Why Brick: Cheap, Local, Built Fast

A building where cost considerations are evident. Its effect comes entirely from the cheapest materials and labor: one size of brick, a few basic laying patterns, no stone carving, no metal castings, no imported materials; the richness of decoration comes from repetition and arrangement, not from individual valuable pieces. Therefore, it is widely used for markets, schools, and rental apartments. Avoid: adding expensive components like stone carvings and cast iron, using multiple specifications of special bricks, making the building appear luxurious and refined, depicting it as a high-end residence.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一棟看得出造價考量的建築。它的效果全部來自最便宜的材料與工資:一種尺寸的磚、幾種基本的砌法、沒有石雕、沒有金屬鑄件、沒有進口材料;裝飾的豐富度來自重複與排列,而不是來自單件的貴重。因此它被大量用在市場、學校與出租公寓上。避免:加入石雕與鑄鐵的昂貴構件、使用多種規格的特殊磚、讓建築顯得奢華精緻、把它畫成高級住宅。