Hilton Sydney - Curved and Sawn Sandstone Cladding - Piles Creak Creek Sandstone Colour Rage

Commercial Sandstone Projects & Architectural Options for CNC Profiled Sandstone Cladding

Australian Sandstone is capable of being cut and fashioned into an infinite array of smooth and curvature finishes through to split and textured finishes.  ‘Sandstone Finishes’ are characterised by the texture or machine work done on the surface of the sandstone when it is shaped (profiled).  Hence the origin of the industry term ‘profiled sandstone’.  

In reality, any texture is possible on the surface of the sandstone.  In fact, many of the CNC profiled designs we receive and execute could not have been achieved by any other material, testifying to the versatility of sandstone.

Sandstone as a Cladding Material for Commercial Projects

Hilton Melbourne - Honed & Curved Sandstone Cladding - Pure White Sandstone Colour Range

Considering other cladding materials, many feature over-engineering from manufacture to processing and the product's shaping.

To explain, a case in point would be concrete cladding material.  Concrete is a non-natural material involving chemicals and a surplus of energy in its production.  Concrete cladding is potentially far more harmful to the environment in these respects and can subsequently be subject to concrete cancer as it ages.

As a cladding material in commercial sandstone projects, sandstone has minimal impact on the environment. 

From extraction to processing, there is a small carbon imprint featuring a low impact on the environment from quarrying to raw processing and finer sandstone profiling.

Sandstone is 100% recyclable. It is also a timeless material as many historical buildings remain a testament to our major cities built and clad from sandstone.

Gosford Quarries also have rehabilitation programs in place to ensure our extraction sites are honoured and returned to a natural state.  We are singularly dedicated to environmental care.

Sandstone as the Perfect Design Material of Choice for Commercial Projects

Any architect or landscape architect drawing or design can be executed to the surface of sandstone in the exact same way as conceived; the exact same sandstone finish they have specified (or at times CREATED as in nominating shapes of a certain type not seen previously in formal design).

In Australia, Gosford Quarries has the leading sandstone technology to profile sandstone to any dimension (dimension stone), size and sandstone finish.  This is known in the industry as CNC Sandstone Profiling Technologies.

Historically, banker stonemasons shaped sandstone manually when no CNC profiling machines existed.  Sandstone shaped manually is known as ‘carved sandstone’.

Carved sandstone is still a bespoke product executed by hand at our factories in the present day.

Banker stonemason hand carving curved restoration stone. 

Gosford Quarries use a variety of industry-leading stone masons who innovate the sandstone finishes that inspire the imagination of Australian Architects.

“Sandstone is a unique cladding solution as it’s available in a range of beautiful tones and has an unparalleled variety of textures that can be nominated to complement any design and space.”

Sandstone Cladding And Curved Cladding in Commercial Sandstone Projects

Sandstone Cladding is also known as sandstone tiles, sandstone veneer and sandstone facade.  It depends on the intent of the descriptor by the professional. However, they are all the same physical product.

Modern Australian Architecture and the integration of sandstone in design is seeing more and more architects nominate CNC profiled sandstone finishes to execute striking and beautiful shapes of builds and their ‘skinning’ in architectural design.

Curvate or curved and profiling sandstone walling is becoming a stand-out feature in award-winning designs throughout the country.

Incredibly eye-catching feature walls, artistic profiled facades and grand sandstone columns are possible in any configuration envisioned by architects.

Honed and Curved Profiled Sandstone Wall cladding - Parramatta Square project-  Piles Creek Cream Sandstone Colour Range

FEATURED PROJECT: Commercial Sandstone in the Harbord Diggers Architectural Design

Gosford Quarries work alongside talented Australian architects to discuss the parameters and opportunities of using Australian sandstone within their designs. One example of this is the Harbord Diggers club, designed by the team at Chorfi Architecture.

We sat down with Adam Ivers, Marketing and BD Manager at Chofri Architecture and asked a few questions about the project and the various elements of sandstone used in their design.

Why Did You Choose Australian Sandstone for the Harbord Diggers Project?

Australian sandstone was an obvious choice when developing a material palate for the Harbord Diggers.

A headland vernacular approach to the site generated this decision as the project is situated on one of the city’s iconic headlands surrounded by spectacular coastal sandstone formations and textured by the native coastal landscape.

Harbord Diggers - Landscape Profile - View from natural sandstone shoreline. Photo credit: Chofri Architecture 

“The headland landscape extends across the courtyard to amplify the scenic quality of the precinct while a pair of sandstone buildings rise above as sculptural counterpoints with flowing forms to frame coastal views from the apartments… A civic scaled veranda merged into the contour of the headland with juxtaposed vertical stone counterpoints above combine to create a powerful composition, this is the New Harbord Diggers.”

Tai Ropiha CHROFI.

What Was Your Inspiration for the Design of Harbord Diggers?

The inspiration for the Harbord Diggers came almost directly from the natural qualities presented through the headland. 

The design draws upon the attributes of traditional hilltop villages that are simultaneously coherent through their use of material and detail and complex, with each building and space within the village being unique. This approach allows the overall project to be singular – ‘The Diggers’ – while at the same time permitting the complexity of the diverse program and site conditions to bring richness and interest to the project. 

The headland landscape extends across the courtyard to amplify the scenic quality of the precinct while a pair of sandstone buildings rise above as sculptural counterpoints with flowing forms to frame coastal views from the apartments. While lower-scale buildings address the streets in a stepped manner to maximise views while creating a fine-grained edge to address Freshwater Village to the west.

What Is the Value of Sandstone as Commercial Cladding, and What Properties Does Sandstone Bring as a Natural Stone Cladding Material?

Commercial Sandstone Sawn & Curved Exterior Cladding | White Range Sandstone Colour Range Photo Credit: Chofri Architecture

Commercial Sandstone Cladding is:

• Natural
• Robust
• Maintenance free 
• Durability
• Appearance
• Strength
• Quality

The outcome of the sandstone cladding blends fantastically into the coastal environment, complimenting the surrounding tones and materials and continuing the landscaping language throughout the development.

Where Was the Stone Featured in the Project, and Why Did Sandstone Work in This Instance?

Harbord Diggers - Project combined honed cladding and curved profiled cladding to achieve unique profile. Photo Credit: Chofri Architecture

The material palette was developed in response to its coastal location, with a focus on natural materials and craftsmanship.

Sandstone is featured across the majority of the development expressed on both the interior and exterior, injecting an exciting balance of soft tones and organic material.

Due to the skylight above the sandstone cut, natural daylight will wash this surface. The penetration of natural daylight will be harnessed and brought deep into the space using materials and surfaces such as the pool to reflect light and movement within; at night, the rock is lit and resonates a unique quality of light. 

The façade treatment across the buildings of 50mm sandstone cladding is designed for a minimum 50-year lifespan, anchored in place with marine grade stainless steel pins and aluminium fixings to avoid corrosion. Learning from the previous venue, material maintenance and hardiness were heavily factored into the final selections.

What Made Sandstone a Contemporary Choice and What Challenges Were Encountered in Realising the Project?

Harbord Diggers - Commercial Sandstone Sawn Exterior Cladding | Light Brown Sandstone Colour Range Photo Credit: Chofri Architecture

Reconciling the visual impact of the development upon the headland was one of the obstacles encountered. Significant parts of the building program remain exposed, particularly from the north, where the headland can be appreciated in its entirety. From this aspect, the larger building forms are too tall to be mediated by the landscape.

The largest and most prominent building form is re-worked as a pair of sculptural features to sit as vertical sandstone counterpoints to the horizontal heath-covered landform to contribute to architectural interest in the appreciation of the headland.

Did Gosford Quarries Experts Help, Support, or Have Any Input? Did You Use Our In-House Design Services?

GQ experts were extremely helpful and supportive throughout the delivery of the project. No, we did not use the in-house design service.

What Was It Like Generally to Deal with Gosford Quarries?

Working with Gosford Quarries was great; our contact was very knowledgeable of the product, easy to contact and went over and above to help.

Have You Been Nominated or Have Won Any Awards for The Harbord Diggers Project?

Yes! We WON:

• 2021 NSW AIA, Award for Residential, Multiple Housing
• 2021 NSW AIA, Awards for Urban Design 
• 2018 The Urban Developer Award, Mixed Use category

Have You Nominated Gosford Quarries Sandstone for Any Other Projects (Completed or Upcoming)?

We have nominated Gosford Quarries Sandstone for the supply of stone at the North Head Viewing Platforms in Manly.

The Advantages of CNC Profiled Sandstone Used in Commercial Sandstone Projects

Sandstone’s versatility as a material is myriad in features.

A strong feature of sandstone is its fire-safe rating, meeting all legal and technical requirements for building façades.  This is crucial in commercial projects.

For architects, sandstone is appealing in the customisability of cutting exactly to architectural drawings and specs.  There is incredible accuracy and precision available with CNC machines and the latest sandstone technology.

In fact, as an architect is visioneering, prototypes of sandstone designs can be made to scale to ensure precision and design are met with the exact specifications of the architect.

Curved ”ramp and twist” custom profiled solid stone on pallets in the GQ factory. Piles creek cream colour range 

Gosford Quarries - Premier Sandstone Supplier for Australian Commercial Projects

Gosford Quarries also have tours of our facilities and technology available at our quarries and workshops.  Commercial entities and architects are welcome to book individually tailored tours to grasp further and understand how cutting-edge technology can execute an architect's vision.

As a local company, our size and capability offer faster lead times and conflict resolution for commercial projects.  Our sandstone experts are available for quotes 

Gosford Quarries are a trust-worthy sandstone supply company celebrating our 100-Year Centenary.  We are the Sandstone experts giving you peace of mind in terms of capability, lead times, expert advice and post-sale customer service.

Gosford Quarries also offer support for tendering for commercial projects.  We can work with you to help with the design suitability you envision and the sandstone specification for any scale project.

Call us on 02 8585 8282 to discuss your next commercial sandstone project, book a quarry tour, or speak to one of our dedicated CNC sandstone profiling technology experts.

Cladding Set in Stone | Why Sandstone is the Solution to Your Commercial Cladding Needs

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