JanFeb 2008: From the Editor - Welcome to Masonry Design!

Words: Bronzella Cleveland


Cory Sekine-Pettite, editor Masonry Design Magazine

Cory Sekine-Pettite,
editor

To make comments
or suggestions, send
e-mail to
cory@lionhrtpub.com.

Cory Sekine-Pettite, editor Masonry Design Magazine

Cory Sekine-Pettite,
editor

To make comments
or suggestions, send
e-mail to
cory@lionhrtpub.com.

Cory Sekine-Pettite, editor Masonry Design Magazine

Cory Sekine-Pettite,
editor

To make comments
or suggestions, send
e-mail to
cory@lionhrtpub.com.

Welcome to the first issue of Masonry Design! It’s hard to believe that little more than one year ago, the staff at Lionheart Publishing took our idea for this magazine and presented it to you and the industry. The overwhelming response was, “Yes. The industry needs this publication.” “Finally,” you told us, “a masonry-related magazine for architects and engineers.” Your enthusiasm pleased us greatly, told us we had the right idea in trying to fill this niche and frankly, was a bit of a relief to me. No editor wants to pour his or her heart and soul into a publication that from the start is not going to interest or truly reach its intended audience.

To reiterate, our goal with Masonry Design is to educate and inform architects, engineers and specifiers about the vital role that masonry plays in the construction markets in the United States and Canada, as well as to promote masonry and masonry systems in building design (commercial, residential, institutional and educational), interior design and hardscaping applications. With each issue, readers will become better informed of the design trends, latest materials and newest technologies that will aid them in creating better masonry projects.

We’re launching Masonry Design as a bi-monthly, but in conducting our own research and speaking with you, we know that there are enough issues, concerns and educational needs to fill a monthly magazine – this is our aspiration for the near future. In the meantime, I’m excited to hear from each and every one of you. Let me know what areas of masonry design and construction you would like to see us cover, or contact me if there is a particular matter for which you have a need to discuss, investigate or even vent. I value your opinions and truly want to hear your views. After all, to be useful to (and successful in) any industry, a magazine requires the participation of its audience and the ancillary industries that serve that audience.

To start our conversation, I’d like to tell you a little bit about myself. I’ve been a professional writer and editor for nearly 12 years, with nine of those years spent working with business-to-business magazines focused on the construction industry. I’ve edited publications covering civil engineering, structural engineering, and bridge design and engineering. And for more than a year, I have worked for Lionheart Publishing on Masonry and Building Stone magazines. The design and construction industry is of keen interest to me, and I hope that I have learned enough these many years to provide you with edifying and intriguing content – the things you really want and need to know about the materials trends and technologies affecting your work with brick, block and stone designs.

Save

The Importance of Instructor Support
April 2026

Whether you are a new or veteran masonry instructor, we all need support throughout our careers. We can never stop learning, and keeping up with ever-changing technology, materials, and installation techniques can be overwhelming alongside the everyday pr

Vibing Masonry #11: Innovative Concrete Masonry Technologies in Healthcare Design
April 2026

In the high-stakes environment of healthcare design, every material choice is a clinical decision. Architects, engineers, and facility administrators are tasked with creating spaces that are not only resilient and code-compliant but also conducive to heal

Why Termination Bars Still Matter: A Practical Look at Long‑Term Flashing Performance
April 2026

In recent discussions across the masonry industry, I have heard termination bars described as “old school.” The implication is that with modern materials, primerless peel-and-stick flashings, advanced sealants, and structural insulated sheathing, mechanic

Building Solutions: The Critical Role of Cavity Space in Masonry Moisture Control
April 2026

Long before “rainscreen” became a popular term in building science, masonry cavity walls were functioning on that very principle. A brick veneer cavity wall is designed with the expectation that water will penetrate the exterior