Set on the neighbouring plot of architect Andre Templeton Ford’s childhood home, Clay Rise is a highly personal and site-specific project, shaped by the materials and traditions of its rural context. The local vernacular of clay-tiled cottages, handmade brickwork and a long-established culture of craft informed both the form of the building and the choice of materials. “We sought to produce a home that is entirely of its place, through a deep understanding of its context and local craft traditions,” says Ford. “It allowed us to explore ideas that we’ve been collecting for many years.”

The project marks the debut of London-based architecture and interior design practice Templeton Ford, which was founded in 2025 by architect Andre Templeton Ford and stylist Jessica Templeton Ford. Their combined experience across decades in award-winning architectural practices,  design, art, and creative direction shines through the project, which has been shortlisted for the 2025 Manser Medal.

Located in the village of West Hoathly, West Sussex the three-bedroom home balances heritage and contemporary expression, blending the solid mass of traditional Sussex brick buildings with a sweeping, curved roofline that softens the building’s profile. Layered roof forms roll down from the ridge to frame windows across all three storeys, opening long views over neighbouring fields and towards the South Downs beyond.

Materiality is inseparable from the architecture. Clay Rise is constructed using a prefabricated, panelised timber frame system, selected for its precision, speed of erection and environmental credentials. The structure was assembled on site in just two weeks, allowing the design team to focus attention on detailing and finishes. Externally, the building is wrapped in locally sourced brick made from the same clay originally found in the soil beneath the site, reinforcing the project’s connection to place. A continuous datum line marks the junction between brickwork and red clay roof tiles, while additional brickwork is used at the rear, where the house is embedded 1.5 metres into the hillside.

By lowering the building into the site, Templeton Ford created a split-level arrangement of internal floors and a natural grassy slope to the rear garden. This strategy not only integrates the house into its landscape, but also enables the dramatic curved roof form that defines the project’s architectural identity.

Originally conceived as a multigenerational family home, the split-level plan allows the building to function as two independent dwellings: a self-contained two-bedroom apartment at ground level and the main living spaces above, including the kitchen, living area and principal bedroom suite. This adaptability supports evolving patterns of occupation, while maintaining clear spatial organisation.

Internally, the architecture is shaped by light, flow and tactility. Curves introduced by the roof geometry are echoed throughout the interiors, lending softness and continuity. A curved, CNC-cut staircase finished in lime plaster draws visitors upwards to the main living spaces, while lime-plastered walls, exposed timber elements and stone floors establish a restrained and tactile material palette. Deep sapele timber window reveals frame views of the surrounding countryside, reinforcing the close relationship between inside and out.

The interiors are further enriched by carefully curated furnishings and fixtures, guided by Jessica Templeton Ford’s background in antiques and decorative arts. Bespoke joinery sits alongside sourced pieces, creating a layered domestic environment that balances craftsmanship with lived-in comfort.

Environmental performance was integral to both form and detailing. The house is oriented to optimise solar gain and shading, with a deep south-facing window admitting low winter sun while limiting summer overheating. Operable east-west openings encourage cross-ventilation, while a central stair atrium acts as a thermal chimney, drawing warm air upwards to regulate internal temperatures. An air source heat pump, high levels of insulation and double glazing further support the building’s low-energy strategy, while reclaimed kitchen and utility fittings, along with on-site reuse of timber off-cuts, reduced material waste.

Designed to adapt to changing needs over time, Clay Rise incorporates services and layouts that allow spaces to be reconfigured with minimal intervention. The principal bedroom can be subdivided to form an additional room, while the ground-floor apartment can function independently for extended family, guests, carers or home working.

At once modest and expressive, Clay Rise presents a contemporary interpretation of local vernacular, grounded in material honesty and careful making. Through its close engagement with brick, timber, plaster and surface finishes, Templeton Ford has created a home that belongs unmistakably to its setting, while offering flexibility and durability for long-term living.

Stone Automation Ltd has become the UK and Ireland distributor for Taglio Group’s Slabvision slab scanning systems, bringing high-precision digital imaging technology to stone fabricators working with increasingly complex natural materials.

The agreement, which takes effect immediately, adds Taglio’s vertical SV 4022 and horizontal SV i21 scanners to Stone Automation’s portfolio, strengthening its offer to fabrication businesses seeking greater control, accuracy and efficiency in slab processing. Designed for use across stone, glass and engineered materials, the Slabvision systems combine high-resolution imaging with proprietary lighting and dedicated software to deliver detailed digital representations of slabs prior to cutting and fabrication.

Founded more than 40 years ago, Taglio Group specialises in industrial technologies for accurate cutting, modelling and sculpting. Its Slabvision scanners use a 128-megapixel camera system alongside bespoke LED lighting to capture surface detail across a wide tonal range, revealing pattern, veining and texture in both pale and dark materials. The SV 4022 is a compact, stand-alone vertical scanner aimed at workshops with limited space, while the SV i21 is designed for horizontal scanning within automated production lines.

Stone Automation founder Salvatore Caruso says the partnership responds directly to changing demands within the stone and surfaces market. “In the last few years, the design world has shifted significantly toward natural stone and natural patterning. For fabricators, this presents a challenge: if you can’t provide an accurate digital preview of the material before processing, you’re risking a disaster,” he says.

“Professional design studios now expect full approval on veined slab layouts before work begins, and Taglio scanners are a total game-changer in meeting those demands. They help quality fabrication businesses differentiate themselves from entry-level operators, while reducing waste and costly errors.”

Caruso adds that his connection with Taglio goes back several decades. “I first came across Taglio 30 years ago while training on stone processing machinery, and I’ve always enjoyed working with them and their technology. We are delighted to become the official distributor for the UK and Ireland. The precision and resolution achieved with their Slabvision scanners are exceptional, and they align perfectly with our aim of helping customers improve efficiency and consistency.”

The addition of Taglio builds on Stone Automation’s wider strategy of positioning itself as a technical partner for fabrication businesses across stone, glass, ceramics and engineered materials. Alongside machinery and tooling, the company increasingly focuses on digital solutions and automation to support modern manufacturing workflows.

Since its formation, Stone Automation has developed a customer base across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, providing machinery, technical advice and aftersales support. The company says this established network allows it to introduce advanced technologies such as the Slabvision systems effectively across diverse fabrication environments, from small workshops to large-scale production facilities.

By adding high-resolution slab scanning to its portfolio, Stone Automation aims to help fabricators respond to the growing emphasis on material accuracy, visual control and design collaboration, as stone and surface materials continue to play a central role in architectural and interior projects.

London-based architectural practice Mosley Thorold has transformed a Victorian villa in Highgate into a materially rich family home, placing stone at the heart of the design. 

Titled House of Porphyry, the project’s name reflects the prominent use of porphyry stone, which appears in two fireplaces and the principal bathroom, where large blocks form a dramatic feature wall paired with a cast-concrete basin and bespoke brass mirrors. “We wanted materials that felt robust and enduring, that would ground the interiors and bring a sense of calm and longevity to the spaces,” says Henry Thorold, founding director at Mosley Thorold. “The porphyry gives the rooms a depth and richness that evolves with light and use.”

Formed by Nathaniel Mosley and Henry Thorold in 2017, the practice is known for its material-led approach, using surfaces and finishes as a central driver of spatial and sensory experience. Across their projects, they combine careful attention to craft, texture and durability with a focus on how buildings are used and experienced over time. 

The house had previously been remodelled in the 1990s as a flamboyant party home, leaving a series of awkward circulation routes and fragmented spaces. A poorly detailed mezzanine walkway cut through the double-height volumes and disrupted visual connections to the rear garden, making the plan disjointed and impractical for everyday living. “Through a series of careful interventions – sometimes stripping away unnecessary accretions, other times judiciously adding key features – we transformed the circulation and flow of the house,” Thorold says. “Our aim was to restore something of the original spirit of the building, while updating it to create greater visual connection and sociability.”

At the centre of the transformation is a reconfigured staircase. The original spiral stair, which obstructed both movement and light, was removed and replaced with a new stair that forms the architectural and spatial heart of the home. Drawing daylight deep into the plan, it establishes a clear vertical connection across three levels and links a sequence of interconnecting spaces, including the kitchen and dining area at the core, a living room opening onto the garden, and upper floors reorganised for clarity, balance and privacy.

In addition to the use of porphyry stone, the material palette is carefully balanced. Dark oak boards, oak doors and bespoke joinery provide rhythm and cohesion, while a curved plaster balustrade and sculptural solid timber handrail soften the stair core. Patinated bronze ironmongery introduces subtle tactility, selected to age gracefully with everyday use. Together, these elements form a layered and restrained palette, designed to withstand the demands of family life while rewarding close engagement.

At ground floor level, the kitchen and dining area now function as the nucleus of the home. Previously isolated by awkward partitions and the former staircase, the space has been opened up for fluid movement and improved daylight. It acts as a daily gathering point, while the living room establishes a strong connection to the garden beyond. 

These spaces strike a balance between openness and intimacy, reflecting a shift away from spectacle towards comfort, practicality and a refined atmosphere.

All images © Ollie Tomlinson

Sculptor Ricardo Mondragon is developing a sculpture that brings together science, material heritage and contemporary form. Working with English alabaster, he is using the stone’s physical and optical qualities as an active part of the work’s meaning, shaping a piece that explores movement, vibration and pattern.

“My interest in English alabaster is rooted in both its material properties and its historical context,” Mondragon says. That dual focus underpins the project, which takes its conceptual lead from 17th-century scientist Robert Hooke and his experiments into wave behaviour. “This work focuses on undulation and vibration, taking as a conceptual reference Robert Hooke’s seventeenth-century observations of wave behaviour,” he explains. “These studies demonstrated how vibration can organise matter into ordered geometric patterns, an idea that directly informs the form of the sculpture.”

The piece is still in progress, with Mondragon refining its contours through a close, hands-on relationship with the stone at London Stone Carvers. As the form emerges, the surface appears to ripple and pulse, its carved undulations catching and diffusing light. Alabaster is central to that effect: its relative softness allows for finely modulated carving, while its translucency introduces depth and a subtle internal glow.

Mondragon is also conscious of the long lineage he is engaging with. “English alabaster has a long-established history of use, particularly from the Middle Ages onward,” he notes. “Its translucency and relative softness made it especially suitable for finely carved ecclesiastical and architectural sculpture.” By choosing alabaster today, he places his work in dialogue with that tradition while approaching it through a contemporary, abstract framework.

There is a further layer of material specificity in the choice of stone. “Alabaster from sites such as Fauld is now comparatively rare, as extraction has significantly declined, adding a further layer of material specificity without overstating issues of availability,” Mondragon says.

For him, the sculpture is a meeting point between disciplines and timescales. The piece shows how a historic English material can still be used to speak fluently in a contemporary sculptural language, where light, movement and matter quietly converge.

Imperial Stone Group has announced the relocation of its office and warehouse to a new London site, marking a significant step in the company’s ongoing growth strategy and its expanding presence within the capital’s natural stone market.

As of this month, the company will operate from just off the North Circular with immediate access to the M1. As such, the new premises offer improved connectivity for customers, suppliers and logistics operations, while providing the additional space required to support increasing demand across both residential and commercial sectors.

The relocation reflects the steady growth of Imperial Stone Group since its formation and builds on a long-standing heritage within the stone industry. Founded by Michael Cohen, whose family has worked in natural stone for generations, the business draws on decades of hands-on experience spanning quarry sourcing, fabrication and installation. From early exposure to quarry visits in Italy to involvement in high-end residential and commercial projects across London, this depth of knowledge continues to shape the company’s material-led and service-focused approach.

Operating as a direct importer and wholesaler, Imperial Stone Group sources stone straight from quarries, removing intermediaries from the supply chain. This model allows the business to maintain competitive pricing while retaining control over quality. A key part of its offering is the careful selection of raw blocks, often chosen in person, before being cut at source and delivered to the UK. This direct relationship with suppliers has also enabled the company to introduce new and exclusive materials to the market, responding to evolving architectural and interior design trends.

The new North Circular location has been selected to strengthen relationships with London-based fabricators, developers, architects and designers, while also improving nationwide distribution. Its strategic position offers efficient transport links, streamlining deliveries and site access for trade and commercial clients.

Michael Cohen, Founder of Imperial Stone Group, underlines the significance of the new space:

“I’m really looking forward to the move to a location I know well and to working more closely with many of our customers who are based in London. The transport links are excellent, and the new space gives us the room we need to grow. I can’t wait to get going with the next chapter as we forge ahead and build on our position as a leading company in the UK natural stone market.”

The new premises will also enhance the customer experience, offering greater capacity to display the company’s extensive portfolio of natural stone, which spans thousands of material options. Visitors will be able to view slabs in person, discuss project requirements directly with the team and benefit from detailed technical advice, reinforcing the company’s role as a project partner rather than simply a supplier.

Imperial Stone Group’s team brings a wealth of experience gained across major residential and commercial developments throughout London and the wider UK. This expertise, combined with a network of trusted fabrication and installation partners, enables the business to support clients through every stage of a project, from early material selection to final delivery.

Imperial Stone can now be found at: Unit 10, 715 North Circular Road, London, NW2 7AH. 

BAUX has built a distinctive position in the world of architectural materials by blending Scandinavian design sensibility with a rigorous commitment to acoustics, sustainability and material innovation. Founded in Stockholm in the mid-2010s by entrepreneurs Fredrik Franzon and Johan Ronnestam alongside the founding partners of design studio Form Us With Love, and Hem founder Petrus Palmér, the company set out to reimagine what acoustic building products could be: not merely functional add-ons, but integral architectural elements that shape how spaces look, feel and sound.

From the outset, BAUX has worked at the intersection of design, material science and art. Its first product range, developed with Swedish manufacturer Träullit, used cement-bound wood wool made from spruce fibres. The material’s natural structure delivers effective sound absorption while offering thermal mass, fire resistance and long-term durability. This, coupled with a beautiful colour palette, makes it well-suited to schools, offices and public interiors, among many others. This marriage of performance and visual character established BAUX’s design-led approach, in which acoustics are not hidden but expressed.

That philosophy continued with BAUX Acoustic Pulp, created in collaboration with scientists and manufactured in Stockholm. The aim was to push sustainability further by using responsibly sourced fibres and low-impact production methods, while still meeting demanding acoustic and fire-safety standards. The result was a soft, tactile material that broadened BAUX’s appeal in creative workplaces, hospitality and cultural venues, where designers wanted warmth and texture alongside technical performance.  

More recently, BAUX has expanded its material language again with Acoustic X-FELT, a range made from GRS-certified PET fibres. The felt-based system offers high sound absorption, distinctive fire-safety characteristics and a notably clean manufacturing profile, avoiding harmful chemicals while maintaining consistent performance. It reflects a broader shift in the acoustic sector toward recycled and recyclable materials that can meet both environmental and regulatory expectations without compromising design quality.

The latest evolution of this family is X-FELT Floating, a new suspended system that extends BAUX’s acoustic thinking into three-dimensional architectural forms. Developed once again in collaboration with Form Us With Love, the range introduces Floating Panels, Baffles and Grids that hang from ceilings on purpose-designed metal brackets and wire kits. Rather than treating acoustics as flat wall or ceiling linings, X-FELT Floating allows designers to build spatial compositions: zoning open-plan offices, creating room-in-room structures, defining circulation routes or simply adding a rhythmic visual layer overhead. What’s more, the products are lightweight yet robust, designed for efficient installation and visual refinement. 

Materially, X-FELT Floating continues BAUX’s emphasis on sustainability and performance. The use of recycled PET fibres supports circular design principles, while the material’s acoustic properties help manage reverberation and improve speech clarity in busy interiors. Fire safety, often a challenge for textile-based systems, has been carefully addressed, and the absence of harmful additives aligns with the growing demand for healthier interior environments.

Across its portfolio, BAUX now offers a spectrum of acoustic formats: rigid wood wool panels, soft pulp-based tiles, felt-based wall and ceiling systems, and suspended architectural elements. This breadth allows the company to work across sectors, including corporate workplaces, education, retail, hospitality, residential developments and cultural institutions. Its client list, which includes global brands such as Google, Spotify, Nike, WeWork and Stella McCartney, reflects both the design credibility and technical reliability of its products.

What ties these diverse systems together is a consistent narrative about materials as active contributors to wellbeing. BAUX’s founders have long argued that good acoustics are not a luxury but a fundamental part of humane architecture, influencing concentration, creativity and social interaction. By making acoustic materials that are visually expressive as well as technically robust, the company has helped shift perceptions of sound control from a hidden engineering concern to a visible design tool.

After more than four decades at the cutting edge of British stonemasonry, Stephen Byrne is preparing to retire from A F Jones, bringing to a close a career that has spanned craft, consultancy and complex project delivery. Originally trained as a banker mason, Stephen has worked on major heritage projects, including the Palace of Westminster, through to senior leadership roles in large commercial workshops. 

Since joining A F Jones in 2019, Stephen has played a key role in supporting the company’s expanding workload, providing estimating and project management expertise to a business already defined by its depth of in-house capability. With over 160 years of continuous operation behind it, A F Jones combines heritage skills with cutting-edge technology, delivering everything from large, complex architectural packages to bespoke private commissions across the south of England and London. 

Stephen’s experience has sat naturally within this ethos, helping clients realise the full potential of stone through clarity, rigour and practical insight. As he steps back, we find out what has driven him over the years and ask for his unique perspective on the industry.

What has a typical day looked like for you? 

No such thing really; I’ve always had a large variety of roles. Definitely much more IT and technology in use these days. Can be planning, tendering, project management, quantity surveying, etc.

Engelfield House

How integral have materials/surfaces been to your day-to-day?

The complexities of natural stone have been a controlling factor in my career. The challenges of working with a naturally occurring material have been significant.  

What are the biggest lessons you have taken forward from your original training? 

Apart from developing extensive skills in both restoration, conservation and new build, the main development has been in adapting to manage people in varying ways to get the best out of them. Everybody is different, so a blanket approach does not work. I would like to think I’ve learnt to deal with everybody politely and have made a concerted effort to empower people as much as possible so that they take ownership/responsibility for their own roles.  

Farmcote Wood House

Which project/s are you most proud of being involved with and why?

Williamstrip Park was an exacting, classically designed extension to an existing country manor, with lots of traditional detailing and minimal tolerance in the build. Farmcote Wood House was a brand new, fully stone-clad country house. Again, classically designed with dentilled parapet cornicing and a pedimented front elevation. It was a massive challenge. I project-managed the design, the manufacture and the installation on site.

Williamstrip Park

Englefield House was a major parapet rebuild and stone replacement, incorporating new stainless-steel strapping to provide structural integrity around the parapet perimeter. The work included the replacement of large central carved parapet panels and a new pierced balustrade. This work was completed before 2000, and I’ve been involved in numerous other works at the same property over the last 25 years. 

Clark Residence

The first major overseas project I managed was The Clark Residence, Palm Beach, Florida. It included all workshop drawing preparation and new stone manufacture, as well as delivery to site. We had to obtain the coral stone from the Dominican Republic, which was shipped to the UK in 20ft ocean-going containers. The manufacture was completed in the UK, with the new stone carefully packed into timber crates and sent back to site in more 20ft ocean-going containers. The stonework was installed by a local contractor employed by the principal contractor. The works completed included columns, plinths, carved caps and corbels, cills, and cornice.

What do you feel are the main challenges facing the stone and surfaces industry today?

The main challenges facing the industry today are the rising operating costs associated with the increase in the costs of the raw materials. The industry is now hugely competitive, and cost and programme appear to be key. We need more discerning Clients who prioritise quality and service over everything else….difficult to find, however.

Kingham Hill

In your opinion, what are the positives of using stone in the built environment?

Natural stone is a sustainable material and if sourced and utilised properly can produce only a small carbon footprint. More and more designs are now focused on reducing the carbon footprint with self-supporting and load-bearing stones being incorporated in buildings with the minimum amount of production activity added.  

How does sustainability shape your thinking and decision-making, and how do materials fit into this?

My thinking is that there is no more sustainable material available to the built environment than stone, and we as an industry should keep making noise about it.

Clark Residence

What’s next!?

Wow…. great question.

Initially, I will spend a couple of months at home completing the small jobs around the house that I haven’t attended to over the last 25 years. But at the end of May, my wife and I are departing for a 6-month trip to the USA. Our eldest son lives in Connecticut with his wife and our three grandchildren, so we’re spending 3 months living around them so we can get the true grandparent experience. In the past, all we’ve ever done when we see them is be with them 24/7…they’re either staying with us, or we’re staying with them. This way we can see them and have a bit of our own space. 

After this, we’re hiring an RV and spending 8 weeks travelling East to West across the USA. Starting in New York, travelling along the southern part of the USA, up into California and finishing in Las Vegas. After all that, we’re back home in the UK for a couple of weeks in November before flying to Singapore to stay with our other son and meet grandchild number 4, who is due to be born in July. Won’t have much time to worry about not being busy…. 

The Stone & Surfaces Show is adding a new feature for its 2026 edition with the launch of the Surfaces Cinema, a dedicated space for film, photography and live presentations aimed at inspiring architects and designers.

The show takes place from 12–14 May 2026 at ExCeL London and is set to be “festivalised,” with the cinema forming a big part of that shift. Alongside screenings, the Surfaces Cinema will act as a hub for talks by architects presenting projects that explore innovative uses of stone and surface materials. Visitors will also be able to take a break from the Main Stage debates, Architects Theatre sessions and exhibitor stands – with free popcorn promised.

Tiny Temple

One strand of the programme will focus on how materials are made. Three short films from Architextures’ Materials in Motion series will be shown, giving behind-the-scenes access to manufacturers including Mirrl, which produces bespoke resin finishes, Tiny Temple, known for its charred timber, and No Rules Wallpaper, which designs sustainable “no match” wallcoverings. Architextures founder Ryan Canning will also speak in the Architects Theatre about how the digital material library, launched in 2020 and now used by more than half a million designers a month, supports specification and drawing production.

No Rules Wallpaper

The cinema will also screen a film about ANTI-RUIN, an experimental project by OZRUH that turns stone dust and demolition waste into new spatial structures using large-scale 3D printing. The project explores architecture as something that grows and recombines rather than simply decays. OZRUH founder Levent Ozruh is due to join a Main Stage panel to discuss how ANTI-RUIN points toward a regenerative material economy and a different way of thinking about longevity in buildings.

OZRUH

A selection of work by award-winning photographer and filmmaker Edward Bishop will be screened, including films about a sustainability-led primary school, the construction of a pavilion from marine ply and aluminium, and the craft of architectural model making. Bishop’s work is known for focusing on the human presence within buildings and how spaces are used and understood.

Edward Bishop

Professional photography will also have a strong presence. Slideshows will feature portfolio highlights from Chris Hopkinson, Ivan Jones and Andy Stagg. Hopkinson, who runs Chromaphotography, will accompany his architectural images with a film documenting the mining of Portland stone. Brighton-based Ivan Jones is developing his first solo publication on natural materiality and sustainable design, while Andy Stagg’s fine art background informs a body of work that looks closely at overlooked details and atmosphere in architecture.

Chris Hopkinson

Sam Patel, Divisional Director of the ‘Super Event’ that brings together Stone & Surfaces, UK Construction Week and FutureBuild, says the Surfaces Cinema is intended to add a lighter, more inspirational dimension to the show. “Think red carpet, a classic cinema usher in hat and gloves, matinee screenings – and yes, popcorn,” he says. “It’s a space where film, photography and live presentations come together to show how stone and surfaces can spark creativity and push the boundaries of design.”

Ivan Jones

The Stone & Surfaces Show is co-located with UK Construction Week London and FutureBuild, giving visitors access to all three events in one venue. It is organised by Media 10 and is positioned as the UK’s main trade event for the natural stone and surfaces sectors, with exhibitors, live demonstrations and an extensive seminar programme.

Registration for the 2026 show is now open.