Masonry: Old Material, New Rules
Bricks have long memories.
New rules changed the game.
Reconnect with architecture's most trusted material and learn how modern masonry really works — so tradition and performance meet in every wall you design.
Old bricks will meet new rules under your steady hand.
- Understand modern masonry — see how cavity walls and ties changed ancient practice
- Choose bricks and blocks — select units and mortars that suit purpose and place
- Design strong bonds — use patterns and coursing for both beauty and performance
- Support it properly — handle lintels, movement and restraint without unwelcome surprises on site
- Weather with grace — detail copings and sills so walls stain beautifully, not badly
- Honour the craft — work with masons in a language they respect
Built by one of the most-read architecture platforms in the world.
RTF | Rethinking The Future has spent over a decade publishing the ideas, projects and voices shaping architecture — and now brings that depth to learning. Every course is researched, written and produced by the RTF team.
Old material, new mastery.
A clear path. Five steps.
Everything unlocks instantly with membership · learn at your own pace
If you see yourself here, start today.
A few hours from now, you could already see differently.
Masonry seemed too traditional to need studying and too old to get wrong. Learning modern cavity design, movement accommodation and reinforcement showed me how much the old material has changed. My brick detailing now meets current standards instead of imitating buildings from decades ago.
Simple by design.
Watch
Short, focused video lessons — each one a single idea, clearly explained.
Apply
End every lesson with a small task that pushes your real project forward.
Transform
Watch your work develop a point of view that is unmistakably yours.
Answered simply.
Masonry feels traditional — why does it need a modern course?
Because today's masonry is cavity walls, reinforcement, movement joints and thin new formats. The material is old; the rules genuinely aren't.
Will this help with both loadbearing and veneer masonry?
Yes — you'll know when brick is structure and when it's skin, and how to detail each honestly.
Do I need any prior experience?
No. Every course starts from where you are and builds up step by step, in plain language.
Is this software training?
No — software changes yearly. The thinking you learn here lasts a career.
How does it work?
Short video lessons with a small practice task after each. Any device, your pace.
What does membership include?
One membership unlocks every course on RTF Academy — all 450+, nothing sold separately. And you stay in control: cancel anytime in one click, and you will never be charged again.
Ready to see your work change?
Your next project could be the one that feels truly yours.
- 5 Sections
- 25 Lessons
- 4 Hours
- 1. What It Does and How It Fails5
- 2. The Options Compared5
- 3. The Detail5
- 4. Performance5
- 5. Specifying and Building It5
Reviews
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Masonry seemed too traditional to need studying and too old to get wrong. Learning modern cavity design, movement accommodation and reinforcement showed me how much the old material has changed. My brick detailing now meets current standards instead of imitating buildings from decades ago.
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