Whether a project is new construction, a renovation or a retrofit, architects and designers put countless hours of thought into each project’s building materials. Economic, environmental and sustainability factors are the lenses through which they plan for an optimal design and cost-efficient design. The competition among base-level structural components and materials can be fierce and competitive. This leaves industry trade groups, associations and construction contractors with the task of convincing architects and designers to explain why their materials best fit a project’s objectives.

Architectural and design firms extoll the benefits of masonry but remain wary of two key concerns for its use in projects: cost-efficiency and the availability of skilled labor. Still, architects and designers accept that the slightly higher upfront costs often overshadow the durability of masonry, which will result in cost-savings in the long run. With a building’s long-term maintenance, masonry offers payback with its longer life span, which also makes it more sustainable with the environmental benefits of low upkeep. It’s true that combining large and small block masonry features can create a beautiful design, one that’s certain to enjoy a durable, long-life span with little to no maintenance.

New concerns as of late, including the rapid increase of product pricing and the ability to secure the necessary amount of material supplies and labor, have only intensified the persuasive effort to have architectural and design firms consider building materials. Price, available resources and labor must be assured to convince clients that masonry is the optimal solution. Masonry comes with benefits and drawbacks, often considered on a brick-by-brick basis.

The Best of Both Worlds

With masonry, building construction can reap the benefits of structural soundness and aesthetics. From a foundational perspective, it can be a convincing argument to implement the use of brick, stone and concrete in the design. Persuading the architectural world to include masonry in the initial design and drawing stage reveals parallels between the two industries. Masonry contractors and architectural firms both employ a great deal of care, effort and time into planning—which leads to a feeling of pride and accomplishment. Since the dawn of time, masons have plied their craft on global landmarks.

Masonry Puts the “Flex” in Flexibility

Because masonry units come in such variable size, textures and colors, architectural firms have the flexibility to design modern-day masterpieces of their own. Aesthetically speaking, most people dislike the cookie-cutter, lookalike approach to design, which plays into the hands of architects eager to include unique and beautiful projects in their portfolios. The oxymoronic juxtaposition of “rustic elegance” reverberates in completed masonry projects. And in a world where image has become everything, masonry is a choice that’s not only stood the test of time, but also provides endless opportunities to differentiate the intricate details in the project planning and execution stages.

The Human Factor

Though masonry offers a wide array of sizes to work with, installing brick, stone or concrete requires a high degree of skill—which brings to mind the human factor. Many architects and designers feel the biggest issue in masonry is the need for qualified masons. Anything masonry contractors can do to strengthen and increase their workforce will help architects to use them. Whether that’s increasing the access to training opportunities, attracting new and existing talent pools to the craft or implementing more rigorous skill reviews, architects need access to more masons who are qualified at installing brick and stone who employ the latest and best practices every time.

Sustainability is Worth the Wait

Increasingly, the quest to build sustainable structures is becoming the norm, which can be quite advantageous for the masonry industry. Without question, buildings and projects constructed of brick, stone and concrete are durable, fireproof, long-lasting, as well as highly resistant to degradation, pests and extreme weather-related events. These features aren’t lost on the maintenance and insurance industries, which understand masonry requires less care than other materials. The lifespan of a project constructed with masonry is longer than any other competing build material, but masonry is a labor intensive and timely process.

Adding to the benefits of considering masonry, architectural and design firms are increasingly wary of keeping up with the times and technology in the construction industry. And, while masonry is the oldest form of construction, the industry continues to make advancements to keep up with the technologies of tomorrow. The benefits of these advancements have the potential to address masonry’s key drawbacks—reducing material cost and labor. Substantial progress in the world of automation, 3-D printing, digital design and robotics is becoming a reality for masonry—a trend the architectural world is soon to note.

Masonry is a humble material that can generate some genuinely eloquent designs and there’s a lot of inspiration to be found in looking back at the use of durable materials throughout history. Many building owners have experienced the shortcomings of other less expensive, less durable materials. As such, many architects anticipate future designs will seek out materials like brick and stone. The focus on sustainability will also only become more important in the future and will likely be a determining factor in selecting more durable, local materials like brick, which results in a reduced environmental impact.