the Power of Water on Stone
Waterjet cutting machines are based on the power of water to cut through stone, a force which has shaped our world for millennia. When combined with CNC-equipped technology they allow stone to be cut into many different shapes with precision and accuracy.
The team at stoneCIRCLE use their waterjet cutters to produce an end result that is a perfect match to the initial concept whether they are working on an inlaid marble floor for a hotel entrance lobby or upmarket retail store, or on a piece of art.
inlaid marble floors for private residences
This beautiful floral marble floor demonstrates the capability of waterjet technology
This intricate inlaid polished marble floor with a floral design commissioned for a private client in London shows off the possibilities of the waterjet cutter and the quality of our work. It was produced in Nero Marquina marble inlaid with Venato Fantastico flower petals and stems with Botticino Classico centres to the flowers. Venato Classico was used to create feature joints in the design.
…retail stores
In the Harrods Men’s Contemporary area, concentric and exocentric squares formed of Bardiglio, Carrara and Nero Marquina were fabricated on the waterjet machine, bonded together and laid in place.
Elsewhere in Harrods squares of Bardiglio and Nero Marquina marbles were cut and then placed into a Carrara slab with holes in corresponding sizes cut from it for the walkway in Men's Outdoor. The video below shows the production process for this floor.
and hotels
Waterjet cutting was also used to create the floor in the courtyard of the Mandrake Hotel where Travertino Classico Romano, Nero Marquina and Rojo Alicante marble were cut and then bonded to a Carrara backing for additional strength and ease of installation. In the shared hand wash area the technique was used to create a dramatic geometric design in Neolith Estuario and Nero San Marcos marble which continue up the walls and vanity unit from the floor.
works of art
Rhona Smith’s installation “An Age, An Instant” in New Burlington Mews, London was the first time that we used the waterjet machines for a material other than stone. The work used patinated bronze inlaid into Portland Stone which had been routed out to accommodate it.
Julian Opie then used the same technique to create works based on his trademark figures. The first was for the CitizenM Hotel, Tower of London. Here the bronze was glued in place before being transported to site, to make installation easier.
The artwork was created using 7 different marbles.
Tom Phillips’s depiction of Tyburn Gallows in Westminster Cathedral was cut from 7 different marbles. We took the artist's drawing and faithfully redrew it so that each piece and letter could be cut on the waterjet machine. The pieces were then bonded onto a 10mm Carrara backing slab and polished in the workshop before being crated and sent to the site for installation.