Innovation for a celebration: Alusid crafts AR Emerging Architecture Awards trophies

Illustrating the sheer versatility of our sustainable surfaces is our latest collaboration with global built environment publication, The Architectural Review. We have applied our unique process of innovation to create a set of trophies for the AR Emerging awards 2023 – an event that puts a spotlight on the world’s up-and-coming architectural talent – the ‘stars of tomorrow’.

The winners of awards, the highly commended practice and the Peter Davey Prize will receive a one-of-a-kind trophy designed and crafted by our team and made from 98% recycled material. All 15 practices who are shortlisted will be given a special token created from some of the experiments and trials we used to develop the awards.

Such a celebration of ingenuity required an equal dose of inventiveness on our part. As such, we put our materials to the test to push them in a brand-new direction…

The development process

When we first embark on a new project, we begin with a testing period. Depending on the application, our processes and recipes may need to be tweaked to produce the best outcome.

For the trophies’ design, we decided on a rectangular slab with embossed lettering, reading ‘AR Emerging’. To bring this concept to life, we started by making a mould from thick coated plywood. This coating allowed our material to slide off, making the demoulding process a painless one.

The same plywood - with some steel added for reinforcement - was also used to create a press head. This provided the basis for attaching a rubber stamp with the ‘AR Emerging’ logo. The material itself consisted of glass, porcelain, and clay – our sustainable Alusid mix - but slightly modified to increase the clay element, and other fine particles, while reducing moisture to enable the text to be retained when the awards were pressed.

Chris McCloskey pressing the awards in manual press
Chris McCloskey pressing the awards in manual press
Mould and pressed award
Mould and pressed award
Awards pressed and drying before firing
Awards pressed and drying before firing
Glazing the award with extra thick application
Glazing the award with extra thick application

Finalising the finishes

Once we were happy with the trophy base, it was time to experiment with the finishes to truly make them dazzle. We tried a few different techniques to tease out various outcomes. Experimenting with different glazes and combinations of crushed glass, taking inspiration from a hybrid of encaustic tiles and pate de verre glass techniques.

Trials and tests of different formulations and finishing techniques
Trials and tests of different formulations and finishing techniques

The winning combination

Extremely happy with the outcome of our testing process, we crafted the final trophies with a fully glazed finish on the front face. This allows for optimum reflection of light for a bright, almost glittering, effect, that’s most appropriate considering their celebratory purpose. The three winning trophies are each glazed in a different one of our Tints sustainable tile range – Brockholes Blue, Ashton Green and Penwortham Pink.

Much like the people and practices they will recognise, these trophies are a shining example of circular sustainability in all its glory.

Final awards
Final awards

Good luck to all those shortlisted for the AR Emerging Architecture Awards. Stay tuned to emerging.architectural-review.com for the announcement of the winners, and to catch a glimpse of our Alusid trophies in the wild before they head to their new homes.