Briefly, structural masonry is a construction system in which the walls of the building perform a structural function, using masonry units arranged in a way that is self-supporting and load-bearing.

The Monadnock Building in Chicago began construction in 1891 and is still in use today. The building features a somber facade without ornamentation and a colossal height - at the time - of 16 floors.

Structural brick walls in buildings across the country should be re-examined and possibly replaced after last year's Christchurch earthquake, an engineer says. Evidence was given at the Canterbury ...