Architect: Stanton Williams
Client: Susanna Heron
Material: Jaumont Yellow Limestone
stoneCIRCLE manufactured a limestone frieze for the Sainsbury Laboratory, a plant research facility located in the Botanical Gardens of the University of Cambridge. Susanna Heron, an artist internationally renowned for her work with architects on site specific projects was asked to produce a piece for the Laboratory and chose to produce a frieze in Jaumont yellow limestone which is also used as part of the fabric of the building. The work is entitled Henslow's Walk after John Stevens Henslow who produced the university's collection of plant drawings which inspired the artist. It is composed of 104 stone panels ranging in size from 850mm x 750mm to 450mm x 400mm with abstract shapes based on Henslow's drawings traced into the limestone.
stoneCIRCLE was also commissioned to carve the plaque commemorating the opening of the building by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year.
The building won the RIBA Stirling Prize in October 2012. This is the UK's most prestigious architecture prize and is awarded to the project built or designed in Britain "which has made the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture in the past year."
It was also shortlisted for two major awards: the World Architecture Festival Award in the Learning and University/College Buildings category and for the Major Building Project over £50 million category in the British Construction Industry awards.