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Private, distinctive homes worldwide require special attention to detail and a highly professional approach to ensure the precise family requirements are accommodated. Homes are truly unique and APS Masonry are able to draw on a wealth of experience and traditional or contemporary architectural styles, to offer original ideas and create individual homes, at an optimum cost.
The team will assist in the development of a clients personal requirements, complete the design, advise on selection of a suitable stone, manufacture at our works in Oxford and deliver and fix, if required.
Site dimensions can be taken or Architects drawings developed for approval using Computer Aided Design.
Cotswold Country House
The project comprised the addition of three separate extensions to the existing Country House and some restoration works to the existing chimneystacks. The extensions were the Study, the Library and the Orangery. Both the Study and Library were predominantly sawn, coursed and axed walling stone between dressed quoins, chamfered plinths and window surrounds. The external skin was a solid build of block work and stonework, the cavity occurring between the external block work and the internal block work skin.
The Orangery comprised all dressed stone to a more ornate and detailed design. The main elevation included engaged Ionic pilasters with bases and capitals situated between semi-circular arched door openings. The upper part of the elevation was completed with a small parapet wall comprising cornice, ashlar and copings.
In all three cases the stone used was a local Cotswold stone either supplied as axed faced walling or dressed components. The material was specifically chosen to match the existing fabric as closely as possible.
The restoration works on the existing chimneys took the form of repointing original stonework and supplying and fitting new ornate baffles around the flue terminals. The baffles were originally terracotta but the new, larger units were made from limestone. |
Country House – Restoration and New Build
The existing building consisted of a Georgian house with a Victorian wing. The Victorian wing was taken down stone by stone and all reusable stone was recorded and stored for later use. The Georgian house required extensive restoration which included replacement of balustrade, heavily moulded cornice, moulded window surrounds, quoins, and predominately, a new Porte Cochere with a pediment and balustrade supported by circular columns on square plinth bases, Bath stone was used for these repairs.
The Victorian wing was extensively extended reusing the take downs where possible and any short fall was produced using Bath stone, replicating the same window moulding and finishes of the original design.
To the rear and side of the house a new paved terraced and steps was constructed, York stone was used for the steps and paving and Bath stone for the balustrade.
The lower terrace facade also in Bath stone, was finished with rusticated ashlars and attached columns, through which access is gained to the swimming pool and recreation area.
Portland stone was used for the internal paving, skirting, dado rails, door linings and pool surround, as well as the circular stair to the lower level and the cantilever designed main staircase. |
Florida Residence
Initially requested to provide restoration advice, the scope of work developed into a source, design, fabricate and delivery, project for a substantial private residence on South Ocean Boulevard. Having explored potential alternative stone types, we selected a coral stone from the Dominican Republic, as being the most appropriate to suit the, schedule, budget, and aesthetic requirements. We provided this service for all the dressed and profiled masonry including window and door surrounds, cornice, balustrade, columns and vousoirs, quoins, and balconies etc. The delivered masonry units were fixed on site by a team of extremely competent Floridian Masons using traditional mortar bedding and restraint techniques.
Whilst remaining closely involved in the project throughout the duration, the initial stages of the appointment were undertaken by Jonathan Grayburn and day to day management thereafter, by Steve Byrne who undertook all Architectural and General Contractor coordination and communication, including the design and drawing approval process.
The works were completed in March 2003. |
Private House in Oxfordshire
The existing building consisted of a Georgian house to which a new library was constructed and linked to the house. The style of the new library was designed in the form of a small ‘CASTLE ’ including a square and circular turrets. The main structure was a reinforced cast in-situ concrete frame with dressed quoins, corbels and crenellations of Doulting stone fixed back to the main structure using stainless steel corbel brackets and restraint fixings. The infill between the stone dressings was knapped flint to various design and patterns.
The entrance to the library was through two circular columns of knapped flint with Doric capitals and pediment in Doulting stone.
The Georgian house was finished in painted render with a once weathered Doulting stone coping running the full perimeter of the house. |
Private House in Oxfordshire Major restoration of the central pavilion of the main elevation to the house. The upper pediment including cornice and springers was replaced along with major Lion and Unicorn carving. |
Private Residence in Oxfordshire
A 50,000 sq ft private residence in Oxfordshire, England. Having established a “monolithic” fully clad design to suit the substructure and innovative construction techniques, we then sourced a single French Limestone, which was able to reflect the design, details and provide longevity in each location in the project. A prime consideration here was to ensure the quarry could supply the raw material to suit the fabrication and construction schedule, as both quality and time were of paramount importance. The budget was in place from early design proposals and managed and maintained throughout the Project duration.
Our service here was to include the full range from sourcing the stone through to fixing on site, and due to the technical intricacies our Technical Manager Richard Edwards took overall responsibility for the Project. The Executive Architectural practice for the Project was Whitfield Lockwood Architects, Sir William Whitfield & Andrew Lockwood. |
Country House in Gerrards Cross
The works comprised the supply and fix of external dressings for quoins, band courses, cornices, window surrounds and York steps and pavings. The circular on plan Breakfast Room and bedroom above was formed with 4no solid built circular Tuscan columns with 2no pilasters at each floor level. The sets of columns were broken with a large circular on plan cornice detail running around the entire bay.
The main Porch area was also extensively stone and this was comprised of 2no circular columns and 2no pilasters spanned by 3no arched openings. All the external stone was Stokeground Base Bed with the exception of the steps and pavings.
Portland limestone was used internally for a traditionally built cantilevered staircase along with the associated paving on the ground floor.
The external elevations were rendered between the stone dressings colour matched to the stone type. |
Private Residence in Chelsea
An unusual concept was made possible by the coordination of APS Masonry, the Contractor and the Architect at an early stage in developing the grille units to provide the Client with exactly the right standard of finish.
The works comprised of the design, fabrication, supply and installation of stainless steel and stone grilles to the perimeter overflow channel around the indoor swimming pool. Additional grilles were also required over the air conditioning inlet vents.
Each grille consisted of a 5mm thick stainless steel body slotted with 8mm slots at 18mm intervals across 214mm wide grille. Relatively hard Turkish limestone at 20mm thick was cut and slotted to match the steel exactly and the two materials adhered together. These units were then installed around the perimeter of the pool supported on purpose made, adjustable stainless steel support ribs. Each support was partially fixed into the overflow channel using a waterproof, silicone mastic.
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The works comprised of the manufacture of the fluted columns and pilasters with the associated moulded base stones and Ionic capitals to the Main Entrance Portico.
The fluted pilaster shaft stones were completed predominantly by hand as were the moulded base stones. However the newly installed 5 axis sawing facility completed the majority of the circular, fluted column shafts and the Ionic capitals. Both the shafts and the capitals were drawn initially in 2D then transferred into 3D images to enable the correct sawing tool paths to be applied.
The finish from the saw is very clean and accurate and only a small amount of hand finishing was required to completion.
4no fluted column shafts including the bases were completed up the underside of the capital. 2no fluted pilaster shafts including the bases were completed up the underside of the capital. 2no full Ionic column capitals were completed. The columns were approximately nine metres tall with a base diameter of 920mm. The capitals were approximately 1.35m square.
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