Stone-Ideas.com 
Among researchers, the best person is considered to be the one who asks the right questions, not necessarily the one who finds answers. It is similar with architecture, as one of the winning projects at the Natural Stone Awards 2024 of the Stone Federation Great Britain shows: You feel magically attracted to the wings on the Auckland Castle Faith Museum in Durham in the north-east of England, especially since they are made of stone, like the entire roof covering. What might be hidden in this building?
We want to reveal it right away: “The museum houses an exhibition of faith in Britain and an environmentally controlled art store. The building type is secular but seeks to communicate a heightened sense of the sacred to reflect the museum’s contents”, according to the description.
The architectural practice was Niall McLaughlin Architects, the Cop Crag sandstone was supplied by Dunhouse Quarry, and the stonework was carried out by Classic Masonry.
The Natural Stone Awards are presented every two years in recognition of outstanding projects using stone in various categories, including “Stonemasonry” and “International”. Hundreds of works are submitted each year.
A Pdf provides an overview with brief descriptions of the winning projects and the commended projects. It can be downloaded free of charge from the Stone Fed GB website or ordered as a print copy for a fee.
What was remarkable about the Pdf was a comment in the foreword by the association’s chief executive Jane Buxey, who has been in office for years: “However, there were, unfortunately, still projects where correct stone selection and basic design principles had not been followed, resulting in potentially impressive projects missing out on an award.”
We will be presenting individual winning projects in the coming months.