Building Blocks was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1983. Our first major project was restoring the behemoth Merchandise Mart’s terra cotta facade during the mid-1980s. From there, we earned a respected reputation in the facade restoration industry over subsequent decades. When facade restoration began to utilize alternate materials to replace terra cotta, glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) quickly became a frontrunner. GFRC proved able to reproduce the fine detail and complex shapes of terra cotta in virtually indistinguishable colors and finishes. The shorter production timeline, lighter weight, faster erection, and more economical price of GFRC earned it favor with our clients.

As Building Blocks gained expertise with GFRC, we began to work with it in new construction projects. Our team quickly fell in love with the design flexibility, wide variety of finishes, and seemingly limitless applications of the material. This side of our business eclipsed the restoration division and over time the need for tighter control of our GFRC supply emerged. In response, we opened the Building Blocks GFRC manufacturing facility in Florida to bring our projects industry-best material.

For Building Blocks to provide greater value to our customers we began incorporating glass into our designs to deliver a complete enclosure.  We work with several window manufacturers from Italy and USA based on the project requirements and budget to source the best quality for our facades.  Our integrated delivery methodology simplifies the traditional model by providing a single source for the complete enclosure.

Today, we proudly design, manufacture, and construct GFRC and glass wall systems made in the USA. Our innovative wall systems allow for curvilinear architecture, provide higher performance prefabricated walls, deliver faster rates of enclosure, and pushes the boundaries of curtainwall designs.

We love architecture. We believe that the built environment can inspire people and improve lives. There is something uniquely beautiful to us about a well designed, engineered, and constructed building that captures a spirit of innovation and collaboration.

We design, engineer, manufacture, and install glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) and glass building facades to fulfill the creative vision of our project partners. We rely on creative problem solving, teamwork, and the expertise of nearly 40 years in business to deliver industry best solutions.