Longley Place in Brighton is the first Build to Rent scheme in the area, consisting of 209 apartments within a building ranging from eight up to 17-storeys. The site was the former Longley Industrial Estate, so the task was to transform the warehouse brownfield site into a new vibrant place for the community.

One of the main aims of the build was to incorporate public art that integrates effortlessly with the building's aesthetic. The challenge was to find a way to meet these goals within the constraints of time and cost, especially in creating bespoke glazed brick colours for the project's artwork. Overall, Longley Place required 8,000 bespoke coloured bricks in 20 different shades to create the public art commission. 

The architects, EPR Architects, collaborated with Wienerberger amd their agent N R Taylor to develop bespoke glazed brick colours that would align with the project's brief.

Wienerberger provided the necessary glazed brick types, Luna and Solar, to bring the vision of artist, Ptolemy Mann, to life. Ptolemy initiated the project with large-scale colour sketches, depicting the Down's light, the sea and Brighton's eco-conscious community. Through a series of workshops, the sketches were translated from painting to glazed brick.

The bricks not only delivered stunning visual impact, but also had a resilient ceramic finish, ensuring durability and easy maintenance in various weather conditions. Glazed bricks offer design versatility, allowing architects and designers to experiment with bond patterns, orientation and mortar colours for added flair.

The collaboration between EPR Architects and Wienerberger successfully transformed Longley Place, with 8,000 coloured bricks forming a distinctive piece of art on the building, capturing the essence of Brighton. Add to this a further 35,000 glazed bricks for the other parts of the building.

Jamie Crapnell, Architect at EPR Architects, said: “Wienerberger's collaboration and commitment to quality materials and service contributed to Longley Place's resounding success. The team were very easy to talk to, responsive and informative throughout the project, and the final artwork on the building’s two flank walls looked brilliant.”