Not afraid to get their hands dirty – our wonderful architects were fully involved – a true collaborative team approach.

Thanks to  Euroa Clay Products (manufacturer of these gorgeous bricks).

View photo’s below of the Ripple Chair in progress…

Many thanks to  Euroa Clay Products for their specialty manufacture of the capping bricks on the Ripple Chair!

Participants started the day off with a site visit to view their projects in the making.  In the afternoon they covered planning and briefing as well as learning about different leadership styles.

Watch footage from the day in the below video.

The project was designed for people to be able to reflect on the history of Chowder Bay.

Thanks to  Euroa Clay Products for their specialty manufacture of the capping bricks on the Ripple Chair!

Achieving the outcome of this beautiful Choi Ropiha design required a very keen eye by the bricklayers. No bricks were cut to achieve this outcome, only the depth and width variation of mortar in the joints.

Check out the photo’s below of Team Choi Ropiha’s ‘Subtle Dream’ installation.

Thanks to  Euroa Clay Products for the bricks used in the installation.

Working as a team, the purpose of the brick installation construction exercise is to successfully demonstrate the collaboration of end-to-end construction, and in doing so, raise the profile and esteem of bricklayers, and initiating a rethink of brick as a design material.

Our participants are proving how, through the values of pride, respect and collaboration, one team can produce three outcomes that showcase their excellence in brick craftsmanship.

View photo’s below of the the particpants and their installations from Day 5 of the course.

They started with Brick Craft instruction classes in the morning then meet with the architects to discuss applications.

After lunch they got an ‘Introduction to the ‘Being’ of Leadership’, covering what makes a good leader and Resilience and Emotional Intelligence as well as learning a Communications Method.

In the evening the participants delved deep and created Life Maps looking at their Individual Purpose, Vision and Values.

Here’s some shots of Day Two in progress…

At a personal level, our Brick Masters were challenged with three fundamental questions – What are you trying to achieve; Where are you now; and What next?

James Kell, CEO of Kell & Rigby inspired the group with his presentation on Leadership in Practice – the first of more discussions to be had on leadership over the 5 days.

In the afternoon, the focus shifted on to some of the practicalities of running a business.  Paul Lawrence, Training Manager for the Master Builders Association  was ‘on the money’ with his guidance on profitability and business, and our masters met their architects in a session all about the importance of briefing and working with architects.

The team met the architects who they will be working with over the next few days – Choi Ropiha, Innovarchi and Terrior.

And some fun was had with team building exercises…

The above shots show an exercise where everyone is blind-folded and materials are laid out before them with the simple instruction to build with what you find.

They find individual pieces making up two tents – poles, tent and fly. The team emerges with the discovery of the pieces. They must build the tent and get inside before they are announced the ‘winner’. You have people wondering around saying, ‘I’ve got a pole. Where does it go’. Of course no-one listens so one pole is being inserted in the fly, the other in the tent. They finally come together when pieces to complete their work are needed.

Now on to the serious business – opening session ‘Foundations of success’ started today 8am. Watch out for footage and images to come from today’s sessions.

You can follow the progress of the 5 day course and view daily video updates and highlights here on this site, and by following us on Facebook and Twitter  You’ll get to see what is happening behind the scenes, and you’ll get the inside perspective from our participants about the highs (and challenges) of each day.

Remember, the Brick Masterclass features classes on leadership, team management and personal development as well as sessions to improve participants’ practical skills including craft and design. The participants will also have the chance to work with and learn from a bricklaying master craftsman.

Footage from day one will be published here tomorrow morning.

We look forward to bringing you these updates on the progress of the class of 2010.