In conversation with architect Egide Meertens: why Joseph Bricks?

A villa is more than a building: it is a story of vision, material and collaboration. For the project in Bilzen, designed by Egide Meertens Plus Architecten, Joseph Bricks facing bricks played a leading role. We spoke with architect Egide Meertens about his vision, the collaboration and the impact of the chosen bricks.

A vision of architecture

Together with his team, Egide Meertens leads a dynamic practice focused on complete projects: homes where exterior and interior extend into each other and are designed as one whole. "We always start from the client and the surroundings. Our designs are deliberately sober and simple, but with a strong experiential value. Nothing superfluous, but quality and atmosphere," Meertens explains.

The choice for Joseph Bricks

For the Vanlaer-Brands family home in Bilzen, Meertens was looking for a facing brick that would reinforce the horizontal character of the villa. "We wanted a light-coloured, nuanced brick in a slim format. That allowed us to emphasise the clean lines and the horizontal effect even more. Joseph Bricks turned out to be the right match," he says.

The final choice was a blend of Franklin and R Banks, combined with flush pointing. Brick slips were also continued into overhangs and soffits, giving the whole a single, stylised appearance.

Aesthetics and experience

What Meertens particularly values is the expressive power of the slim brick: "The slenderness of the brick and the subtle vertical lines create a distinctive detail. Although brick is only one part of the whole, it has an enormous impact on the look and feel of the design. Even the interior was influenced by the choice of facing brick."

Working with Joseph Bricks

The collaboration was smooth and professional. "The samples we received were representative of the final delivery, and that is not always a given with nuanced bricks. Our clients were enthusiastic from the start, and that gradually grew into real conviction. The intended image became reality step by step," says Meertens.

Looking ahead

Would he use Joseph Bricks again? "Absolutely. Especially for high-end projects the bricks add real value, but they can also make the difference in smaller projects. I also see a lot of potential in bringing the facing bricks inside, so they play a role in the interior."

Asked to sum up Joseph Bricks in three words, Meertens does not need long: Character, Quality, Tactile.
By tactile he means the physical dimension of the brick: the texture, the slenderness and the nuance that you not only see, but can really touch and experience. That makes the bricks not just a building material, but an experience in themselves.