additional manufacturing facility in Fort Valley, Georgia.
Arriscraft stone products allow architects, builders, and owners to create beautiful, timeless projects that will produce enhanced value without the costs usually associated with stone. Arriscraft products also come with an industry-unique lifetime warranty.
A new linear brick comes to the market
First introduced in 2018, Architectural Linear Series Brick (ALSB) filled a gap in the market for a distinct long brick previously available only in Europe. The purposeful weathering and blend of shorter and longer bricks with random lengths up to 23-5/8" set this brick apart from any other brick on the market.
Unleashing creative possibilities
One of the standout features of Arriscraft's architectural linear brick is its versatility. Whether used as a primary cladding material or as an accent, these bricks can transform the façade of any building, adding depth, texture, and character. The linear format opens up endless design possibilities, allowing for creative patterns and layouts that can be tailored to suit the unique requirements of each project. The brick also features exceptionally tight dimensional tolerances.
Whether you want to add warmth to a minimalist design or create a bold statement with a monochromatic palette, Arriscraft's unique blending and production technology results in a range of natural brick colors.
Standard colors manufactured in Cambridge, Ontario, include Charcoal, Midnight Grey, Obsidian and Opal. Special Order colors include Georgetown blend, Mahogany, Millstone, and Walnut. An additional eight standard colors are manufactured in Fort Valley, Georgia. These colors are Burnt Umber, Cedar Woods, Chateau Brown, Evening Shade, Forged Steel, Harbor Grey, Red Sumac, and White Pearl. Custom colors are also available.
Thanks to its composition, ALBS features a consistent color throughout the brick. As such, ALBS can be cut, chiseled, and dressed in the field while maintaining the same color and texture.
A sustainable choice
For over 70 years, Arriscraft has manufactured stone for commercial and residential projects using their unique Natural Process technology that eliminates the need for cementitious or artificial binders. Arriscraft pioneered this environmentally benign technology in the 1950s and has continued to enhance and refine it ever since.
This Natural Process technology, which mirrors natural stone formation, uses only silica-based sand and other minerals, plus color pigments, to replicate how stone is created in the earth. This unique process results in a calcium silicate stone with a quarried stone's natural aesthetics and durability, plus the convenience of standard installation and unlimited supply.
Durability is an essential aspect of material sustainability. Calcium silicate stone's high strength, density, and naturally low absorption rate translate into superior durability. ALSB calcium silicate brick provides a lifetime of performance as it doesn't fade or discolor and requires little maintenance over time, thus reducing its overall environmental impact.
Blending form and function
Arriscraft Architectural Linear Bricks also offer several practical benefits. The slim profile means the bricks can be easily installed using standard bricklaying techniques, thus saving time and labor costs. Their lightweight nature makes them suitable for various applications, from exterior facades to interior feature walls.
For architects, designers, and specifiers, Arriscraft offers service support and quality. Value-added services like their Masonry Envelope Review, online CAD Library, and AIA Course offerings are Arriscraft's way of sharing architects', designers' and builders' commitment to creating beautiful, long-lasting buildings.
Arriscraft Architectural Linear Brick is a versatile and stylish choice for architects and designers looking to add a touch of modern elegance to their projects. With its blend of contemporary design, sustainable materials, and practical benefits, it is easy to see why this innovative product is becoming increasingly popular in the built environment
Arriscraft's Architectural Linear Brick features in several high-profile projects, including the Princeton University Residences by Deborah Berke Partners, Dental Clinic HT by CARTA. Architecte, and Brooklyn's Denizen Bushwick project by ODA Architecture.
Reference projects
Princeton University Residences
Princeton University, renowned for its historic architecture and picturesque campus, is a testament to timeless design and enduring beauty. The bricks that adorn its buildings are among the many architectural elements that contribute to Princeton's unique charm. Deborah Berke Partners’ selection of ALBS for this project references the surrounding historic brick while providing a contemporary touch.
Because ALSB doesn't have core holes like regular clay brick, a more pronounced recess is feasible while maintaining structural integrity. In this instance, the linear aesthetic of the long brick is highlighted with a slightly deeper recessed joint than standard: 3/4" vs 3/8". Another advantage of solid brick units is that ALSB units can be dramatically offset to create distinctive feature sections.
Because these calcium silicate brick products feature a consistent texture and color throughout the material, units can be easily cut on-site to any desired length to achieve geometries such as these beautifully curved brick walls.
Finally, Architectural Linear Series Brick comes pre-bended with random lengths up to 23-5/8". The extended sizes translate to fewer head joints during installation, resulting in high daily installation rates. This advantage adds up to significant time and resource efficiencies for large projects like this one.
On a large piece of land in a rural Quebec landscape, the Dental Clinic Saint-Jacques was first born as a project out of the desire of two dentists to redefine their working environment and the image of their business with an ambitious commercial building that reflects the Clinic's innovative treatments. The resulting architecture is sober and professional in appearance, standing out with its simplicity and refined nature.
The building is clad with extra-long ALBS brick, which was selected to echo the horizontal character of the agricultural landscape and surrounding environment. The light brick color blends with the landscape and complements the light-coloured metallic window elements that sparkle from afar and change color with the seasons and time of day.
Located on the former site of Brooklyn's historic Rheingold Brewery, the Denizen Bushwick project offers 1,000,000 square feet of apartment units, 20% of which are affordable. The project hosts a multitude of communal spaces open to the neighborhood, while a 17,950 square foot public park bisects the development, creating a green promenade and two 400 by 300 foot blocks. These masses are further perforated by a sequence of meandering, interconnected courtyards, which ultimately lead to a promenade.
Over the New York City blocks, ODA designed a fragmented façade that includes Arriscraft's Architectural Linear Brick in Charcoal, which references the historic brick of the Brewery and industrial neighborhood and complements the rust-coloured, deeply recessed windows. The result is refined and still industrial in nature.
