York Handmade Brick Company is proud to have supplied bespoke handmade clay bricks for 3 Circle Square, a landmark office development within Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor Innovation District.
Part of the wider Circle Square masterplan, the building demonstrates how traditional clay brick can support contemporary architecture while contributing to ambitious sustainability targets, including Net Zero embodied carbon during construction.
Bespoke Handmade Bricks for a Manchester Landmark
Brick is central to Manchester’s architectural identity. At 3 Circle Square, this heritage influence is reinterpreted through proportion, texture and bond, creating a façade that feels rooted in the city while clearly contemporary in expression.
York Handmade Brick manufactured 385,000 Waterstruck Thirkleby Blend bricks specifically for the project. Part of the Viking range, this deep red handmade brick offers natural tonal variation and a softly textured surface that responds to changing light across the elevation.
At the architect’s specification, the bricks were produced in a bespoke long format measuring 327 x 65 x 102mm, alongside standard sized units of the same blend. This variation in size allowed the design team and brickwork contractor to create rhythm and refinement across large façade areas while maintaining the durability required for a major commercial office building.
Craftsmanship, Bond and Architectural Depth
The long format handmade brick plays a defining role in the building’s architectural language. Strong horizontal coursing emphasises linearity and proportion, while a dark red weatherstruck mortar joint enhances shadow lines and surface depth.
Brick bonds and detailing are used as deliberate design features. Projecting bricks, soldier courses and hit and miss brickwork introduce relief and texture across the façade. These techniques ensure the building performs visually at both street level and across the wider cityscape.
At ground floor level, large brick arches reference Manchester’s historic railway architecture and provide a strong, welcoming presence. Above, deep set punched window openings reinforce solidity and contribute to thermal performance. Decorative perforated brick panels conceal integrated ventilation routes, allowing natural airflow through the façade and freeing roof space for solar panels.
This approach demonstrates how handmade brick can combine performance, sustainability and architectural expression within modern commercial development.
Read the Full Case Study
3 Circle Square highlights the role of bespoke brick specification, collaboration and skilled brickwork in delivering high performance commercial buildings.
The project has been featured by the Brick Development Association. To read the full case study and explore the complete design and construction story, visit the Brick Development Association website by clicking the link below.
