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Solving a monolithic project challenge

Recently our clients asked for a monolithic, rectangular, rough stone fireplace (about 3 metres long) to sit in the dramatic two-storey atrium of the house that Beam were rebuilding for them. On top of that, the designer wanted a basin and pedestal carved from a solid lump of stone to look like a boulder – and a big plinth for a sculpture.

After some head scratching and a couple of phone calls, our director Dan Grimshaw and Architect Reginald Verspreeùwen realised that this was going to be an ‘in-house’ project.

The client’s home is in Mayfair so Portland Stone was the first on the list to explore. Portland stone can be seen throughout central London and has famously been used in landmark buildings such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and the British Museum. It continues to be built with in contemporary construction, mainly due to its durability, versatility, and of course, the beautiful warm grey hues.

A trip to the Isle of Portland (to the excellent Albion Stone plc) would confirm this was the correct choice. Tony (the Block Manager) imparted his extensive knowledge accrued over a lifetime of working in the quarries on the island. It is safe to say that Dan and Reggie were being educated by the best. What a joy to find and listen to someone with such deep knowledge in their craft, and so generous with it.

After in depth discussions on which “bed” to use and the different cutting methods, a block was chosen from the vast yard and marked up for the tractor saw!  Some machining, some transport, some craneage, some more craneage, and the blocks were finally moved into position on the lower ground floor of the house. Quite a feat for nearly 2 tonnes of stone.

“Bespoke” doesn’t always mean bespoke, but this project was true to the definition. At Beam we go over and above the norm to deliver on even the most challenging of briefs. These pieces are truly unique in their own right, but also form part of a much bigger picture in the home for which they were destined.