Didsbury Park

The two consistent designs, built on the plot of an existing single-storey building and sitting beside grade II listed buildings, combine brick detailing, charred timber cladding and bay windows to offer a modern interpretation of a traditional family home. And Wienerberger’s Forum Smoked Branco bricks proved the perfect choice for the building fabric.

Tasked with overcoming the inevitable challenges of building in a conservation area, architect Andrew Edmunds put forward a design for two 5,000 sq ft homes of the highest quality that take inspiration from their surroundings, whilst delivering a contemporary fabric.

Edmunds said: “There’s a common misconception that houses in a conservation area need to be pastiche, but it’s simply not the case. In fact, the panel said it wanted a 21^st century solution that must identify as a modern building, whilst considering the materials used on neighbouring properties, of course.

“One of the neighbouring properties is a handmade, red brick construction. We didn’t want a replica, but we knew we wanted to use brick as the main, predominant material. I like working with brick as it’s a tried and tested material and the key is sourcing the right brick for the right location. This build was all about quality, proportions and detailing that echoed the neighbouring properties.”

Edmunds enlisted the support of brick consultant Simon Jones from LBT Brick & Facades who specified Wienerberger’s Forum Smoked Branco bricks, a light grey design that proves popular for its unique aesthetic appeal.

Simon Jones said: “I work a lot with Wienerberger bricks and Forum Smoked Branco was a perfect fit for this project. The architect wanted an ice grey look, they were familiar with the brick from the nearby Timekeepers Square development in Salford and when we looked at the samples together, it was easily the right choice.”

Andrew Edmunds adds: “They look handmade. There’s so much texture to the brick, which gives a richness with the light and shadows. It was exactly what we were looking for."

“We used the brick alongside a charred timber cladding, so it’s all about texture without losing the contemporary feel. I wanted a brick that would work with the black of the charred timber and Wienerberger’s Forum Smoked Branco includes pigments of darker grey, which was perfect.”

The project was well received by the client, who now lives in one of the properties, and the off-plan buyer of the second home. Crucially, it was also approved by the Planning Committee, noting the architect’s skill in offering a high-quality, modern design that was befitting of its location in a conservation area.