Hanson Brick Helps Build a Kingdom Words: Tim BambrickHanson Brick provided about 130,000 bricks to build the Cao Dai Tay Ninh Temple, a religious structure in Dallas. One of the only U.S. companies participating in the construction of the 15,000-square-foot building, which will accommodate 700 people once completed, is the largest U.S. replica of the original Cao Dai Temple, constructed in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. Caodaism, meaning “Kingdom of Heaven” is the third-largest religion in Vietnam, with more than seven million followers, and focuses on creating a perfect synthesis of world religions. The Cao Dai Temple is the center of the sect, and a symbolic structure that the religion’s passionate followers rely on to practice their worship. There are about 30,000 people in the United States and other parts of world that practice the religion. “This project has a high focus on authenticity, quality and craftmanship, so many of the components were shipped in from Vietnam,” says general contractor Dinesh Mehra,U.S.Atlantic.“Brick was chosen for the building and surrounding gate due to its structural integrity compared to alternative materials, and Hanson Brick was the only provider that could produce the smooth texture and accurate color needed to match that of the original temple.” As a symbol of passion and dedication to the religion, artists from Vietnam traveled to Dallas to create the authentic design. Hanson Brick’s Athens, Texas, facility is one of the only local providers to take such a large part in the project. Hanson Brick’s Athens facility produces brick on demand for architectural projects to achieve the custom-specified color, size and texture. Hanson provided 120,000 SM104 custom field bricks, which feature the smooth texture and buff color needed for the temple. An additional 10,000 V120 accent bricks in reddishorange were also provided. There are smaller scale designs of the Cao Dai Temple in the United States, with two more planned in Texas; one being constructed in Garland, Texas, and the next planned for this fall in Houston as part of the Cao Dai Tay Ninh Temples of Texas.Hanson is in discussion to provide brick for the Houston project and is currently providing additional brick shipments to Dallas’ temple.