Masonry Studio at UWM debuts

Words: Mark KempOn September 4, 2013 “Masonry Studio” made its debut to over 100 architecture students at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee's School of Architecture and Urban Planning.

Finally the message about Masonry is getting to the future young minds that will determine what buildings are made of. This studio is made possible by the generous financial support of Wisconsin Masonry Industry Partners, the craft workers, mason contractors and manufacturers that make brick, concrete block, stone, tile, and a wide variety of other structural and architectural systems and the NCMA Foundation.

This group is providing funding for special lectures, construction of masonry mock-ups, expert critics and advisors in the studios, support for students to attend a masonry camp, publication of studio results in a national journal, and a range of other events and activities. It is our hope to see this program spread to other universities across the nation.
Restoring the Breath of the Building: The Life-Saving Science Behind Historic Masonry Repairs
July 2026

When I first set out to become a historic preservation and restoration mason, I imagined that most of my trade would involve repairing the effects of old age. Instead, 99 percent of my work is attempting to stabilize and reverse damage caused by recent an

Laying the Foundation for the Future: Workforce Development at the Arizona Masonry Council
July 2026

For generations, masonry has been built on a simple but powerful principle: knowledge passed from one set of hands to the next. In Arizona, the Arizona Masonry Council (AMC) is working to ensure that tradition continues by investing in one of the industr

What Mason Contractors Don't Know Is Costing Them Money
July 2026

Most mason contractors can tell you exactly what a job should cost before it starts. Bid labor hours, material takeoffs, and crew rates per square foot. The numbers are on paper, and they look right. What most can't tell you is whether those numbers held

Preserving Masonry Aesthetics with Concealed Lintel Systems
July 2026

Masonry has long been valued for its ability to create buildings with character, permanence, and visual appeal. Features such as arches, deep reveals, corbelling, and decorative brickwork continue to be popular design elements in modern architecture. Howe