BIA opens entries for 2016 Brick in Architecture Awards

Words: Lorelei HarloeThe Brick Industry Association (BIA) encourages entries for its 2016 Brick in Architecture Awards through April 30.

BIA’s annual design competition honors outstanding, innovative and sustainable architecture in 10 categories that incorporate clay brick products as the predominant exterior building or paving material.

Entries will be conducted entirely online at www.gobrick.com/Architecture-Awards, and the winners will be announced in June. Projects will be judged by a jury of peers.

"The annual Brick in Architecture Awards showcase the best clay brick projects in the country,” said Ray Leonhard, BIA president & CEO. "Architects demonstrate fired clay brick's aesthetic flexibility, and as a material made from abundant natural resources, it's a perfect strategy in sustainable design.”

Architectural and design firms may enter their best projects completed since January 1, 2011, in which new clay brick products comprise the predominant exterior building or paving material (over 50 percent). These include face or hollow brick, building brick, thin brick, paving brick, glazed brick, structural glazed facing tile, new clay brick products in special shapes and/or a combination of any of these aforementioned units.

Entries must be submitted online in one or more of the below categories:
  • Commercial
  • Commercial
  • Education — K-12
  • Education — Colleges & Universities (Higher Education)* -Health Care Facilities
  • Municipal / Government
  • Houses of Worship
  • Residential — Single Family
  • Residential — Multi-Family
  • Paving & Landscape Projects
  • Renovation (Additions)** / Restoration (Restoring)
*Includes residence halls & academic/administrative buildings

**Additions must use at least 50 percent new clay brick products on the building. Restoration must include at least 50% clay brick products, which must be new brick placed in the wall.

As the most prestigious juried competition of its kind, Best in Class winners will receive national recognition through a special Brick in Architecture insert in the December issue of Architect magazine. The insert will include other winners as well as in Brick News Online, and all entrants will be features in BIA’s online Photo Gallery.

For more information, contact .
Designing Masonry Openings Without Compromising Aesthetics
July 2026

One of masonry's greatest strengths is its ability to create visually striking architecture. From arches and deep reveals to decorative brick detailing, masonry provides texture, depth, and character that continue to inspire architects today. As buildin

Restoring the Breath of the Building: The Life-Saving Science Behind Historic Masonry Repairs
July 2026

When I first set out to become a historic preservation and restoration mason, I imagined that most of my trade would involve repairing the effects of old age. Instead, 99 percent of my work is attempting to stabilize and reverse damage caused by recent an

Laying the Foundation for the Future: Workforce Development at the Arizona Masonry Council
July 2026

For generations, masonry has been built on a simple but powerful principle: knowledge passed from one set of hands to the next. In Arizona, the Arizona Masonry Council (AMC) is working to ensure that tradition continues by investing in one of the industr

Preserving Masonry Aesthetics with Concealed Lintel Systems
July 2026

Masonry has long been valued for its ability to create buildings with character, permanence, and visual appeal. Features such as arches, deep reveals, corbelling, and decorative brickwork continue to be popular design elements in modern architecture. Howe