The late Uruguayan-born structural engineer Eladio Dieste (1917-2000) achieved world fame with his advances in contemporary structural brickwork, particularly as a medium to compete with concrete.
Many of Dieste's impressive array of soaring structures appear to defy gravity and are hailed as being both technically complex and architecturally expressive.

Dieste took a traditional material which he then transformed into a modern, sophisticated structural medium. According to Edinburgh University's Dr Remo Pedreschi, the forms for roofs and walls created by Dieste in reinforced brickwork have been found to be more effective than alternatives using reinforced concrete.

For each of his projects, Dieste's inspiration was his deep concern for the culture and development of his country. His approach resulted in a new brickwork language derived from a thorough understanding of brick's physical nature, the context of a developing Uruguay and a concern for what he termed "cosmic economy". Even though Dieste was guided by the laws of physics and engineering, his works, like those of Santiago Calatrava, exhibit a powerful aesthetic that appeals to many.

Pictured opposite is the Church at Atlantida in Uruguay, designed by Dieste and completed in 1960. The building has reinforced brick walls and a 120 mm thick brick roof shell that spans nearly 19 m. This project and others like it can be seen in Eladio Dieste, written and edited by Remo Pedreschi and published in 2000 by Thomas Telford.

Brick Bulletin June 2004