Brick Awards 2024 - Meet the Head Judge!

The Brick Development Association are delighted to announce that Jonathan Hall will be the Head Judge for the 2024 Brick Awards, taking over from Gerard Maccreanor.  

Jonathan is a founding director of Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, an award-winning practice established in 1989 and based in Clerkenwell, with offices in Bristol and Oklahoma City.

As well as involvement in projects, Jonathan is responsible for the management of design risk within the practice which includes leading the technical support team and the legal and appointments team. Jonathan is currently the external examiner on the Professional Part 3 course at the Bartlett School of Architecture, at UCL, and is a director of the Wren Insurance, a mutual professional indemnity insurance company serving architects

The BDA had the opportunity to sit down and discuss the Brick Awards ahead of the Shortlisting commencing on Monday 24th June.  Q & A below.

BDA

Congratulations on your appointment as head judge for the 2024 Brick Awards! We're thrilled to have you lead this year’s panel. Before we begin, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your experience with the Brick Awards?

JH

I’m delighted to have been asked to chair the 2024 Brick Awards. I have been part of the judging panel for the past two sessions, chaired by the very able Gerry Maccreanor - so I have a strong act to follow! At my practice, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, one of my roles is to lead on Technical Design, so that is a particular area of interest for me, especially in the light of the developing ways in which bricks are being used on buildings, and in addition, how the industry as a whole is addressing the embodied and whole life carbon issue.

BDA

What excites you most about taking on the role of head judge?

As a judge I am excited to see what this year’s crop of entries brings. There is always much that is both delightful, innovative and unexpected. In terms of being ‘head judge’ or chair, my opinion is equal to that of others - my role really is to keep the process focussed, moving and to make sure everybody’s voice is heard.

Having been on the judging panel before, what are the key qualities you will you be looking for when evaluating this year’s entries?

As always, we will look carefully at the entries against the set criteria - that’s the base line - but from that we then look for the facet of the entry that really stands out and grabs our attention. 

BDA

As Head Judge, what are your hopes for this year's awards? Are there any specific areas you'd like to see innovation or focus on?

JH

As with many construction industry awards there is an important focus on sustainability. What I would really welcome this year is for submissions to address the issue in an increasingly thorough and intelligent way.

BDA

Leading a fair and balanced judging process is crucial. How will you ensure all entries receive a fair and unbiased evaluation?

From my perspective I think the key is to have an ordered structure to the judging process with the key information well presented to the panel so there is a common focus. I am sure there will be entries whose visual submissions aren’t as elaborate or sophisticated as others - and although good quality well-presented information makes judging more pleasurable, part of the task is to dig down and look through that to the essence of what is being submitted. One of the benefits of the judging is that all short-listed entries are visited and often it is only when a project is seen in the flesh, and in context, that its success really comes across. 

BDA

Have there been any changes made to the judging process or criteria to further enhance fairness and transparency?

JH

There have not been any changes to the general process or the criteria this year, but as always, a new judging panel will bring its own collective view on how to interpret the criteria. Transparency is an interesting word as one’s opinions aren’t always readily open to objective analysis - however from my position I think it is important to be ready to challenge others to support their opinions, and indeed, to be challenged.

BDA
The BDA has recently launched its ‘Better with Brick’ campaign highlighting the benefits of clay brick across 4 key pillars, Sustainability, Quality, Regulations & Compliance and Design Considerations. How will the judging criteria be used to identify entries that truly showcase the potential of clay brick for a better built environment?

JH

The Better with Brick initiative was launched earlier this year and brings together a wide-ranging and ambitious promotion of the use of brick under a strong and comprehensible set of four headings or ‘pillars’. As judges we will be assessing entries looking at all of these factors, but what they usefully do is to provide a clear focus for us.

BDA

What advice would you give to architects and developers who are considering entering future Brick Awards?

JH

Go for it! But be ready to collaborate with the project team as a whole so that all the positive aspects of the use of brick that distinguish your project are brought out succinctly and clearly.

BDA

What does being part of the Brick Awards judging panel mean to you personally?

JH

I was really excited to be invited to be part of the judging process, and each year what I really enjoy is the diversity of the panel and the different perspectives and knowledge that they bring to the discussion - some of which we‘re not always fully aware of as an architect.

BDA

Finally, what excites you most about the future of brickwork, and how can the Brick Awards continue to celebrate and inspire excellence in this field?

JH

Ever since I was a student, I have been interested in the part the BDA play in promoting technical excellence through their publications - in celebrating achievement in the use of brick, the Brick Awards are an important part of that. As an architect my practice enjoys using brick and used in the right way it is sustainable in a whole life calculation. In selecting the Award winners we recognise that they have a part to play in hopefully inspiring others. As an architect we can often focus on the technical and design issues, but let’s never forget the craft that the bricklayers themselves bring to realising the finished project!