The Piano Room
The Piano Room at Marlands is a contemporary stone extension to a Victorian rectory in Hampshire.
Designed by Porter Robson Architecture for a private client with a love of classical architecture and music, AFJONES developed slender structural stonework with an engraved and carved frieze, integrating it with a modern frame to create a refined, quietly expressive room.
STRUCTURAL STONE FOR
A CONTEMPORARY ROOM
CLASSICAL LANGUAGE,
MODERN CONTEXT
The brief called for a new piano room that felt in tune with classical proportion while clearly belonging to a contemporary addition.
AFJONES responded with a stone scheme built around slim vertical fins and a decorated entablature, giving the room a calm rhythm and a strong sense of order without unnecessary weight.
SLENDER STONE FINS
AND ENTABLATURE
Across the entablature, frieze panels were designed as a mixture of carved and engraved work, developed closely with the architect to meet an artistic brief within clear budget constraints.
The result is a band of stone that rewards close inspection, adding depth and character to the otherwise simple volumes.
FRIEZE WITH ENGRAVED AND
CARVED DETAIL
The stonework is structurally engaged rather than purely applied. Slender elements are tied back to a supporting frame, with bracketry and interfaces detailed to respond to membranes, DPCs, thermal breaks and build sequencing.
This allows the stone to read as a coherent architectural system while working efficiently with the underlying structure.
STONE SELECTION FOR PERFORMANCE AND TONE
DETAILING FOR BUILDABILITY
AND BUDGET
A detailed appraisal of requirements informed the choice of stone.
Highly frost-resistant Vratza was used for copings and areas close to the ground, where exposure is greatest, while Moleanos was selected for the main body of the work. The pairing offers a complementary aesthetic as well as appropriate performance in each location.
STRUCTURE, DECORATION
AND FUNCTION IN BALANCE
Careful coordination of joints, fixings and sequencing meant that the stone could be installed efficiently while remaining true to the design intent.
AFJONES balanced aesthetic ambition with practical considerations on site, ensuring that the finished work is both buildable and maintainable.
AN EXTENSION THAT RESPECTS
ITS SETTING
The completed piano room is characterised by its slender stone fins, well-resolved junctions and a frieze that feels both crafted and controlled.
It stands as an example of how structural stonemasonry, when handled with care, can deliver a space that is efficient and practical, yet quietly beautiful and delivered within an agreed budget.
The Piano Room, Marlands highlights AFJONES’ ability to bring classical ideas into contemporary projects through precise structural stonework.
By uniting stone selection, engineering-aware detailing and expressive carving under one approach, the team created an extension that respects the existing rectory while adding a distinct, enduring new room to the home.
RESOURCES &
Education
Stone has shaped architecture for centuries, and it continues to define the most ambitious projects today
At AFJONES, we make stonework possible at the highest level by combining artistry, engineering, and generations of craft knowledge.
Our integrated process covers every stage, from early consultation and design input through to workshop production and on-site installation. This ensures that projects are delivered seamlessly and with absolute precision.
