No Longer Human Tea Shop offers a quiet, intentional escape in #Evanston. Located at 1810 Central St, the space isn’t designed to overwhelm on entry — but to stay with you long after you leave.
As architect Sam Park puts it, the #experience “lies entirely on how people feel when they leave — just a little more present and hopefully a little more human.”
Architect: @sangchaipark
Mason: @thechicagomason
In case you missed it — Bricks Incorporated and Fenestration Solutions have officially landed in Wisconsin…
Take a peek inside our new #architectureanddesign #showroom in Verona. With over 200 brick, stone, and rainscreen displays, the space is framed by #expansive fenestration systems and built to #inspire architects, builders, and homeowners alike.
Wisconsin’s design market has been waiting for a true #luxury, custom materials resource — consider us your go-to.
Have you seen? #400LakeShoreDr is taking shape!
Set for completion in 2027, the two #cascadingglass towers will rise nearly 900 feet, anchored by a light gray–toned #bricklobby at the base—bringing an indelible landmark to the skyline.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Architect: @skidmoreowingsmerrill
Interior Designer: @marchandwhitedesign
Client: @related_midwest
GC: @bowaconstruction
For over 40 years, @designbridge architects + planners have helped shape Chicago’s neighborhoods through thoughtful, #community-driven, and sustainable #design. Honored as #FirmoftheYear (2025) by the Illinois Real Estate Journal, their work continues to leave a lasting impact across the city.
As master planners and architects for Bellwood Gateway and United Yards, their vision is rooted in both place and people.
We’ve had the pleasure of collaborating on several impactful projects, including:
- Bellwood Gateway
- 801 Oak Park
- United Yards
- Roosevelt Square
- 1237 N California
We look forward to whats next.
An entire week of demo and prep is what gets you to a successful finish.
What looks effortless at the end starts long before install.
This Reynaers “Master Patio Multi Slide” system at Bricks Inc.’s newest showroom was designed to open the space, bring in natural light, and create a seamless transition from inside to out.
When the groundwork is done right, everything just works the way it should.
Big thanks to @greatlakeslifting for supplying us with the smart lift — what a beast!
Key partners: Doors: @reynaersus Supplier: @bricksmadison@fsi_chicago
Ready to elevate your home or business space? Here’s what we do best: 🏠 Home Additions & Remodels 🪟 Custom Door + Window Installs 🏗️ Restorations & Modernizations
📞 224-470-1224 💻 meyerguild.com
#meyerguild #slidingdoors #windowanddoorinstall
Maximizing lake views is essential when you’re building along Lake Michigan. This new single-family home by BGD Designs leans fully into that idea, featuring the Contemporary Collection from Weather Shield.
Expansive sliding doors, thoughtfully placed windows, and oversized picture windows in non-conventional shapes flood the interiors with natural light—while creating a seamless connection between the home and the surrounding landscape.
Thrive Exchange South marks a major step forward for the South Shore neighborhood as part of the INVEST South/West initiative in Chicago.
To avoid a monotonous facade, KOO Architecture designed a masonry blend using 20% Pewter Matte and 80% Ash Matte from @interstatebrick . Most of the exterior features full-bed-depth Emperor units (4 × 2 1/4 × 16), while modular units were used to achieve the tighter radius corners you see throughout the facade.
The new mixed-use development brings affordable, market-rate, and for-sale condos to the area, along with job opportunities through ground-floor retail and a federally qualified health center—helping increase residential density and community investment in South Shore.
Architect: @kooarchitecture
GC: @gmabuilds
Mason: Sandsmith Masonry
#ThriveExchange #ChicagoArchitecture #Masonry #SouthShoreChicago #InvestSouthWest
A playful — yet thoughtful color palette brings Forrestal Elementary to life. Warm earth tones layered with soft neutrals and deep accents create movement across the façade. The custom brick blend from @interstatebrick and embedded thin brick panels work together to deliver depth, texture, and a subtle gradient that shifts beautifully in different light throughout the day.
Architect: @perkinseastman.chicago
GC: @bulleyandrews1891
Precast: @internationalconcreteproducts
See more:
/project/forrestal-elementary-great-lakes/
One of the most common questions about masonry screen walls and protruding brick designs is whether water or snow will sit on the exposed brick and eventually damage the wall.
Okay, so here’s the thing…
Brick is both breathable and absorbent, and masonry wall assemblies are designed with these attributes in mind. After a snowy day, melting snow sheds off the brick surface, while some moisture is naturally absorbed. That absorbed moisture then dries out and evaporates over time. When the correct mortar is used, it allows the wall to breathe — accommodating expansion and contraction without trapping moisture.
The result? Durable, resilient walls that are built to weather the elements.
For proof, look no further than the Green Line Performing Arts Center, where masonry screen walls and protruding brick details have stood up to time and Chicago weather alike.
Architect: Morris Architects & Planners @morrisarchitectsplanners
GC: Powers & Sons Construction @powers_and_sons_construction
Mason: Larmco Masonry
Product: Custom Greenleaf Brick @greenleafbrick
#FlashbackFriday#MasonryDesign#BecauseILikeBrick
If you ever find yourself at the corner of Green Bay & Elm Street in Winnetka, don’t just walk by—look up. 👀 You might miss a true one-of-a-kind brick mural hiding in plain sight. 🧱
This new Chase retail banking and corporate offices building, designed by @genslerchicago , features a #handcarved brick mural that blends art, #architecture, and #craftsmanship into the building envelope itself.
How a brick mural comes to life:
• Utility-size bricks are extruded and dry stacked while still wet
• A sculptor stencils the design directly onto the clay using the architect’s drawings
• Each brick is carefully carved by hand, revealing the final design
• Bricks are numbered on a non-visible face for precise mason mapping
• The carved bricks are fired in a kiln to permanently set the design
• Finally, they’re shipped to the jobsite and installed by skilled masons
Proof that brick isn’t just a material... It’s a canvas.
Architect: @genslerchicago
GC: @skenderbuild
Time for finishing touches! “Into the Light” is a thoughtfully designed single-family home by @bba_architects_chicago in collaboration with @steveandfilip Interiors, where classic form meets contemporary family living, with construction done by @biganeconstruction . The exterior maximizes curb appeal through the use of crisp white masonry and limestone, sharply contrasted by a rhythm of black metal windows that flood the interior with natural light.
At the rear, the design opens up even further—continuing with @interstatebrick in “Arctic White” and @arriscraftstone Adair Limestone in “Sepia” split-face while introducing expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and doors that blur the line between indoors and out, creating a seamless connection to the exterior and inviting light deep into the home.
- Architect: @bba_architects_chicago
- Interior: @steveandfilip
- GC: @biganeconstruction
- Product(s): @interstatebrick mods & structural atlas in “Arctic White”, @arriscraftstone Adair Limestone Parliament in “Sepia” Split-Face, and @spec_mix_official mortar SM 230
When Scharnett Associates Architects LLC reached out for a sunroom renovation, the existing fenestration featured white, aluminum-clad wood doors with bulky frames and transoms above. While functional, the thickness of the frames limited both light and views.
The new @brombalusa thermally broken steel doors replace both the doors and transom windows, dramatically minimizing sightlines. The result is a lighter, more refined opening that invites natural light and frames the outdoors with clarity, proving that thoughtful fenestration can completely transform a space.
Architect: Scharnett Associates Architects LLC
Installer: @meyerguild
Product: @brombalusa FARO System
