BooksGraphic Design

The designer aiming to make ‘superfans of the humble brick’

Think bricks are boring? Think again! Not only are they literally the building blocks of our homes, workplaces and most of the rest of the built environment; they're also pretty interesting little chunks of graphic design and typography if you look closely.

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Open copy of Brick Index showing two pages displaying photographed makers' marks stamped on bricks with text details

One man who knows that more than most is Patrick Fry, who's behind a new book entitled Brick Index. The book is part of the stable of his publisher CentreCentre, which Fry describes as being "all about the mundane, finding and preserving the unpublishable, with particular emphasis on obscure design collections." He adds: "With this new book I’m hoping we can find and make superfans of the humble brick."

The book features 155 photographs of ‘named bricks’. These are those with the makers' mark stamped into their top "When laid into our walls these stamps, often unique and peculiar in their design, are completely hidden," Fry explains. "So this book highlights an unseen design gem, that’s actually all around us."

The beautiful photography, shot by Inge Clemente showcases the myriad textures, colours and graphics of the bricks, which really are gorgeous. Makes us a bit ashamed we've not noticed them before, truth be told.

"This collection serves to rethink a ubiquitous material and honour the graphic stamps hidden all around us," the publisher adds.

To really spice things up, the book features an introduction from brick historian David Kitching and an essay from design writer Professor Rick Poynor.

Open book displaying two photographs of named bricks with makers' marks stamped into their surfaces, showing textures and weathered surfaces in earthy tones
Open book displaying two terracotta bricks with embossed makers' marks and geometric designs stamped into their surfaces
Brick Index book with terracotta cover and white text displayed at an angle against a light background
Four clay bricks displaying makers' marks stamped into their surfaces, including examples from Leeds and other British brickworks with various typographic designs
Four bricks with makers' marks and stamps pressed into their surfaces, showing varied textures, colours and typography designs
Open spread from Brick Index showing black and white photographs of named bricks with maker's marks and descriptive text on cream pages with burgundy binding
Open copy of Brick Index showing two pages with close-up photographs of makers' marks stamped into brick surfaces
Open pages of Brick Index showing an index of named bricks with text entries across multiple columns
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