They were perfectly suited to Southern California, the land of sunshine and the cradle of modern design. On some buildings, the fences and grills were small and discreet other times, they were mammoth in scale. They served as ornamentation on hotels and storefronts and bedecked the entryways of ordinary homes. They encircled swimming pools, wrapped around churches, and screened parking garages. Images of breeze blocks in West Coast magazine articles and advertisements ultimately linked breeze blocks to California style, according to Chicago-based architectural historian Anthony Rubano. “It became a real way to popularize modern design.” “Everybody could order a bunch of concrete blocks and use them,” says Alan Hess, a Southern California architectural historian.
The blocks were cheap, and local manufacturers, who organized a big publicity blitz, created hundreds of patterns. But a barrier of breeze blocks could be placed in front of the glass, filtering sun without hindering ventilation.
#BREEZE BLOCK SIZE WINDOWS#
One of the hallmarks of the style-floor-to-ceiling glass windows and walls that blurred indoor and outdoor living-were terrible insulators. Breeze blocks were the perfect companion to modernist buildings. In those two decades, Americans shunned classical designs in favor of simple lines and experimented with concrete and prefabricated building techniques. Mounted together, they form a striking pattern.īreeze blocks caused a sensation in the 1950s and ’60s. The name refers to a perforated concrete wall made up of individual blocks, each pierced with the same shape, most commonly a cross or circle. But none were as useful and affordable-or had as much panache-as breeze blocks. The shed was on a concrete base, although it's much smaller and will now have to be removed.Before the proliferation of air conditioning, designers devised lots of clever ways to keep buildings cool: cupolas, external blinds and awnings, transom windows. There was electricity in the old wooden shed and is still currently situated in the same position. Will that be Ok or do I need a soak away built? I know that would cost more. Rainwater will flow from the gutter into my flower bed. Would prefer a tiled roof? A steep drop is preferable as it would prevent rainwater puddling, but I suspect it won’t be very steep due to the size of the depth.įor the inside walls, do I need plasterboards attached to the concrete/breeze blocks and then does it need to be plastered and painted? I may insulate the walls later on if I want to use it as a workroom few years down the line I am getting the floor and the ceiling insulated. The shed is primarily going to be used for storage. I suppose the vibrations of the tram and previously trains cause these cracks.
#BREEZE BLOCK SIZE SKIN#
Our single skin 6 foot brick wall has long cracks running along from the top to the bottom. So, I don't want the same to happen to the shed. I have tram line at the back and my single skin brick 6ft fence wall has shown cracks at regular intervals.
#BREEZE BLOCK SIZE CRACK#
I find thermalite blocks do crack and can't drill screws as it crumbles.įor the double thickness wall, does there need to be a gap between the walls or can they be tightly adjacent to each other?
My builder keeps saying I should use thermalite blocks as concrete blocks are heavy and would need 18inch foundation. Do I need a double skin for brick walls? Perhaps have breeze blocks behind it for support and to save money. The back and the other side can be concrete blocks as it won't be visible from my garden. I would like the shed to have red bricks along the front and one side which is visible. How deep should the foundations be? Does a Council inspector have to come and check the depth?ĭoes the height of 290cms, comply with building regulations as it is under 3m?
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