This Northumberland house is by MawsonKerr Architects; it features a gable-end wall of local stone slabs. A deep mortar joint creates a shadow gap between the stones
ROB RHODES
If ever there was a building material that conveys a sense of solidity and robustness, stone is it. It encompasses everything from the crisply cut blocks of ashlar used for classical buildings through to local materials used in rural cottages, and while these may vary hugely in appearance, what they have in common is the sense of permanence they communicate.
Today, architects and designers are rediscovering stone as a key building (or, more usually, cladding) material. It comes as part of a wider appreciation of vernacular structures and how they can foster a sense of continuity with local tradition; an approach the planners like. The craftsmanship of stonemasonry and other skills, such as flint-knapping, is also being newly appreciated, and we have a stronger interest in keeping them going. Incorporating stone in a building may also present one of the few opportunities to source something truly local.