Bricks
Bricks is a site devoted to inspiring architects and creative designers. Through its database of images and plans, architects around the world can use the images to inspire their own creative efforts. They also can upload images of their own and share them in the hopes of inspiring other architects. It's a site devoted to supporting the creative flame within every architect and to aid in sharing with the architect's team possible design plans to execute. The site pulls from personal uploads as well as by selecting appropriate content from Pinterest, Flickr, Dezeen, Archdaily, among others.
- Collect Inspiration Virtually Anywhere
- Share Inspiration with Team Members
- Organize Images for Quick Reference and Sharing
- Huge Library: Bricks has a huge library of images for design. The site boasts that it has the most complete library for open source architecture and design. With plenty to draw from, inspiration is practically guaranteed.
- Sync Abilities: With the ability to sync Pinterage pages to Bricks, uploading or saving images is quick and easy.
- Free Membership: Where some sites may make members pay after a certain amount of views or keep high-quality folders for premium members, Bricks offers its services entirely free. Just one less expense to worry about in the long run.
- Additional Blog: Bricks also has a forum to discuss architecture and ideas amongst other architects and people interested in design.
- Meet-Ups: Bricks stages meet-ups throughout the world for architects to meet and discuss their career field together.
- Collaboration: Through their Open Source Collaboration section, architects and designers are able to work together on a project and help each other through a rut.
- Search Confusion: Initially, the layout for the database is a little daunting and difficult to navigate. There's a lot of information tossed all at once, so it may take a few seconds to understand how to get where one wants to get.
For its purpose, the site serves well. There's a multitude of photos anyone can look at and find inspiration from. The design of the site is sleek and easy to navigate. Right from the homepage, users are able to select images based on the form of architecture they're looking for, making navigation quick and easy. The site also highlights its features in an easy-to-understand manner, allowing the user to know exactly what Bricks can do for them and their team. The database itself is rich and extends from one range of architecture to another with varying styles within. The images and designs available to view aren't focused solely on buildings either. There's a healthy selection of desks, foosball tables, and other comfort and recreational furniture. Regardless of what the architect's project may be, they can certainly find inspiration on this site. The tagging system allows for quick reference both for a future use of the site and for informing a project team of a possible direction to take the project. Membership is free and definitely recommended since it allows for storing images of particular interest or focus.