JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — General Shale, one of North America’s largest brick, stone and concrete block manufacturers, announces the launch of its new Impressionist Brick Series, which provides architects with longer, thinner brick units for unique and sophisticated design options in both commercial and residential projects.
Headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee, General Shale is the North American subsidiary of Wienerberger AG and a leading manufacturer of brick, one of the world’s oldest green building materials.
Offered in brown, gray and red tones with two distinct textures, the Impressionist Brick Series is defined by exaggerated unit lengths and shallow face heights. With demand for elongated bricks continuing to grow, this new product line enables architects to bring a fresh dimension to their projects by emphasizing the linearity of a building’s façade, resulting in a dramatic visual presentation.
“The Impressionist Brick Series delivers additional choices for establishing creative impact, and lends itself well to the rectilinear design trend seen in many of today’s architectural projects,” says Charles Smith, president and CEO of General Shale. “Longer, thinner brick units are striking elements for contemporary designs, and allow architects to achieve that aesthetic, whether by using them in a singular bond pattern across the entire façade or by combining varying patterns for a stunning effect.”
Whether incorporating the brick with matching mortar for a monolithic effect, using contrasting mortar for visual interest, or mixing brick sizes to achieve a multi-layered pattern, Impressionist’s wider profiles offer more opportunities for architectural designers who seek to establish a distinctively modern look, while retaining all the benefits of masonry walls.
Along with bringing timeless appeal to new residential and commercial builds, the Impressionist Brick Series may also be coordinated with older, historic brickwork to impart a more contemporary aspect to a project, allowing a renovation to successfully bridge the gap between traditional and modern design.
The Impressionist Brick Series is available in Andover, Rothwell and Wexford Fog in a wire-cut texture, and Bedford Brown, Keswick and Manchester in a smooth finish.
ABOUT GENERAL SHALE
General Shale is one of North America’s largest brick, stone and concrete block manufacturers. Founded in 1928, the company offers an endless array of sizes, colors and textures in a wide variety of masonry materials to complete any residential, commercial or specialty architectural project. These materials include brick, thin masonry, stone, outdoor living products, concrete block and various building materials, which include Arriscraft® Stone and Pipelife Jet Stream products.
Throughout the U.S. and Canada, General Shale operates manufacturing facilities in nine states and provinces, in addition to a network of more than 40 retail showrooms and over 300 affiliated distributors across North America. The company grew even stronger in 1999 when it joined Wienerberger AG of Vienna, Austria, the world’s largest brick manufacturer. With a life cycle of more than 100 years, the sustainability of brick is General Shale’s commitment to responsible stewardship.
General Shale is headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee. For more information, visit www.generalshale.com.
—end—