IMI Illinois
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The International Masonry Institute offers professional education for architects and contractors, and provides training for BAC craftworkers.
Architecture students laying brick… 30 years of hands-on field trips!
We had an amazing turnout this week as we transformed the Bricklayers’ training center in suburban Chicago into a laboratory for architecture students to learn about masonry, tile, and terrazzo, and to develop an appreciation for these crafts.
About 100 students and 7 professors from the second year studio at Illinois Institute of Technology immersed themselves in masonry at the annual field trip organized by International Masonry Institute and executed by apprentice instructors at the BAC District Council Training Center.
IMI has been hosting these field trips for IIT architecture students for the past 30 years, going back to 1997.
The aspiring architects rotated through four hands-on stations dedicated to traditional bricklaying, masonry arches, terrazzo & large format ceramic tile, and rainscreen design & construction. The students will soon embark on their semester-long studio project in which they will apply a form of masonry they learned about on this field trip.
There’s no better place for emerging architects to learn about masonry than shoulder-to-shoulder with journeyman craftworkers. Programs like these help the students understand the complexities of the trade and the skills, dedication, and pride that BAC craftworkers bring to the job.
10/30/2025
This morning IMI’s Scott Conwell spoke at Chicago Build, Check it out! #iubacadc1ofIl #IUBAC #IMI
Hope you all can join us at McCormick Place next week.
05/23/2025
The District Council Training Center had a full house this week as about 100 architects, designers, contractors, suppliers, and other industry professionals gathered for International Masonry Institute's annual Chicago Tile Expo.
Tyler Barton from Mapei presented on Large Format Tile and Floor Preparation, and Scott Conwell from IMI spoke on Tile Grouts and Expansion Joints. Outside the classroom, 15 local material suppliers exhibited their latest tiles, setting materials, membranes, patching materials, drains, pedestals, profile strips, and other accessories.
Attendees were then treated to interactive demonstrations by tile coordinator Mike Spatz and his team of BAC apprentice tile instructors who demonstrated mortar application, troweling technique, laying of 12” x 24” large format tile, and grouting. Some of the architects volunteered to lay tile on an area of the floor mockup, and we learned that an irregular floor substrate combined with large warped tiles pose challenges in achieving mortar coverage… a good opportunity to illustrate the importance of floor preparation, good materials, tile training, and skilled craftworkers.
Thanks to all the tabletop sponsors and event partners Tile Contractors’ Association of America, Ceramic Tile Contractors’ Association of Chicago, DCTC, and BAC District Council 1 Illinois.
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Address
2140 W Corporate Drive
Addison, IL
60101
Opening Hours
| Monday | 8am - 4pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 4pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 4pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 4pm |
| Friday | 8am - 4pm |
