Feature
Made In The Midlands Bringing
stonemasonry into the 21st Century
Traditional stonework and landscaping techniques have evolved over the centuries and now stonemasons have at their disposal cutting-edge tools that bring the craft firmly into modern day. Mathew Haslam, Managing Director of Hardscape, discusses the evolution of stonemasonry – and the technology available in the Midlands.
Stonemasonry and hard landscaping has been used throughout the ages to adorn public spaces with iconic art installations. Traditionally these were statues, cathedrals and monuments - now we can use a plethora of features to create focal points. The bespoke paving and sculptured benches used at Birmingham New Street station and historical textual inscriptions highlighting the medieval heritage at Wolverhampton’s Princess Street are good modern day examples. Thanks to advances in technology, the ancient craft of stone manipulation has been revolutionised, allowing for the wide-scale transformation of areas, including landmarks, transport interchanges and leisure and educational facilities. With a manufacturing facility in the Midlands, Hardscape, a landscaping
materials supplier, sources stone and other materials from around the world, while offering a consultative approach to hard landscaping projects throughout the UK and Ireland.
Precision cutting Powerful high-pressure water jets, mixed with an abrasive, meticulously cut through stone and create 2D flat designs that are not possible using traditional machining or masonry tooling methods. The narrow millimetre accurate stream reduces errors and can be used
with materials sensitive to high temperatures. This advanced process is particularly suitable for designs featuring two
or more materials or colours, such as a project in Liverpool’s Eberle Street that uses an intricate paving and lighting scheme pattern to honour the mythical Emerald City from The Wizard of Oz. The curved rainbow is formed using vibrantly dyed glass – a process that has evolved to inject striking colour into naturally forming minerals. For repeat designs replicated perfectly, a computer controlled 5-axis
CNC machine features a carving tool changer, sawing, blasting and laser etching capabilities, to rival even the most skilled stonemason and deliver materials cut to exact design specifications.
Making an impression Preserving the art of traditional human design and craftsmanship, computer-aided design (CAD) software can be programmed with pre-made files, hand drawn sketches and photographs, ensuring complete accuracy. The ability to mock up 3D visuals and lifelike models is ideal for a range of projects – from large-scale commercial works, to sculptural and public
38 CHAMBERLINK June 2016
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60