Category: Articles

An architect is a person who plans, designs, and supervises the construction of a structure. He/she is the one who is responsible for the processes involved in the making of a building. They are also responsible for the visual appearance of a structure and how a building impacts the place where it is built. The term “architect” refers to a person who has a college degree in the field of architecture and is registered with a local government body. They must complete their professional training, after which they receive the certificate to practice as “architects.” People who do not have a degree and are not registered with the government can also practice architecture but they do not have the right to call themselves “architects” and are not authorized to sign any construction drawings or layouts.

We all know that an architect designs and plans a space according to their client’s requirements. But if you think that the role of the architect in construction is limited to that only, then you are completely wrong. Now the question arises, what is the role of the architect in construction?

An architect does not only plan the spaces of a building but also, works with the construction of a structure from the beginning to the end. There are several responsibilities during various stages of constructing a structure that an architect has to take care of, from initial drafting to the inauguration to the maintenance of the structure.

When an architect is hired by a client, the first and most important duty of the architect is to gather all the information and design ideas that are necessary to design and plan a working and functional space. The job of an architect is to make functional spaces that can be utilized in every way by their client. That space must also follow all the building by-laws and also, must fulfill the client’s needs and demands. Let’s get into a little detail on what is the role of an architect or what an architect actually does from the start to the end of a project.

The role of the architect in construction is immense and is usually divided into three general phases which are as follows:

Role of the Architect before the construction

These are the stages in a project that happens before starting the construction of a building. This stage is the most important aspect of the project as all the decision-making regarding the type of building, the planning, the concept, etc. happens during this stage. This stage can be divided into five sub-stages:

Conceptualization

This is the stage where the client arranges a meeting with the architect where they discuss the design of the building and the style that it will follow. The client explains their lifestyle and priorities to the architect and also gives him/her a brief about the requirements of the building that they want to construct. The overall budget of the whole project is also discussed in this meeting.

First design proposal

This is the stage where the architect makes the first draft of the design. The architect explains the whole idea of the project through sketches and bubble diagrams. They also make presentations to convey the basic concept of the design to the client so that the client can get an initial idea of how his/her structure will turn out.

The development stage

This is the stage where the conceptual sketches and diagrams of the architect develop into drawings with proper detail and dimensions. The drawings consist of all the details including the entrances and exit points, parking details, facilities to be provided, the materials to be used in the building, and the traffic flow.

Drawing approval stage

This is the stage where the architect prepares the working drawings for the permission and approval of the local government authority. This drawing shows the proper sizes of rooms and other spaces located inside and outside the building. These drawings follow a certain sequence which is as follows:

Site plan

This includes the details of the site where the building is to be placed. Details regarding the dimensions of the site, sanitation, garbage disposal, location of percolation pits, etc. are included in this drawing.

Floor plans

This drawing includes detailed floor plans and the arrangement of all the rooms and spaces inside the building to be constructed.

Elevations & sections

These are provided so that the heights and floor levels can be understood from the drawings given to the client.

Details of the roof, flooring, staircases, etc

These are additional details that are added to the drawings for a better understanding of fixtures and how the details inside the building would turn out to be.

Tender

After all the above stages are completely done, the architect prepares tender drawings for the project which are given to a quantity surveyor. Then the tender is evaluated and a tender interview meeting is fixed.

Role of the Architect during the construction

During the construction of the structure, an architect makes detailed drawings and other items related to the building which will be during the making of the structure. Then the construction drawings are issued accordingly, and the architect makes the necessary changes whenever required. The architect also goes for regular inspections of the project as they have to make sure that the work is being done according to the drawings provided. They also make sure that the materials being used are up to the mark and they ensure that the project is completed on time. They also make minor changes to the drawings as during the construction of a building such changes occur occasionally and additional drawings apart from the construction drawings are also provided so that the workmen appointed for the building understand the details easily. An architect also issues a completion certification after the structure is fully built. This certificate comes with a lot of other formalities which are also included in the role of an architect.

Role of Architect after the construction

This stage is also known as the defects and liability period which stretches over a period of twenty-four (24) months of the completion of the entire project. The architect issues formal instructions to rectify defects and it is their duty to inspect all the other remedial works.

So, when the question of what is the role of architects in construction arises, we must know that their role is a very challenging and hectic one. It is a combination of technical, theoretical, and practical work. To become a master of this field, one must gather all the expertise and experience that is required to become a great architect. The talent of an architect lies in the way how he/she perceives and makes the best utilization of the space provided to them.

Architecture cannot be learned through university curricula or during a short training period. One must be patient enough and try to gather hands-on experience first. This field is not something that can be mastered in a day, and can only be learned with practice and experience. Learning is a never-ending process in architecture and even an architect with twenty years of experience gets to learn something new every day. That is why the profession of architecture cannot be handled by everyone and one must be passionate enough about this field before joining this profession.

The Singer Building was a high-rise building located in the U.S. state of New York. It was the headquarters of the Singer Manufacturing Company, situated at the northwest corner of Liberty Street and Broadway in lower Manhattan’s financial district. The building was designed in phases from the year 1897 to 1908 and was commissioned by Frederick Gilbert Bourne who was the leader of the Singer Company.

The building was designed by the architect Ernest Flagg. The original Singer Building was a structure made of red brick and stone with a mansard roof. However, in the year 1906, which was seven years after the original building had been made, work began on a new building that incorporated the original building making the Singer Building “the tallest building in the world” during that time. The new building was considered an engineering revolution of that time and the only structure taller in the world was the Eiffel Tower.  In the new building, the designers incorporated a 612-foot shaft in the Beaux-Arts style with a massive mansard roof and lantern at its peak. The columns in the lobby of the new building rose high to meet the delicately plastered domes. The columns were made of marble with bronze trim and medallions monogrammed with the Singer name with a needle and thread.

The entire façade of the building was made of red brick, light-colored stone, and terracotta. Approximately, 733,000 square feet of terracotta were used in the façade and interior partition walls. Around 5 million bricks were used to construct the entire project, including one million bricks in the tower section. There were around 85,203 square feet of glass that were used in the entire building, about 10% of which was used in the interior and the rest was used in the façade. There were heavy ornamentations used in the building that was made of copper and bronze.

When the Singer Building was opened to the public in 1908, it was recorded to be the tallest skyscraper in the world. After all, these years later, the building still held the record of the world’s largest skyscraper to be peacefully demolished. The 47-story building had always been a landmark of downtown Manhattan due to its unique design and features. The architect, Ernest Flagg found the way that the sides of skyscrapers grew upward from the edge of their sites very unacceptable. He believed that buildings that are higher than 10 or 15 stories should be set back from the streets below. Hence the most unique feature of the Singer Building was the narrow 35-story tower protruding from the original structure’s lower floors. This unconventional design was one of the very factors that led to the Singer Building Demolition.

In 1961, the Singer Sewing Machine Corporation decided to move out of the building as it had become outdated. Then the Singer Building along with the City Investing Building which was the only other building in the block was sold to Webb & Knapp. Webb& Knapp bought both buildings in the hopes of relocating the New York Stock Exchange to the site. In the meantime, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) said that the Singer Building had historical significance but he also said that it was virtually impossible for the LPC to save the building. To save the building, a buyer has to acquire the structure or the city has to acquire it. However, at that time, the city wasn’t wealthy enough to acquire a building as big as the Singer Building.

The Singer Building Demolition happened after United States Steel bought the building in 1964. USS decided to build a 54-story building in place of the Singer Building and the City Investing Building, which later came to be known as the One Liberty Plaza. The Singer Building Demolition happened in the year 1967 which made it the world’s largest building ever to be demolished. When people started to realize that the demolition was inevitable, many of them fought to save the lobby of the building as it was made with intricate details and it was symbolic for the people of downtown Manhattan. However, the entire building’s demolition was approved by the City regardless. The chandeliers from the lobby of the Singer Building are the only remains left of the structure which was later put in the East Building at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

Several magazines and reporters described this to be New York City’s greatest loss. The ALA Guide to New York City said, “What was lost in the demolition of the Singer Tower was not only a vital part of the city’s architectural past but a telling lesson in the humanistic urbanism of the tower-base skyscraper type.” The Singer Building Demolition is said to be one of the biggest failures of the preservation movement.  Christopher Grey, who was a writer for the New York Times, showed efforts to save the building and described the lobby as “a forest of marble columns that were alternately rendered in the monogram of the Singer company, and quite inventively, as a huge needle, thread, and bobbin.” Alan Burnham, the executive director of the LPC even filed a request asking the USS to at least save the lobby from demolition.

The requests of these people had no effect whatsoever and the demolition of the Singer Building began in 1967. After a year, the huge domed tower was nowhere in sight among the buildings in downtown Manhattan. Although the city had created the LPC, the Singer Building was not recognized as a historical landmark that would have stopped the demolition of the building. At the time when it was torn down, it was the world’s tallest building to have ever been demolished until September 11, 2001. September 11, 2011, was the day when the World Trade Center located just one block over the Singer Building collapsed. Today, the Singer Building might not be the tallest skyscraper to have been demolished but it is still the tallest structure whose demolition was predicted.

The International Commerce Centre or the ICC is a mixed-used skyscraper located in West Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was completed in the year 2010 and is a part of the Union Square project on the top of Kowloon station which is a transportation hub that feeds a network that ferries over 11 million passenger journeys per day. It is a very important tower for China as it invites a huge portion of tourists to visit Hong Kong since it has the highest observatory, amazing malls, and great subway transportation. The tower is part of the second financial district of Hong Kong which is a hotspot for tourists as well as people coming to China for business purposes. It has residential, commercial, and business facilities which make the building one of the busiest structures in China.

International Commerce Centre Floors

The ICC is the tallest building in Hong Kong and the 10^th tallest building in the world as of 2016. The height of the building is 484 meters which is about 1588 feet. The structure is said to consist of the world’s second-highest hotel and the world’s highest swimming pool. Hong Kong city’s highest observation deck is located here.  The International Commerce Centre floors are a total of 112, out of which 108 are located above the ground and 4 are located below the ground. The building has a total of 83 elevators and 312 hotel rooms. It has a total number of 1700 parking spaces.

The International Commerce Centre Floors were divided by the different usage of the space. In the basement of the building, lies the Elements Shopping Mall that opened in October 2007. It offers one of the most luxurious shopping experiences in the world. Floors 102 to 118 are occupied by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which is a five-star hotel. The world’s highest swimming pool and bar (named Ozone) can be found on the 118^th floor as well.  The observation deck which is a key feature of the tower is located on the 100^th floor and is called Sky100. The deck was made open to the public in April 2011. Various five-star restaurants can be found on the 101^st floor and the rest of the building contains class-A office spaces.

Development

The developer of the building is Sun Hung Kai Properties and MTR Corporation Limited which is Hong Kong’s largest property developer and metro operator respectively. The skyscraper was designed by an American Architecture firm called Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) in association with Wong & Ouyang. The ICC was not completed in a single go; rather it was built in phases from 2007 to 2010. The original plan for the building was for it to be 574 meters tall which is about 1883 feet with 102 floors. It was supposed to be named Kowloon Station Phase 7. However, the height has to be scaled back as regulations of the city did not permit buildings to be taller than the surrounding mountains. The construction of the structure was halted for a bit in September 2009 as there was an accident involving a lift shaft that resulted in the death of six workers.

The design of the building was selected through an invited competition that happened in 2000 and the winner was KPF. At first, after taking every aspect of planning into consideration including wind speed, the firm came up with a circular plan for the tower. However as future financial tenants favored square floor plates, KPF had to modify its circular design. However, it was found that wind loading on rigid shapes performs poorly and requires more materials which results in a higher cost of construction. Hence, the rigid square plan was modified by the firm by introducing notched corners which made it possible to act like the previous circular plan. The curtain wall of the tower is sculpted into a series of overlapping panels that were inspired by the scales of a dragon giving the tower an aesthetically pleasing look. The ICC is not only known for its grand height but also for its unique design elements.

The tower contains a lot of innovative design techniques which were very new during that time in Hong Kong. It has double-deck elevators which helped save space and made traveling quicker. They were the first such elevators in Hong Kong. The building also used high-strength concrete that was pumped up to the top of the structure using a new pump that conveyed concrete 1000 feet higher than normal pumps. This helped in saving a lot of money.

Why is it so popular among the tourists?

With tourists flocking around from all over the world, the ICC is one of the busiest buildings in Hong Kong. The amazing views from the tower, the luxury shopping experience, staying at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, the light display, and dining at all the fancy restaurants; all these elements in the building make it an unavoidable spot for tourists coming to the city.

Dubai is a city located in the United Arab Emirates. It is known for its highly modern lifestyle, shopping, and really tall sky-high buildings. Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world is also located in Dubai which is about 830 meters high. But soon, the position of Burj Khalifa is said to be taken by the Creek Tower which is a skyscraper that is under construction and is also located in Dubai. The tower is set to be completed by 2022 and is set to become the world’s tallest tower and manmade building in the entire world.

The Creek Tower is located on a site in the vicinity of Dubai Creek (hence the name Creek Tower). The Dubai Creek is a waterfront area situated near Ras Al Khor National Wildlife Sanctuary. The whole area is being developed into a brand new business hub which is to be termed as the Dubai Creek Harbor. Several other structures are being built in that area with the Creek Tower planned at the center of the new business district.  The tower is located 8 kilometers east of Burj khalifa.

The Creek Tower height has not been made public as of now. Until the developers of the tower i.e. Emmar Properties Developer announce the opening of the tower, the creek tower height is meant to be kept a secret from the World. The reason for not disclosing this information is to prevent other building developers from competing with the project. However, the son of architect Santiago Calatrava Valls (Architect of The Creek Tower), after being asked by the media regarding the height of the structure, told them that it would be a little taller than the Burj Khalifa. After a few months, the chairman of Emaar Properties told the media that the tower would be 100 meters taller than the Burj.

Again, in 2017, a video was played in a mall that threw some hints about the Creek Tower’s height. According to the video, it was speculated that 8 Dubai Creek Towers stacked on top of each other would be around 11 kilometers. This gave the public an idea that the tower might be around 1300 meters. Then, in the same video, it was again hinted that 5 Dubai Creek towers stacked on top of each other will be equivalent to 8 Burj Khalifas. This put the height of the Creek Tower at 1345 meters.  Hence, the tower’s height has been estimated to be between 928 to 1400 meters which would surpass the Burj Khalifa and would make the Creek Tower the tallest building in the world.

A controversy has been also going around the Creek Tower regarding whether it would be recognized as the tallest man-made building or not. According to The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), a structure is considered to be a building only if a minimum of 50% of its height is habitable. But for the Creek Tower, only 30% of the height of the tower will have habitable floors. However, not everyone follows or accepts the CTBUH’s criteria which makes the whole issue very controversial.  The Emma Properties developer will advertise the tower as the tallest building in the world.

The architect Santiago Calatrava Valls who is a Spanish-Swiss architect is the main man behind the design of the Creek Tower. The design inspiration for the tower was the natural form of a desert lily. The cable arrays anchoring the building on both sides create a resemblance to the ribbing desert lily leaves. The cables are spread out widely on the ground to achieve stability for the tower. If the cable arrays are removed, the tower depicts the form of an Islamic architectural structure called a minaret. Minarets can be seen built around various mosques and other such Islamic structures. The thin stem of the tower acts as its backbone and the long oval section close to the peak shows a resemblance to a lily’s bud. The diameter of the oval section is much larger than the stem and hence it gives the tower a grand appearance. The main objective of the tower is to be a site for observation decks or sky gardens. About 20 floors will be used as hotels, apartments, and other mixed-use services. The antenna located at the peak of the tower will be used for broadcasting.

There were a total of six proposals for the design of the Creek Tower which were submitted by huge worldwide architectural companies around the world. The designs were shown to Sheikh Mohammed who is the ruler of Dubai in late February 2016. It was he who selected Santiago’s design which wasn’t completely done at the time. On February 27th, 2016 the architect introduced the remaining design to the ruler.

The preliminary work which includes seismic research, wind checks, soil excavation, pile layout, etc. for the construction of the tower began around July 2016. Construction of the entire tower was supposed to be completed by 2020. Since the tower mostly contains slender core structures, the process of building is estimated to be much faster than other structures. But after the pandemic hit in 2020, the construction of the tower was put on hold, and if it resumes by 2021, then the estimated completion time is late 2022.

The main goal of the tower is to bring about more tourism and sightseeing into the city of Dubai. The Dubai Creek Tower is speculated to have ten observation decks inside the oval-shaped structure which is situated at the top of the tower. The decks will provide 360-degree panoramic views of the entire city of Dubai. The decks are to be decorated exceptionally with aesthetically pleasing gardens that are inspired by the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The tower will also have indoor decks that are supposed to be like small revolving platforms that provide a resemblance to balconies at the margin of the deck, whereas half of these platforms will be outside the margin of the tower that will offer views that no other buildings in the world can provide. The tower is supposed to act as a magnificent landmark during the day and also at night. The tower is set to feature moving lights and dynamic illumination, which is said to look like magic even in darkness. A beacon of light is to emerge from the peak of the tower to evoke the image of a flower bud floating over the structure.

The World Tower Mumbai is a bunch of three supertall skyscrapers in the skyline of central Mumbai by the Lodha Group. It is a residential development located in Lower Parel, South Mumbai, India. It is a mixed-use development situated on a 17.5-acre site of the defunct Shrinivas Mill. The project consisted of three sky-high towers namely, World One, World View, and World Crest. For making the three towers, there were two civil contractors that were involved, namely, Arabian Construction Co. and Simplex for the World One tower and Muscovite Group for the World Crest and World View towers.

Out of all the three towers World One stands at a height of about 280.2 meters which is around 919 feet. It was designed by the architecture firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, along with the civil engineering firm Leslie E. Robertson Associates. The World View Tower is around 285 meters and the World Crest is around 223 meters.

The real estate giant Lodha Group wanted to bring the citizens of India one of the finest living experiences in the form of the World Towers Mumbai. They wanted the tower to resonate with aristocracy and luxury living. Every nook and corner of the tower is filled with spectacular opulence with the most exquisite apartments. The towers are adorned with beautiful courtyards, pools, and gardens. It also consists of a 5-level clubhouse, a spa and fitness center, an open-air sports arena, and decks that provide the most amazing views of Mumbai.

The main idea behind the creation of the World Tower Mumbai was to create a space that resonates with the vibe of South Mumbai. The towers have a unique curvilinear shape and are made with a combination of glass and steel. The structure is a modern design with functionality being the driving force while creating the design. The apartments inside the towers are beautifully designed with balconies that offer the best views of the city. 

Because of its amazing location, the World Tower Mumbai provides easy access to the best amenities one can possibly find in India such as a 2-acre sports arena, art lounges, and a library. The Lodha Place Park which is a public park is located to the left of the tower, while the finest restaurants of Mumbai are located on its right. The towers offer a lifestyle that not many people can afford and are built to resonate with the crowd of people who can afford such luxurious living.

We all know about the tallest building in the world located in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates which is the Burj Khalifa. It is also the tallest office building in the world as there are quite a number of offices inside the tall tower. The total floor area of the tower is 460000 square meters which includes residential, hotels, commercial, entertainment, shopping, leisure, parking, and offices. Another name for the tower is Burj Dubai. It is the tallest man-made skyscraper in human history followed by the Shanghai Tower located in China and then the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower which is located in Saudi Arabia. It is about 828 meters in height and is considered to be one beautiful piece of artwork with a combination of mathematics and engineering. The 162-storied skyscrapers were designed by the architect Adrian Smith of the firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill.  The construction of the tower began in 2004 and it took about 6 years to get completed.

Burj Khalifa holds the record for being the tallest building in the world currently. Aside from that, the tower also holds six other world records which are as follows:

Tallest freestanding structure in the world

The highest number of stories in the world

Highest occupied floor in the world

The highest outdoor observation deck in the world

Elevator with the longest travel distance in the world

Tallest service elevator in the world

The design of Burj Khalifa is inspired by a desert flower called the Hymenocallis. The design features a triple-lobed footprint i.e. the entire tower is made of three elements that are arranged around a central core. The floor plan is Y-shaped which helps to maximize the views of the Arabian Gulf from the tower viewed from the base or air. Just like the massiveness of the tower, everything about the Burj Khalifa is massive and gigantic. For example, almost 12000 people from all over the world worked on the construction of the tower, for the exterior cladding of the tower almost 26000 hand-cut, glass panels were used, and it took about 90 days to clean the entire tower from top to bottom. Also, it took about 110000 tons of concrete, 55000 tons of steel rebar, and 22 million hours to complete the Burj Khalifa.

The Y-shaped feature of the design provides stability to the entire structure and also makes really good floor plates for residential areas. The spiraling Y-shaped design inspired by the desert flower also helps reduce the impact of wind on the tower. The shape is considered ideal for residential and hotel usage with the wings allowing proper airflow and natural lighting inside the building. At ground level, the tower is surrounded by greenery, water features, and pedestrian-friendly streets.

The tower is built of reinforced concrete and beautifully clad in glass. As the tower grows taller from the bottom, certain setbacks are placed in a spiraling manner that goes upward to the top of the tower. At the end of the tower, the central core emerges and forms a spire. The tower is also built on environmentally friendly designs and is an example of sustainable architecture. 15 million gallons of water is collected sustainably every year by the tower which is utilized for irrigation purposes such as landscaping and watering the plants, for the cooling system, and also for the Dubai Fountain. The tower also uses solar energy for water heating. 378 solar panels with an area of 2.7 square meters each are installed in the tower for the utilization of solar energy. These panels can heat up about 140000 liters of water when supplied with only 7 hours of daylight. There is also air ventilation that is provided at the top of the tower where the air is cooler, has low density, and is relatively humid in comparison to the lower parts of the tower. Through this system, cooler air is drawn from the top of the tower towards the bottom with very little energy consumption.

The Burj Khalifa can be seen from 95 kilometers away i.e. we can see the sky scrapper from most parts of Dubai. Whether we’re exploring the deserts or the waters of the bay, the tower seems to follow everywhere. The world’s highest restaurant which is located at a height of 441 meters is located in this tower. It is said that no matter where you sit at this restaurant, the views are majestic which is due to the segmented floor plan that makes every angle of the tower the best viewpoint. The tallest office building in the world also has an enormous art collection. It is said that there are more than 1,000 pieces of art from some of the world’s best artists mainly from the Middle East. Many of those artworks were made especially for the building.

The tower is used mainly as a commercial mixed-use building that houses a lot of hotels, residences, and offices. On top of that, the building also provides base jumping and climbing options for people with an adventurous spirit. The tower served as the stage for many other records, including the highest base jump from a building and the fastest time to climb the Burj Khalifa by bicycle.

Burj Khalifa has been considered to be the tallest office building in the world for more than a decade now. However, it is about to face competition from yet another tower that is being constructed in Dubai. The construction of the Jeddah Tower, formerly known as the Kingdom Tower began in 2013. The tower is supposed to be at a height of 1000 meters and is being designed by the same architect who made the Burj Khalifa. It was supposed to be completed by 2020, but due to some problems and delays, the tower is set to be completed by 2023 and it shall hold the record of the tallest office building in the world after the Burj Khalifa.

.

Brick is an element in masonry construction that is used to make walls, pavements, and other elements.  It is a rectangular block typically made of fired or sun-dried clay. Bricks are usually used to manufacture load-bearing walls. An Ideal brick must provide proper insulation against heat, cold, and noise. The heat and sound conductivity of a brick varies highly with its density and porosity. Bricks that are very dense and heavy conduct sound and heat at a greater rate. Bricks must be properly designed for them to be considered ideal and proper for construction purposes. They must be made in such a way that they are strong, light, and give adequate insulation. Bricks are a very durable and low-cost construction material. It also has high compressive strength and is also fire resistant. It can also resist weathering effects to an adequate level and is of low maintenance.

Brick bonds or bonding is the arrangement of bricks in a wall, column, or any structure. The bonds may have a decorative or structural function. The arrangement of bricks on a structure in a systematic way to ensure its stability and strength is called brick bonding. There are different brick bonds that are being used in today’s day and age. Bricks can be laid in a standing upright position, lengthwise along the wall or widthwise along the wall. There are three patterns that a brick bonding type must follow and those are as follows:

A. The load must be distributed throughout the structure to achieve the maximum required strength.

B. Structural stability must be ensured.

C. The desired aesthetic must be achieved.

Different brick bonds

There are so many different brick bonds that are available today. Some of them are used for structural purposes and some only for decorative purposes. Some brick bonds can also be used in both cases as they are aesthetically pleasing as well as has great structural strength. Although the primary purpose of brick bonds is to ensure that the masonry work is strong and stable, it can also have an artistic effect on the walls that the bonds are placed in.  Different brick bonds are as follows:

Header Bond

This bond has courses of headers only which are offset by half a brick. It is usually used for round walls. It is not used in straight work as this bond is considered to be very weak.

Stretcher Bond

This bond has courses of stretchers. Usually used in walls that have half brick thickness. As it is constantly used in the last position, it is also referred to as the chimney bond.

English Bond

In this type of bond, the bricks are arranged in the alternate course of headers and stretchers. It is the strongest bond and it requires more facing bricks in comparison to other bonds. However, it is recommended to avoid continuous vertical joints. Queen closers are inserted near quoin headers to produce the overlapping of bricks.

English Garden Wall Bond

This type of bond is similar to an English bond but here for three courses of stretchers, one course of the header is provided. The headers are arranged in such a way that each course of the header is centered on the header in the course below. This bond helps to spread the lateral load and also uses a lot fewer facing bricks in comparison to an English bond.

English Cross Bond

In this bond, the courses of headers and stretchers are placed alternatively, with the courses being offset by half a brick. The stretchers are arranged in such a way that one course of the stretcher is centered on the joins between the course of stretchers below them. All the alternating courses of the stretcher are aligned with each other.

Flemish Bond

There are two types of Flemish bonds, namely, Double Flemish Bonds and Single Flemish Bonds. 

In a Double Flemish bond, the headers and stretchers are arranged in alternate courses. The queen closer is placed next to the quoin header in every course to produce the lap. This type of bond is weaker than English bonds.

In a Single Flemish Bond, one course of double Flemish bond is placed on the face of the walls. The remaining of the wall is built in English Bond. This bond is used in walls that need high strength and a good appearance. However, this bond is not advisable for walls less than one and a half bricks thick.

Flemish Garden Wall Bond

This bond is arranged in such a way that one header is placed on three stretchers in each course. The headers are centered over the stretchers in the middle.

Monk Bond

This is a type of Flemish bond. This bond has two stretchers between headers in every course. The headers are placed between the joins of two stretchers in the course below.

Stack Bond

In this type of bond, the bricks are directly placed on top of each other with joins aligned together for the entire wall. The bricks used in this bond can be stacked vertically or horizontally. Due to the minimal bonding of the bricks caused by the alignment of joints, this bond is considered to be very weak and also, structurally unsound. This bond is hence used mostly for decorative purposes only.

Sussex Bond

Sussex Bond uses three stretchers and one header in every course.

Conclusion

It is now clear to us that different arrangement of bricks results in the creation of various different bonds that are used in the construction industry. These bonds are used to create walls, facades, pillars, and a variety of other structures. Brick bonds that provide great strength and are also considered to be aesthetically pleasing are considered to be good brick bonds. Good brick bonds are the most highly used brick bonds. The entire brickwork of a specific structure depends on the bonding of bricks. Thus, it is said that bond in brickwork is of the highest importance. 

Paving Blocks or pavers, are an element of the construction industry that are generally used as exterior flooring. They are usually flat units that are made of a variety of materials. Paving Blocks are nowadays mostly preferred over slabs, asphalt, stone, or clay. The industry is growing at a rapid state and has been growing steadily over the past twenty-five to thirty years. Not only it is simpler to complete the laying of paving blocks but they look really good on driveways and pavements.  The potential of paving blocks is very high as it offers tremendous possibilities in the landscape, planning, and other architectural aspects.

Paving blocks are one of the most versatile exterior flooring options available in the market today. They are found in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with different color options and they can also be installed in a variety of laying patterns. Hence, pavers can be adjusted according to the design style of a specific project. 

When choosing exterior flooring, paving blocks are usually compared with concrete as concrete has been used in exterior floors for generations. However, due to its limited options and variety, concrete is being slowly replaced in the sector of exterior flooring. Pavers are not only visually attractive and available in more variety, but they are also more durable and inexpensive than concrete. They are easy to lay in comparison to concrete slabs. Pavers are also low maintenance and add considerable resale value.

Types of paving blocks

There are different types of paving blocks available in the market today. Before directly purchasing and installing a paved walkway on your property, it is important to know about the types of paving blocks and the ones that are commonly used. A detailed study of paving blocks is as follows:

Concrete Paving Blocks

These paving blocks are inexpensive, durable, and versatile as they are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.  They are made using a concrete mix that contains water, sand, and aggregate. The desired color is added to the mix to give it any color that we want. Concrete paving blocks are weather-resistant and can also withstand heavy loads.  This is the cheapest type of paving block that is available in the market today.

Brick Paving Blocks

These paving blocks are made of clay, they are cast in forms and are then burnt. Various types of clay are mixed to obtain different natural colors on such types of pavers. Brick pavers are used to obtain a classic distinct look as brick has been used in construction for thousands of years. These paving blocks are strong, durable, and shall last a lifetime. They are highly durable and have excellent color retention.

Natural Stone Paving Blocks

Natural stone has been used since the birth of the construction sector. Nowadays, they have been easier to find on the market than in the past. Although the cost of natural stone has decreased, it is still the most expensive exterior flooring option in comparison to the other two. These pavers are durable and often really unique features that are aesthetically pleasing. Almost all the natural stones that are found can be used as paver material, but the most common ones include cobblestone, flagstone, travertine, etc.

Cobblestone

These pacers are used to give an old-school appearance to the floorings as the exterior floors of the olden days were made of cobblestone.

Cement is a binder substance that sets, hardens, and sticks to other materials to bind them. It is a fine, soft, and powdery substance.  It is the most important material in building construction. The raw materials that are mostly used in the making of cement include lime, silica, alumina, and iron oxide. It is the key ingredient that is used to make concrete. Cement is generally divided into hydraulic and non-hydraulic cement.

Hydraulic cement is the type of cement that hardens when it comes in contact with water. It is composed of limestone, clay, and gypsum. Non-hydraulic is the type of cement that needs to be kept dry for it to attain strength.  It is composed of lime, gypsum plaster, and oxychloride.  It takes a long time to set and hence this cement is becoming redundant and obsolete.

Cement grades list

Cement is found in different grades. The grade of cement indicates how strong the compressive strength of the cement is.  Since cement is the main material to make concrete, we must understand that the strength of cement is directly proportional to the strength of concrete i.e. the higher the grade of cement, the stronger it is. Not only strength, but the higher graded cement is finer than the lower grades. That is the reason it is advised to go through the cement grades list before choosing the type of grade of cement to be used in your structure. The grades of cement are usually a category of OPC or Ordinary Portland Cement.

OPC or Ordinary Portland Cement

Limestone and clay minerals are heated in a kiln and ground. In that mixture, two to three percent of gypsum is added. This mixer is then mixed into a fine powder which forms OPC or Ordinary Portland Cement. No matter what kind of brand it is, OPC is available in three different grades that can be used for three different purposes. The grades are as follows:

OPC 33 Grade

33 Grade of cement means the Compressive Strength of cement after 28 days is 33N/mm² according to the Indian Standards, IS 269 – 2015. This grade of cement is mainly used for wall plastering, non-RCC structures, pathways, etc. It is rarely used nowadays, as its compressive strength is very low in comparison to other types of concrete available in the market. It is mostly used in the making of low-grade concrete such as below M20 Concrete grade.

OPC43 Grade

The grade 43 of cement means the Compressive when tested under the CTM is 43N/mm² according to the Indian Standards, IS 8112 – 2013. This grade of cement is mostly used in PCC and RCC work. It is mostly used for plastering, flooring, pathways, stone masonry, brick masonry, etc. It is used in areas where the grade of concrete is up to M30.  This grade of concrete is also used in the finishing of structures, bridges, culverts, roads, etc.

OPC53 Grade

The grade 53 of cement means the Compressive strength when tested under CTM is 53N/mm². This grade of cement is used in RCC and pre-stressed concrete of higher grades. Instant plugging mortars, cement grouts, etc. It is used for fast-paced construction where the initial strength of the construction is to be achieved quickly. Since it is the grade with the highest compressive strength, the OPC53 grade is costlier in comparison to the OPC33 and OPC43 grades.

Conclusion

These were the various different grades of cement available in the market today. After going through this cement grades list, one can get a small idea of what exactly the different grades of cement represent.