Not just another brick in the wall: RANDERS TEGL ULTIMA
Storia del Marchio di Emma Moore
Aalborg, Danimarca
24.11.20
Danish brick manufacturer Randers Tegl’s story stretches back well over a century, and one of the newest chapters revolves around its distinctive, long-format brick Ultima.
Ultima is chosen by architects around the world. Here Simon Bowden Architects used the long format brick, sometimes called a Roman brick, for the plinth of The Compton residential building in London
Ultima is chosen by architects around the world. Here Simon Bowden Architects used the long format brick, sometimes called a Roman brick, for the plinth of The Compton residential building in London
×Randers Tegl, a leading Scandinavian brick maker with operations throughout Denmark and Germany, is on a mission to boost the reputation of the age-old building material and make it the architect’s resource of choice. Lately, it is its long format brick, the Ultima, that has been garnering attention for its modern profile, its textural appeal and versatility.
Randers Tegl has a fine standing in the world of bricks, thanks to an innovative bent that pushes the reach of the brick aesthetically and functionally while honing manufacturing techniques, some historical, to be ever more efficient and sustainable. It began life with a simple acquisition back in 1911 when engineer Carl Piper took over a brick factory in Viborg, Denmark and started a family business that went on to assimilate plants across northern Europe and become the continent’s largest producers of clay bricks and roof tiles. Today Randers Tegl’s annual brick production is 130 million.
The Mosehøjvej Villa in Denmark demonstrates the versatility of the Ultima brick. The customised composition, with bronze interjected into its sombre palette, partners elegantly with other materials
The Mosehøjvej Villa in Denmark demonstrates the versatility of the Ultima brick. The customised composition, with bronze interjected into its sombre palette, partners elegantly with other materials
×The company’s output includes specialist roof and sill tiles alongside bricks, both extruded and waterstruck, all in an exceptionally broad selection of shades and tonal assemblies. Twenty years ago they also launched pioneering offshoot, Carlsberg Bjælker, in which engineers work closely with architects to manufacture pre-fabricated brick compositions for integration into a design.
Randers Tegl makes bricks in an exceptionally broad palette of shades, and offers colour customisation too. Tonal variations are apparent within each colourway, bringing added texture to walls
Randers Tegl makes bricks in an exceptionally broad palette of shades, and offers colour customisation too. Tonal variations are apparent within each colourway, bringing added texture to walls
×The Ultima, however, launched in 2014 is fast becoming its signature product. The distinctive long format brick, sought out for its extreme resilience and for the warm, nuanced appeal of its irregular surface, has already been used around the globe, from villas in Australia to the Hermés store in Toronto, and many residential and commercial projects across Scandinavia and Germany in between.
© Architonic
