2025 marked The Gelman Companies’ 100th anniversary. That’s a century of shaping the landscape of Washington, D.C. and beyond. When they wanted a special custom set to give to their team members in celebration, they contacted Playwell Bricks and scheduled a discovery call.

Playwell’s contact at The Gelman Companies explained that they had decided Washington’s Alto Towers should be the subject of the build. This building was significant to the company because it was one of their first major projects, and one that they’d completed in 1931. As The Gelman Companies ultimately wrote in the Build Instructions, this building “honors the spirit of innovation and enduring commitment that has defined our company from the start.”

“With the exception of the entryway, it’s a fairly simple building,” Playwell Bricks CEO Jason Pyett, who designed this set, explained. The trick was representing the windows within the client’s budget, which he achieved, not through bricks, but through the use of negative space.

To celebrate the past while keeping their sights firmly on the future, the team at The Gelman Companies filled this custom set’s build instructions with newspaper clippings of their significant buildings through the century, culminating in an inspiring message about the future and where The Gelman Companies are headed.

With this custom Playwell Bricks set, The Gelman Companies has a meaningful gift with which to celebrate their centennial anniversary. Something that reminds their employees where they came from, where they’re headed, and how The Gelman Companies value their role in the journey.

Make every gift a statement of purpose. Whether you’re honoring employees or clients, Playwell Bricks helps you brand well, build well and gift well, creating gifts that reflect your values and inspire lasting connections. Start with a discovery call today!