Architect Ir. Michel Arts: "The best thing about our architecture? That we have no house style"

At Margry Arts Architecten in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands, there is no single signature style to speak of. From rural long-fronted farmhouses to sleek modern villas in glass and concrete: it is precisely that versatility that calls for a wide variety of façade bricks, each of which has to sit naturally within the overall design.

Michel Arts and Wouter Margry joined forces in 1999 to found the practice Margry Arts Architecten. We spoke with Michel Arts, now managing director, about his view of architecture and about what Joseph Bricks adds to their designs.

Freedom in form, precision in execution

With a good 45 years of building experience and a background in both architecture and construction, Michel Arts and his fellow architects look at building differently from many traditional design practices.

"I come from a family of contractors. My grandfather started his own building company, and my father took it over as the next generation. It is a wonderful world, but I ended up in architecture myself. Even so, from the age of 12 to 27 I stayed closely involved with the technical side of building. During my architecture studies, for example, I regularly worked on the side for my father."

"That means I have been able to look at building projects very practically from an early age. It can look beautiful, but it also has to be technically feasible. I see it as our responsibility to choose materials the people on site can work with properly. That is why we do not stop at the design here. We develop our projects technically down to the finest details and stay closely involved right up to handover. That is how we prefer to work."

A focus on villas

That buildability also plays a major role in the choice of materials. Especially with façade bricks in longer, thinner formats, where aesthetics and technical feasibility lean on each other more than ever. In that search, Joseph Bricks emerged for the practice as a strong alternative within the higher-priced segment of the market.

"If you look at this kind of façade brick, you quickly end up with a select handful of names. What convinced us to choose Joseph Bricks was the combination of a high-end expression, a beautiful colour palette and affordability. I could spin a whole story around it, but at the end of the day they are simply really beautiful bricks (laughs)."

"In villa projects especially, these façade bricks let you make the difference. You can really guide the client through their choices and take the chosen materials to the highest possible level. Regardless of the building's style, and that is exactly what characterises us as a practice. We have no house style; we genuinely enjoy designing everything. Modern homes, but equally the typical 1920s houses in the Netherlands, which are still very much in demand."

Inspiration as the basis for trust

Several projects are coming up shortly at Margry Arts Architecten in which our façade bricks will have every chance to shine. Why do they keep choosing Joseph Bricks?

"At the time, we worked a few times with a façade brick from another manufacturer. At a certain point, though, we started looking for alternatives."

"Searching online, we quickly came across Joseph Bricks. Your inviting sample boxes and configurator did the rest. You provided refreshing inspiration, with interesting colours and textures, and so you came onto our radar more and more. After a few very rewarding first projects together, the rest is history."

Would you like to be inspired by our bricks too?

Refined façade finishes come in many forms. At Joseph Bricks we have an extensive collection of façade materials in a variety of formats ready for you. From (eco-)smoked façade bricks and brick slips to custom handmade work.

Do take a look at our reference projects to see our bricks in their full glory. Any questions? Do not hesitate to get in touch.