# The best brick buildings in the world?



## InvisibleParis (Feb 15, 2009)

Hello everybody,

I'm quite new here, so I'm not sure where to put threads (there are so many forums!) so I hope this is ok here. I'd just like to celebrate one of man's greatest inventions, the simple brick, and how it has been used throughout history to create some fantastic structures. I like it so much that I created an _I Love Brick_ group on Facebook, and a Flickr group to share photos with others. I also run the Bricks in Paris blog, and hope to create a detailed archive of the best brick buildings in the city, a place not usually associated with the material. 

Here are some of my favourite brick buildings in Paris. If anybody has any photos of brick buildings elsewhere I'd be delighted to see them or have them added to the Facebook group. Also, if anyone knows of any other brick resources or blogs, please let me know!


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## Ribarca (Jan 28, 2005)

The most famous one in Amsterdam must be the Rijksmuseum:










And the Centaal Station:










And also the Beurs van Berlage:


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## Ribarca (Jan 28, 2005)

I love this one in Amsterdam:

http://rogershepherd.com/WIW/solution3/deKlerk.html

Het schip by Michel de Klerk.


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## InvisibleParis (Feb 15, 2009)

Those are fantastic. Of course, the further north you go the more brick you tend to see, but we forget that brick was originally a Middle-Eastern discovery popularised by the Romans.


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## wapo5050 (Jun 28, 2008)

I'm sorry but I'm going to show you the best: the Bullring of Las Ventas in Madrid:


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## wapo5050 (Jun 28, 2008)

other two beautiful brick buildings in Madrid are:

The Palacio de la prensa:


















and the España Building:


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## john2890 (Jan 30, 2007)

Has to be Russell Square Hotel in London. 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ll_on_Russell_Square,_London_-_April_2007.jpg

sorry, i dunno how to embed pics!


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## Paper Ninja (Feb 7, 2008)

Grundtvig's Church, Scandinavia
http://www.mimoa.eu/projects/Denmark/Copenhagen/Grundtvig%27s%20Church










Interior


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## _Barca_ (Apr 15, 2009)

I'm sorry but I'm going to show you the bests:

Casa de les Punxes (Barcelona) (Josep Puig i Cadafalch):






Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona (Lluís Domènech i Montaner). It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site:


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## _Barca_ (Apr 15, 2009)

Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona (Lluís Domènech i Montaner). Another UNESCO World Heritage Site:


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## Gamma-Hamster (Dec 28, 2006)

We have some nice ones in Moscow:

*Moscow museum of history(1881)*




























*Moscow city duma (1892)*


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## wapo5050 (Jun 28, 2008)

more brick buildings from Madrid:
Plaza de Canalejas:









caixaforum by Herzog & de Meuron


















Parroquia de Santa Cruz:


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## wapo5050 (Jun 28, 2008)

The Estación de Atocha:


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## Gamma-Hamster (Dec 28, 2006)

*St Basil's Cathedral (1560)* in Moscow is also made of bricks:





























So is Kremlin's towers and walls:



















*Church of the Savior on Blood(1907)* in St. Petersburg


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## cardiff (Jul 26, 2005)

Some from a similar UK forum



Delirium said:


> Most things that are Bristol Byzantine should at least get a look.
> 
> The granary





Mr. B said:


> Templetons Carpet Factory, Glasgow
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Royal Holloway










from manchester

the palace hotel










Portsmouth museum is great too










The Royal Albert Hall, Kensington









Holborn Bars, the City









Just a very small selection


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## OakRidge (Mar 9, 2007)

A depressing thread. These great examples of architecture just remind me of how far we have fallen.


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## Pincio (May 30, 2007)

What about this one?

*Palazzo Vecchio (Florence)*


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## da_funkmaster (May 25, 2008)

OakRidge said:


> A depressing thread. These great examples of architecture just remind me of how far we have fallen.


I disagree!
Most of the pompous buildings shown here result form different eras where it was absolutely not natural for the common citizen to have even a tolerable accommodation! These brick buildings represent the very elite and rulers of that time. They where the only people who could afford to build such palaces. Back in those days I would probably be more worried about the survival of my two goats than shiny architecture since my survival is dependent on theirs.
And today? People who can afford it have more luxurious and pretentious villas than ever! Except they are not made from brick, since it would not support a 500+ m tall building or a 40+ km long bridge over very rough sea or a space station.... Is this no achievement to you? I don't think so


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## buho (Sep 15, 2008)

*Seo de Zaragoza (Spain)*



















*Bab al-Mardum mosque* (Toledo, Spain, year 999)




























*San Roman church* (Toledo, Spain, XIII century)



















*La Giralda *(Sevilla, Spain, XII century minaret of 97'5 metres tall)


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## Ribarca (Jan 28, 2005)

Amazing thread. In Holland about all are buildings are brick buildings. Certainly we have lost a lot of the craftsmanship over time!

Some more Dutch ones:


Olympic stadium,Amsterdam:









Gas Unie, Groningen:









De Waag, Amsterdam









The inkpot in Utrecht:









Some older pics I made myself in Amsterdam:

Scheepvaarthuis:









Wester Church









Amstel Hotel









Modern building









Building on Dam Square


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## buho (Sep 15, 2008)

The Alhambra (Spain) was made in brick, too...


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## l'eau (Jul 7, 2008)

i like dutch brick building.


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## World 2 World (Nov 3, 2006)

*Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Kuala Lumpur*


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## buho (Sep 15, 2008)

*Samarra minaret (Irak)*


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## damian89 (Jul 30, 2008)

St. Mary's Church in Gdańsk - biggest brick church in the world

















Malborl Castle - biggest brick gothic castle in the world


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## buho (Sep 15, 2008)

In Spain most castles are made with bricks...

Castillo de Coca










Castillo de la Mota


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## william of waco (Jul 13, 2008)

The 15th century Holstentor in Lubeck, Germany with it's famous double "witch hats".
Most of the old town of Lubeck is a miracle of gothic brick preservation.6

(Images wiki)


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## KWT (Dec 8, 2008)

I think some of the most beautiful brick architecture is in Iran:
































































brick structure covered in crystal tiles


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## Paper Ninja (Feb 7, 2008)

Blue Brick!

Elizabetes Iela 10b, Riga, Latvia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=Elizabetes+Iela+10b&fulltext=Search


















Strelnieku Iela 4 Riga, Latvia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Eisenstein


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## HOLABETO (Apr 1, 2007)

If you love Bricks, you Will Love Medellin, Colombia!


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## Vladivostok53 (Feb 28, 2009)

Gamma-Hamster said:


> *St Basil's Cathedral (1560)* in Moscow is also made of bricks:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The Kremlin is the most important brick building in the world


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## Liwwadden (Nov 12, 2005)

Source


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## Snowy (Nov 6, 2006)

*London*


*Butler's Wharf*

Butler's Wharf was built between 1871 and 1873 as a shipping wharf and warehouse. Since the 1980s, it has been transformed from a decaying, derelict site into luxury apartments with shops and restaurants on the ground floor.












(jvdc, flickr)












(craigjam, flickr)












(sinicain, flickr)












(Kake Pugh, flickr)












(Copperstone, flickr)


Old warehouse buildings, by Butler's Wharf, which have also been converted into luxury apartments or upmarket shops and restaurants












(captainzep, flickr)












(Larsz, flickr)












(Ewan-M, flickr)


*The Natural History Museum*

Built in 1881, The Natural History Museum is often decribed as "a cathedral of nature". Note the use of animals as gargoyles, some extremely prominent, others hidden away. The level of detail is astonishing.












(David & Cheryl M, flickr)












(Danacea, flickr)












(Roy McGrail (krm gib), flickr)












(blu_blue, flickr)












(aliciab1970, flickr)












(geoftheref, flickr)












(Marsell, flickr)


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## cardiff (Jul 26, 2005)

Natural history museum is stunning!


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## 1878EFC (Jun 24, 2006)

Stanley Dock, Liverpool. The Disused Tobacco Warehouse is the largest brick building in the world with 27 million bricks and today is still the worlds largest warehouse. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4737carlin/1286570883/


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## 1878EFC (Jun 24, 2006)

So much potential in this building, sad to see it in such a state hno:


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## Snowy (Nov 6, 2006)

1878EFC said:


> So much potential in this building, sad to see it in such a state hno:


Are there any plans to restore this great building, or has the credit crunch put paid to that?


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## 1878EFC (Jun 24, 2006)

i think the credit crunch mate, havent heard a tap for god knows how long. 

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/...objectid=18815073&siteid=50061-name_page.html

"The development, due to start in late 2008 or early 2009, will take seven years to complete."


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## william of waco (Jul 13, 2008)

St. Anne's Church and Bernardine Monastery in Vilnius, Lithuania
The brick facade has remained unchanged since 1500.

(Images wiki)


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## cardiff (Jul 26, 2005)

First photo in this thread will show you why London has some of the best brick buildings, the other pics demonstrate this as well

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=867128


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

deleted


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## Taiki24 (Dec 1, 2008)

^^^^

Very reasoned and well thought out, really added to the discussion.

Is it just me, or does anyone else wish that more buildings were being built in the Gothic revival style? IMO, gothic cathedrals are some of the most beautiful buildings on earth; especially coupled with the technology present when most of them were first built.

That dutch church, St. Martini`s, is absolutely stunning!


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## Paper Ninja (Feb 7, 2008)

The American Radiator Building is Gothic style and black brick. 









http://wirednewyork.com/real_estate/american_radiator_building/


















http://www.dustandrust.com/2006/04/


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## Pablo323 (Mar 25, 2008)

What do you think of this one?



alejoaoa said:


> *Medellín *- Guayacanes de Avignon





Carbet said:


> Uy alejoa, ese edificio es excelente, tiene reconocimiento por la bienal, colaboro con una foto que creo importante postear:


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## TopWatch (Jun 21, 2008)

^^ That's a School or an Apartment building Pabs??

Saludos!!!


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Cathedral of La Plata*





The Cathedral of La Plata in La Plata, Argentina, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, is the 58th tallest church in the world. This Neogothic edifice is located in the geographical center of the city, facing the central square, Plaza Moreno, and the City Hall. Inspired by the European cathedrals of Amiens and Cologne, its plans were drawn by architect Ernesto Meyer under the direction of city planner Pedro Benoit. The cornerstone was laid in 1884, and it was consecrated as the Parroquia Nuestra Señora de los Dolores in 1902. The parish church, which continued undergoing works, was designated a cathedral in 1932.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


On HD:


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