Masonry Magazine August 1986 Page. 13
Carboline World Headquarters
The Carboline World Headquarters project in St. Louis aimed to project an image of stability and conservatism. "Brick has always been readily available in St. Louis because the soils here at one time drew a large number of brick manufacturers to the area. Carboline felt that brick provided a feeling of stability and conservatism, a feeling consistent with the St. Louis area, its architecture, and Carboline's image," explained Edgar C. Eslinger, AIA, the KBA architect who designed the project.
Originally, the building was designed to be metal-clad with recessed windows. However, Carboline decided that the high-tech look was not for them and wanted to explore the option of brick. "We highly agreed with this choice," Eslinger says. "Brick adds warmth and softness to the building, particularly the color, which in this case is a light rose."
Once brick was selected, the shape of the brick planters and other architectural features in front of the building started to change. The shapes were designed to complement the brick pavers in front of the building. The motif continues inside, with the paver as the lobby flooring material. Also, instead of using plastic laminate, brick sills were used.
"This was an unusual application, and one we feel good about," Eslinger says. "By bringing the windows flush with the brick face, it gave the whole design a fresh, new personality."
The use of oversize Williamsburg brick for the project was the choice of Carboline's president, who had visited Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, several times and was attracted to the brick because of its handmade appearance and color.
"It is handmade, not machine manufactured, and its texture evokes a feeling of warmth," Eslinger explains. "Williamsburg brick comes in a particular size and color, which is all they use in Williamsburg. Since it is handmade, there are no cores as in machine-formed units; it is solid all the way through."
"I looked at hundreds of brick samples to get just the right look. Because it is handmade, it is very difficult to find and more expensive than other types of brick, about $450 per 1,000. However, this was one-third the cost of metal cladding, even after considering labor intensity and other special treatments such as soldier coursing and the reveals used around the windows."
"The Williamsburg unit doesn't have a sand face, therefore the color goes all the way through this top-quality brick. Carboline was satisfied with the choice, and we agreed the type of brick chosen was well worth the cost."
Kenneth Balk, president and chief executive officer of KBA, adds: "Brick is not always the most economical choice, but it can be in today's market due to the current prices.