Reclaimed brick

Visit at a facility in southern Sweden that specializes in reclaiming brick for reuse. Bricks. — Photo: David Chipperfield Architects, Berlin

May 2026

Reclaimed brick – A first glimpse

Recently architects Robert Westphal and Hubert Pawela from David Chipperfield Architects visited a facility in southern Sweden that specializes in reclaiming brick for reuse.

The visit marked an initial step in the ongoing process of selecting materials for the façade of the Nobel Center.

The façade of the buildning will be built using reclaimed bricks. The material has shaped Stockholm’s architecture for centuries, and its characteristic red tones can be seen in many of the city’s most iconic buildnings, such as Stockholm City Hall, München Brewery, and Fotografiska.

The material holds a clear connection to the industrial and maritime history of the site of the Nobel Center – from shipyard operations to quay and customs buildnings – as well as to a broader Stockholm tradition of brick architecture.

Visit at a facility in southern Sweden that specializes in reclaiming brick for reuse. Two persons look at bricks. — The façade will be constructed with a timber structure and clad in red reclaimed brick. The bricks will be given a distinct relief, with patterns inspired by Swedish textile craftsmanship and historical textiles, creating a lively and varied façade. Photo: David Chipperfield Architects, Berlin

During the visit, the architects studied the process by which reclaimed bricks are received, sorted, cleaned, and categorised according to strength, colour, and origin. They also discussed the ideas and guiding principles that will inform the façade design.

Hubert Pawela shares some reflections from the visit:

“We paid particular attention to the colour palette of the bricks — ranging from dark brown through red to light beige — and tested several variations. We were very pleased to see the first results and look forward to exploring this further, including through the development of a larger façade mock-up.”