Birmingham Bull in brick relief

When EH Smith revitalised a former warehouse in the heart of Digbeth to create their new Brick Design Centre, they invited Ketley to produce a striking brick feature to sit behind the main stage. The result? A bold and inspiring relief of the Birmingham Bull - an enduring symbol of the city’s strength and spirit - brought to life in local clay.

The Bull was created using Ketley’s latest innovation: the Brixel 4K system. This advanced brick pixelation technique transforms any 2D image into a high-resolution brick façade using six 65mm square brick types, five textured and one plain. The textured bricks are pressed with varying indents that catch and reflect light, forming shadows that give depth and definition to the image. No sculptors or artists required, just the clever interplay of light and surface.

Brixel 4K delivers four times the resolution of Ketley’s original award-winning Brixel system, enabling intricate detail and tonal variation that make the Bull appear almost sculptural.

 

 

 

 

Engineered for Performance and Longevity

All Ketley bricks are manufactured from dense Etruria marl clay to engineering brick standards, the highest rating available for a clay product. While the Bull installation is indoors, Brixel bricks are designed for both internal and external use. Ketley is the only manufacturer to have independently tested its bricks for freeze-thaw performance within textured façades with projections up to 50mm, ensuring durability even in exposed conditions where water may collect in surface indentations.

 

From Concept to Installation

The Birmingham Bull image was mapped using Ketley’s Brixel Tool, which converted the design into a matrix of the six brick variants. A 3D model was generated to help EH Smith visualise the final result before production. Once approved, the bricks were manufactured and installed using a detailed layout map.

The finished relief is a powerful focal point, celebrating Birmingham’s industrial heritage while showcasing the creative potential of clay in contemporary design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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