“Excellence in the Use of Cast Stone” 2023 Awards
Best Technical / Innovative use of Cast Stone on a Project:
JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED
Cambridge Central Mosque is the city’s first purpose-built mosque and is inspired by both Islamic and English religious traditions. As Europe’s first ‘eco-mosque’, it places sustainability and environmental protection at its heart, with an emphasis on renewable energy and preserving the natural world.
The cast stone manufacturing UKCSA Full Member Haddonstone was commissioned to manufacture a broad range of bespoke cast stone components for this beautiful new building project. Working closely with the project architect, Haddonstone’s team produced a variety of bespoke stonework using their wet cast limestone in beautiful Bath colour.
In-keeping with the building’s environmental ethos, Haddonstone was asked to produce bespoke cast stone bird nesting holes. These new and innovative boxes were produced within some of the distinctive new cast stone crenellations , produced by Haddonstone’s expert craftsmen, that run along the parapet of the building. The bird nesting boxes were incorporated into the new building’s design with the intention of supporting and sustaining the local swift population.
In addition to the bird nesting boxes within the cast stone crenellations, Haddonstone also produced complementary large, bespoke octagonal window surrounds which were designed to sit within the exterior walls. The window surrounds were clad in tiles of the traditional Gault colour with castellated parapets, symbolising the meeting of heaven and earth.
Finally, the UKCSA cast stone manufacturing Full Member Haddonstone produced bespoke door surrounds for the main mosque building, as well as pier caps, balls and bases, and copings for the main visitor entrance.
Cambridge Central Mosque opened in 2019
