Inspired by a love and appreciation of art and clever design, and attracted to the idea of using handcrafted materials in their new home, the owners of the recently completed Doll’s House in Northcote, Melbourne, looked no further than Petersen bricks for the feature wall in their lounge room.
Simon Knott, Director, BKK Architects, was the mastermind behind the extremely striking and clever design. Simon’s intent was to build a family home that offered sustainable and flexible living, underpinned by creativity and craftsmanship. So, Petersen’s D99 bricks were an absolutely perfect fit.
“The idea of these bricks being made by a process that emulates handcrafting was very appealing. The fact that you can see the imperfections in every one gives the bricks an honesty and character that’s not available in mass produced materials,” comments Simon.
And just like the Doll’s House namesake, the resounding idea behind the home was to create a space where everything is seen, and nothing hidden. And that’s exactly what you get with a Petersen brick: a non-uniform product that highlights the individual character of every one.
What first attracted Simon to Petersen bricks was not only meeting Christian Petersen, and hearing his fascinating ninth generation brickmaking story first hand, but also on viewing the bricks in Robertson Building Product’s showroom.
“Petersen bricks are stunning. I like the fact that the products are made with the same process that’s been used for more than a century, including coal firing. So, they’re fantastic to hold – you can see that each brick is made with care and they don’t feel at all processed,” adds Simon.
When asked whether BKK Architects would like to use the Petersen range in future projects, Simon answers with a resounding, “Yes. We’ll most definitely continue to use them”. Simon’s swift and determined reply simply says it all.
To see more images of this amazing project, please refer to the Dolls House case study on our Petersen bricks page. And if you’d like to see some of these unique handcrafted bricks in the flesh, simply call us on +613 8199 9599 and we’d be happy to show you our range.
Architect: BKK Architects
Product: Petersen D99 bricks
Photography: Shannon McGrath
