Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT)

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The new Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) is an outward-looking museum located on the banks of the Tagus in Belém. During the first year of opening, MAAT welcomed over 500,000 visitors, making it more popular than any public Portuguese museum.

Proposing a new relationship with the river and the wider world, MAAT is a powerful yet sensitive and low-slung building that explores the convergence of contemporary art, architecture and technology. The building is the centrepiece of EDP Foundation’s masterplan for an art campus, including the repurposed Central Tejo power station. Incorporating over 9,000m² of new public space and blending structure into landscape, the MAAT is designed to allow visitors to walk over, under and through the building that sits beneath a gently expressed arch.

AL_A, the architects of the museum, built the façade as ongoing research into new uses and reinterpretations of ceramics. The textured façade is composed of almost 15,000 three-dimensional crackle-glazed tiles manufactured by Ceràmica Cumella. The façade captures the changing light and give mutable readings of the exceptional southern light that vary with the time of day and the seasons.

The challenge for AL_A was to find a simple, affordable façade solution that would adapt to the surface and still recreate all the reflections and play with light and shadow that we envisioned. The solution had to address the budget and AL_A’s solution arose with a split hexagonal grid as it could adapt easily to the ruled surfaces and to the areas of transition composed of a gentle double curvature. By creating a 3D tiling system, it allowed the articulation of the façade in a way that we could reflect light in different directions and easily accommodate the surface geometry.

Light is reflected not just from the sky but also from the water. The change of the sun allows different kinds of shadows and as the day progresses, the appearance of the building changes.

The overhanging of the façade also creates lighting effects both inside and out, capturing and magnifying the unique light qualities of this south-facing site and the continually changing conditions.

The ceramic façade is the first of its kind and LOHAS Australia commends AL_A for their incredible work on the MAAT. This project has set a new standard of ceramic designs in Portugal.

Details make Architecture

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LOHAS Australia’s expanding range of building materials enables our customers to produce unique projects with a personal touch. Ceramic materials allow for creative freedom and their characteristic details are playful and distinctive.

Unlike classic architectural designs that use different materials for the walls and roof, technical innovation has made it possible for designers to experiment with using the same materials for both, creating a monolithic whole to the project. The wide range of colour options offers the development of a strong, contemporary architectural concept that produces meaningful and exclusive designs.

The choice for aesthetic detailing and simpler technical implementation can go hand in hand. New materials and processing techniques, such as gluing bricks, also contribute to the contemporary appearance of a project.

Correct implementation of the aesthetic details guarantees the long-term beauty of the project and avoids problems with the maintenance or use of the building

The strength of an architectural concept is closely linked to the choice of materials and the detailed way in which they are applied. Or to put it in the words of Charles Eames: “The details are not the details; they make the design.”

The strength of an architectural concept is closely linked to the choice of materials and the detailed way in which they are applied. Or to put it in the words of Charles Eames: “The details are not the details; they make the design.”

Ceramic materials offer the alternation of vertical and horizontal bricks. This style creates a dynamic rhythm in your façade.

The use of both vertical and horizontal bricks can work as the transition between pitches roods and façades creating an easy bridge between the materials.

Thanks to masonry in half-open bond, claustra’s are created, which offer more privacy and at the same time provide an interesting interplay between interior and exterior.

Vang Gogh House

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At the age of 22, Vincent Van Gogh lived at 87 Hackford Road in London back in August 1873 and although he only took residence here for one year, the home has left a lasting legacy that the current owners seek to celebrate today.

The home underwent a meticulous conservation project, bringing Van Gogh’s house back to life. This enabled the curation of a dynamic program of events anchored in the artist’s practice and local heritage. As well as these guided tours and events, Van Gogh’s House hosts an artist residency program in tandem with its nearby sister institution the San Mei Gallery.

Van Gogh’s House is a Georgian terrace, carefully conserved over the past six years with great sensitivity under the watchful eye of Cambridge University and Royal College of Art graduate Livia Wang. Wang worked with Andrew Shepherd Architects and Triskele Conservation, an artisan building contractor specialising in heritage conservation, for the home’s construction and repair. They managed to give a new life to the house that had narrowly avoided bombing during the Blitz.

The conservation team used a range of techniques for the repairs, using original materials, traditional techniques and employing the finest craftsman. The team found it important to intervene at a minimum to ensure the stories hidden within the house's walls remained while ensuring these will survive another 200 years.

The interiors of the house have been finished using sensitive colours and bespoke furniture to create a contemporary house that still reflects its past. An extension has been added to the rear of the house to create a new kitchen. The new artist’s studio has been built at the back of the newly landscaped garden. It was pivotal that the new additions complemented the house’s Victorian history and the original palette of clay, lime plaster and timber.

This was achieved using Staffordshire clay quarry bricks sourced from Ketley Brick was key to the design of the modern extensions. If you admire Van Gogh’s style of home and wish to explore using these bricks in your next project, please contact our team at LOHAS Australia for more information.

What are the advantages of a white roof?

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White roofs have been rising in recent years, which is logical. White roof tiles not only give a unique appearance, but during the increasingly warmer summers, a white roof also keeps your home fresh.

Lohas Plasma Pearl White

New aesthetic possibilities.

A white roof immediately gives the entire house a contemporary and exclusive look and makes your home an architectural masterpiece.

Fresher

Choosing white roof tiles is choosing aesthetically pleasing architecture. White roof tiles reflect the sunlight so that less heat enters the house. It's easier to keep it cool during the increasingly warmer summers.

Lower energy consumption

A white roof also has a clear impact on energy consumption. The air conditioning has to run much less, and the efficiency of solar panels also increases. The white roof reflects sunlight, which is partially collected by solar panels.

Future-proof cities

You may have heard something about the heat island effect, the phenomenon that it is often several degrees warmer in cities than in surrounding areas. This effect is partly caused by dark building materials and, therefore, also by dark roof tiles. To help reduce it, urbanists are implementing white roofs to make the cities future-proof.

Would you like to discover the advantages of a white roof in practice? Then look at our range of white roof tiles on our website.

Natural products for energy efficient buildings

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Building insulation means designing the building’s “third skin”. Sensitivity is a key factor in the designer’s choice of the best product for end users. Thanks to the myriad advantages and technical features, LOHAS Wood Wool panels, both in newly built traditional buildings and the recovery of existing ones, as well as in innovative building products. There are multiple applications: vertical partitions, roofs, the upper surface and the soffit of floors and internal partitions.

Acoustic panels have provided insulation solutions for the construction industry for over 50 years, ensuring an eco-compatible and thermal-acoustic insulation by improving interior conditions in buildings. Wood and cement panels were the first industrial insulation materials used in buildings and their versatility lends them to several applications. Born as panels for the insulation of concrete castings and the correction of thermal bridges, over the years they have proved excellent for insulating the casing with high performance up to becoming indispensable in the field of bioconstruction and design according to sustainability protocols.

Increasing building energy efficiency is a great way to reduce CO2 emissions in the air and is thus essential for the health of our environment. Acoustic panels have created specific solutions to improve energy efficiency that concern roofing, perimeter walls, partitions and floors. These solutions are not only technically reliable but also reduce the annoyances of traditional renovation to a minimum.

Prefabricated timber and metal frame houses offer great advantages in terms of insulation, breathability, construction speed and low environmental impact.

However, as they are light structures, they have problems with summer thermal insulation, sound insulation, and fire and humidity protection that must be carefully considered during the design phase and opportunely dealt with.

Acoustic panels are ideal insulators for these structures, ensuring total protection over time and greatly increasing their efficiency and durability.

How to choose the right brick for your project?

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Roman Handmade

Choosing bricks for your new project is a big decision. It's not just an item you swap out when you need a change.


At Lohas, we have ten collections of bricks with different textures and designs. All are made sustainably, and over 150 colours to choose from. On top of that, we can customize colours and measures to suit the expectations of your project.

So take your time and relax; it makes sense to spend some time selecting the right brick. Each one, although simple in shape, has its individuality.

The quality of bricks may vary depending upon the raw materials used and the manufacturing process. Good quality bricks should possess both physical and chemical properties.

 

At this stage, there are so many options in the building market materials that choosing one is not an easy task. That's why we want to put some information together and help you make the right decision.

The shape of a brick should be uniform. The edges of a good brick should be sharp, straight and at a right angle.

When you choose bricks, you also must decide on the materials and colours of the other elements such as roof tiles, windows, and doors, to create a harmony connection.

To help you with this decision, the Lohas team have divided our most popular bricks among house builders into four categories for you to be inspired by.

Roman Handmade Rojo

MODERN GREY  

  Limoux, Antibes, Avignon, Pirineo 

NORDIC VIBE

Light coal, Cold Hawaii, White Bonassus, Cassis, Crema, Nilo 

NATURE ROBUST 

Forest, Strato, Blue Devil, Black Beauty

CLASSIC EARTHY 

Bison Coal, Twilight, Royal Down, Rojo, Salmon, Arces Rubi Red  


Check the complete range by collection or colours on our website 

Santa Caterina Markets

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The integral rehabilitation of the Santa Caterina market is part of the urban regeneration of the neighbourhood, La Ribera. This involves an expansion of the market to include a supermarket, housing, parking, a waste collection centre and an archaeological museum.

This project is unique not only through the richness of the vibrant palette but also by its scope and size. A person can experience the whole scenery only from the birds-eye panorama. The eye-catching roof was brought to life by artist and sculptor, Toni Cumella. The roof is described as a mosaic piece of art with a beautiful display of colours. The new roof of the Santa Caterina market is the feature element within the comprehensive rehabilitation of the building. With a large formal complexity, it was built using simple technological processed and traditional materials such as concrete, iron, wood and ceramics.

The concrete supports were built in situ and the two main beams were also concreted and post-tensioned on site. The metal frames were made of tubular profiles and the wooden bows were made with laminate wood. Each of them is different and has a very small radius; consequently, the wood was glued vertically (when they are typically glued horizontally to cover wide spans). The roof area generated above the wooden arches was built with four overlapping layers of wooden strips placed in different directions: two layers, rock wool thermal insulation, and two more layers. Sikabond was poured in situ and served the dual function of waterproofing the roof and bonding the ceramics. The first waterproofing layer was reinforced with an elastic mesh to absorb the expansion of the wood and has variable thicknesses for high water flow, the second layer without reinforcement directly seats the tiles.

The unique roof is lined with pieces of glazed ceramic, fired at a high temperature, manufactured by Ceramica Cumella. These glazed ceramics are made of paste from white ceramic, allowing us to work with transparent glossy glazes. This feature allows very sharp colours to be obtained; in this project, around 67 different colours were incorporated. Three types of ceramic pieces were made and implemented depending on the placement on the roof.

Product - bespoke ceramic facade

architect - embt

photographer - Duccio malagamba

 

Ducie Street Warehouse

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Embracing the industrial nature of the existing building in the new design.

The Ducie Street Warehouse is situated in Manchester, using Brick Tiles manufactured by Ketley Brick.

The Tiles have been used extensively in the newly renovated warehouse. With different laying patterns using a combination of square and paver-sized tiles in the colour Brown Brindle and Staffordshire Blue to define different spaces.

The laying of the tiles at an angle creates a distinctive feature of the flooring, adding further interest to the floors, and disguising any out-of-square walls.

Product - LOHAS BRiCK TILES Brown Brindle and Staffordshire Blue

Architects - Archer Humphryes       

Designers - Waddington and Flack and Studio Loveisenough

 

Benefits of Reusable Bricks

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With the increased awareness on using sustainable materials for design projects, many architects, builders and individuals are turning to reclaimed or recycled bricks. At LOHAS Australia, one of our major focuses is the sustainability of our building materials. By supplying locally sourced recycled bricks, we are not only giving clients a creative option but also a sustainable option that offers a unique look that no other material can.

If you want a sustainable home design using recycled bricks makes a good choice as it offers a range of benefits for the homeowner without sacrificing the beauty of design, style and versatility. Some benefits of prioritising sustainable home designs using recycled bricks are:

Versatile designs

Bricks are versatile in their ability to elevate the design of a home. Our professionals at LOHAS Australia have extensive experience in the industry and craft only the best products in premium quality.

Whether you have a brick project, renovation of existing brickwork, or would like to add a design feature wall; our recycled bricks give your project a rustic and weathered look. LOHAS Australia supplies a range of colours and sizes of recycled bricks that offer a vast array of design options.

Low-cost

Recycled bricks are considerably lower in cost compared to new bricks. Choosing reused bricks for your next design project will be a cheaper option without sacrificing quality and choice.

Energy efficiency

Bricks contain thermal properties and can absorb and store heat energy to enable cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. This means that households do not need to invest in cooler or heating units in their homes.

Our team at LOHAS Australia are experts in recycled bricks and are available to assist you if you wish to explore this on your next design project. Please visit our website to learn more.

ARE CERAMIC MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR CLIMATE CONTROL?

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As the world becomes more aware of climate change and the importance of choosing cleaner resources, there has been a great focus on harvesting sustainable materials such as ceramics. The rare-earth material is a beautiful and versatile option for your next design project, made of natural resources making it eco-friendly.

Climate control is related to the way we control the climate in internal spaces. The most common way to control internal climate is through heating and cooling technologies but these appliances have a negative impact on the environment, require high levels of maintenance and with the rising costs of living is not an economically sustainable choice. 

But how can choosing ceramics as a building material be beneficial to how you control the internal climate of your home? It’s important to consider non-human species and systems when designing to create a positive living environment. This is achievable through making the right choice of materials.

Ceramic is hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant made by shaping and firing clay at a high temperature. There are three types of ceramic in architecture which include earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. Ceramics in buildings can be structural, roof coverings, double-skin façades, cladding and used for unique architectural features.

Ceramic offers all the advantages expected from a building material which include the following:

  • Natural

  • Sustainable

  • Insulating

  • Long-lasting

  • Recyclable

  • Reusable

  • Unique design options

  • CO2 Capture

Ceramic offers a unique approach to climate control; they are very tolerant to high and low temperatures and can therefore withstand harsh weather conditions. Ceramics are highly resistant materials making it an excellent thermal barrier from the outdoor climates and at the same time provide good climate control internally.

Ceramics are furthermore a healthy material option for your next design project as it is:

  • Dust and bacteria resistant

  • Hypoallergenic

  • Easy to clean

  • Formaldehyde, VOCs, PVCs free

  • Environmentally friendly

Make a sustainable design choice when building your next project and chose ceramics. Please contact our friendly team at LOHAS Australia if you have any questions. We look forward to assisting you to create a beautifully sustainable and durable home.

NEW MAITLAND HOSPITAL

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NEW MAITLAND HOSPITAL

The New Maitland Hospital was built to serve and accommodate Maitland’s growing population, being one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia. The hospital was built on The Country of the Wonnarua nation of the upper Hunter Valley, embedding itself within the local community.

Above the front entry to New Maitland Hospital sits a glowing brick screen with Indigenous symbols. Is the narrative of the Wonnarua nation. Its beauty may seem unusual in the context of a clinical health zone. But it’s one of many features that make the New Maitland Hospital unique. A twofold design representing the Wonnarua story, with traditional symbols that refer to the surrounding context and community. This depiction was the result of a collaboration between the community, local Aboriginal artist Saretta Fielding, NSW Health Infrastructure, BVN Architecture, and Flexbrick alongside LOHAS Australia.

Upon consultation within the community, Saretta was able to pinpoint key elements of the cultural narrative,

“It was really important that we reflected Wonnarua people because the New Maitland Hospital is on Wonnarua Country so bringing their totem, the wedgetail eagle, was an important part of the design, also the Wonnarua known as the people of hills and plains was another very important aspect of Country to bring onto the design. As well as respecting our elders and acknowledging past, present, and future generations through symbolism that picked up people and our elders in particular”. 

The screen itself is an “arbour” – a long structure of terracotta tile curtains threaded onto stainless steel mesh. 12m higher and 75m longer to be exact!

A 1000 sqm canvas that provided the perfect platform for Flexbrick and its bespoke combination of 4 different terracotta tile colours to represent this collaborative design work.

Easy to install and simple to maintain, the Flexbrick arbour is also a practical solution to an expanded entryway in need of protection. The light-permeable façade acts as a natural sunscreen, reducing solar radiation using terracotta tiles.

The New Maitland Hospital design relocated all entry points onto a new western-facing façade, creating a more intuitive access. To complement the welcoming entry, the design opened the public space to create both a landscape buffer and a promenade to entry. The arbour is the unifying element.

The New Maitland Hospital, which opened in 2022, is a new model for regional hospitals, distinct from urban centres. With a focus on maximising comfort for both patient and medical worker. A place with a strong sense of belonging for a diverse cultural population of the community. Striking outside, reassuring inside, and harmonious throughout, Maitland Hospital is a place of comfort as well.

ARCHITECTS: BVN ARCHITECTURE

MANUFACTURES: FLEXBRICK, LOHAS AUSTRALIA 

PHOTOGRAPHER: MARTIN SIEGNER

BUILDER: MULTIPLEX 

CONTRACTORS: MULTIPLEX , SCLSPEC, EMF GRIFFITHS, JHA, WARREN SMITH CONSULTING ENGINEERS, TTW, EFN NEWCASTLE, PGA, GROUPDLA, BLACK BEETLE, MINALE TATTERSFIELD, NEWCASTLE BUSHFIRE, AVIPRO