![]() Courtesy of WikiData.Īcross the ocean, the American embassy in New Delhi also features a prominent use of breeze blocks. The large fountain and low-profile of the embassy give it a local South Asian twist. The exterior of the Parker Palm Springs is surrounded by white breeze blocks that shield the 5-star hotel from the blazing desert sun and provide a private oasis for vacationers and celebrities alike. In Palm Springs, CA, one luxurious hotel uses breeze blocks in a way that truly stands out. Quintessential Breeze Block Buildings The Parker Palm Springs uses breeze blocks to create a dramatic facade to the entrance of the hotel. It’s estimated that there are over 200 different breeze block patterns today. Local breeze block factories produced standard patterns, like the common snowflake one, while making unique patterns that were specific to the factory too. Because of their weight and the cost involved with shipping them long distances, it was often cheaper to manufacture them locally. In fact, breeze blocks became so popular that most large cities and towns had their own breeze block factories. California used breeze blocks to protect against the hot desert sun, while Florida architecture used breeze blocks to minimize the damage of dangerous storm winds.īreeze blocks can have patterns that range from the simple to the ornate. They were especially popular in the warmer parts of the country, like California and Florida. This Texas apartment building uses breeze blocks to give its residents some privacy while making the building look great too. Breeze blocks also provided shade for the massive Mid Century floor-to-ceiling windows that were popular at the time. Courtesy of Curbed.īreeze blocks provided a visually pleasing (and affordable!) way to filter out harsh sunlight while still providing ventilation. Mid Century grocery stores used breeze blocks to make their exteriors look a bit more interesting. They were widely used in Mid Century Modern design up until the 1970s, when they began to fall out of style. They continued to grow in popularity in the following decades, especially when used in houses and apartments. Courtesy of Curbed.īreeze blocks–sometimes called screen blocks– were inspired by sun-reducing screens in Asia and first used in America in the 1930s. Breeze Blocks’ History This breeze block home in Palm Springs gets privacy and shade thanks to the beautiful blocks. Breeze blocks provide shade, circulation, protection and privacy to buildings all over the world, and they’ve got the rich history and style to prove it. But these fascinating blocks are more than just decorative- they’re an important component of Mid Century Modern design. ![]() Courtesy of Modernist Architecture Tour.īreeze blocks are the patterned concrete blocks you may have seen covering the sides of a building or stacked upon each other to form a wall. Here, we take a look at some intriguing examples of architectural screen blocks around the world.This Palm Springs home uses breeze blocks to provide privacy and shade. Today, breeze blocks are being reintroduced in a variety of projects not only for their aesthetic properties, but also for their contributions to sustainable architecture and their ability to permit cross-ventilation and the possibility of using recycled materials. Indeed, when it was first invented by a team of Brazilian engineers (who called it cobogó: a combination of their own initials), it was seen as an appropriate local building material that allowed light and air to pass through while still providing some shade and privacy.īy the 1950s and 1960s, the use of patterned, hollow concrete block had spread to other warm-weather areas around the globe that could benefit from its dappled light and wide variety of patterns, sizes, colors, and eventually materials. Patterned concrete block may have originally been introduced in the late-1920s in Brazil, but today, it can be found in warm-weather areas across the world.
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