[Brick] Book

[Brick] House Primosfera is a family-owned and independent real estate company that values authenticity, sustainability, and attention to detail in selecting building materials. The Brick House (Casa de Tijolo) is a memorable project. Designed by Aires Mateus Architecture Studio, inspired by Roman houses with interior patios, it's entirely built with handmade bricks from Alentejo.

We were challenged to create a piece that could both promote and perpetuate the project.


“Inside each Brick lives the story of something bigger.” – Manuel Aires Mateus (Brick House Architect).


The Brick is a central issue in the architectural design, with 1200mts2 and hundreds of thousands of bricks, handmade, massive, stacked seamlessly. We honor the brick by turning it into a book. In collaboration with Master craftsmen, we created the [Brick] Book from dust. Handmade with the same raw material, size and color as the house, the first edition comprises 200 books.

The [Brick] Book serves as a piece of the house, presented to potential investors, architects, and members of the artistic community.

The size of the brick determines the interior volume. Starting from the imperfection of the brick, the mathematical perfection of the book was reached: 205mm by 95mm and exactly 340 pages.

The book explores the importance of home in creating and preserving memories. Its pages are filled with stories about the Alentejo region, the house's dreamers - the owners and architect - and the project's three pillars: Earth, Brick, and House. The book's power lies in the harmony between evocative photography and carefully crafted prose, utilising format, space, and typography to create a captivating reading experience.

A [Brick] Book to present a [Brick] House.

The [Brick] Book is a one-of-a-kind of folk art, handcrafted with natural Portuguese soil material to celebrate traditional craftsmanship.

We carefully select materials that optimize the project's carbon footprint like local clay for the book and recycled paper for the core. LED technology was used for quicker dying, and printing using 40% less ink.

The [Brick] Book is a rare collectible available in select bookstores and galleries worldwide, showcasing "Casa do Tijolo" property and local craftsmanship, promoting cultural heritage in a unique way.


Portugal has been the target of international real estate speculation. The massive construction of new buildings in the face of demand is mainly made with low-quality materials and without any careful criteria for using local raw materials or inter-generational craftsmanship. The Brick book's notoriety has an impact not only on Primosfera's brand but has an echo on the global perception of the True Portuguese culture and soul.


Credits.

[Brick] House. Photo - © João Guimarães, Architecture Project - Aires Mateus

[Brick] Book. © NUMO, Nuno Moreira