Masonry Magazine December 1983 Page. 29
BRICK SCULPTURE REDISCOVERED
continued from page 15
A carved brick dragon, or "sirruh," is from the Ishtar Gate of Babylon circa 550 B.C. The sirruh was a composite cheetah-serpent-eagle, thought to be a companion to one of the Babylonian gods. The 70 ft. brick gateway to the city was covered with bas-relief sculptures similar to this one.
"Looking at it and being around it," said Kenneth Eshbach of Reading's Eshbach Brothers, Inc., mason contractors for the entire project. "This is extremely important, since the work on the sculpture and the surrounding masonry structures was carried out by American Bank to help revitalize the heart of the city."
According to Mara Smith, "Corporate and commercial facilities, schools and hotel convention centers are seeking art that integrates with the total building environment, and brick sculpture fulfills that need. It is virtually vandal-proof and maintenance-free, and can be custom-made according to the theme chosen by the owner. In addition, brick sculpture is relatively inexpensive compared to many other forms of corporate or public art, because of its long-term durability and because it is part of the structure itself."
Booklet on Passive Solar
House Plans Published
A 52-page booklet featuring passive solar house plans by Toledo area architects is available from the Masonry Institute of Northwestern Ohio.
Titled Passive Solar House Plans That Really Work in Northwestern Ohio, the booklet summarizes the results of a 1982 design competition sponsored by the Masonry Institute in cooperation with the Toledo Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
The 12 designs shown in the booklet were estimated by the awards jury of passive solar experts to produce savings in heating costs ranging from 39% to 76% compared with conventional construction.
The booklet is available for $3 over the counter or $4 by mail from the Masonry Institute, 5515 Southwyck Blvd., Toledo, OH 43614, (414) 866-9082. Discounts are available on quantity orders.
"Trial by jury is something that every American believes in-until it comes time for him to serve on the jury."-Raymond Burr