Rutherford in Hasselt: The Pool House as an Oasis of Finesse
The Power of Slim Format
In an architectural landscape where the call for refinement is growing louder, the Rutherford facing brick is a clear answer. While many projects still opt for massiveness and robust volumes, the Rutherford proves that the true power of a façade can lie in understated elegance and subtle detail. With its exceptionally slim format of 335 mm long and 26 mm high, this brick is not just a building material; it is a tool for architects who strive for precision, rhythm and refined lines.
The horizontal character of the brick creates a soothing rhythm that flows around the building like a visual stream. These proportions make it possible to design architecture that breathes, that allows air and light to enter, and that makes a building appear to float. In the Hasselt pool house, this effect is enhanced by the consistent use of thin-bed mortar, which makes the joints almost disappear and allows the stone to guide the design rather than interrupt it.
The Dimension of Aether Grey
Rutherford shares its fundamental colour with the elementary, neutral shade of Aether Grey. But what makes this stone truly unique is how its slender shape allows the colour to move in the light. Its length and minimal height turn the façade into a canvas of horizontal, layered lines in which Aether Grey appears differently each time. The shade is not overpowering, but forms a serene basis on which sunlight, shadows and reflections can play subtly.
The format of the Rutherford demands precision. Each joint becomes a line, each brick a segment of a larger graphic whole. This creates a refined texture that fascinates up close with its rich detail and forms an elegant, almost woven façade from a distance. In the pool house, this results in a façade that appears calm but is rich in nuance, an architectural surface that never stands still but is always in dialogue with its surroundings.
A Vision of Refinement
Architects who choose Rutherford consciously opt for a layered, linear façade. The slim format breaks through the massiveness of traditional brick and introduces a new dynamic in which subtlety plays the leading role. Rutherford is the embodiment of a study in finesse: designed for projects in which every detail counts and in which materiality does not shout, but whispers.
In Hasselt, the brick forms the backbone of a minimalist architectural vision. The façade radiates tranquillity, order and harmony. It is a material that inspires confidence: through its dimensional stability, its colour purity and its ability to bring consistency to complex volumes.
A façade finished in Rutherford is proof of a conscious choice of material, where the format transforms the expression of the colour and the entire architectural vision. The pool house illustrates how this stone not only forms a façade, but also determines the atmosphere, character and refinement of the overall design: a true oasis of finesse.