By Jim Biddulph

Friday 12th September sees the launch of the Stone Library at Sheffield Hallam University. Located in the newly completed Redmires Building, the collection has evolved from an almost-lost resource first put together in the early 90’s.

Brothers Scott and Geoff Engering created the Triton Stone Library for their London-based company Triton Building Restoration Ltd as a way to show specifiers suitable materials for restoration, sympathetic extensions and new buildings. The samples range from the indigenous limestones, sandstones, granites, and slates, but having been of great use up until Geoff’s retirement in 2000, the collection was set to be thrown away - were it not for Scott’s intervention. With a keen desire to create a second life for the collection, Scott has been working with Professor of Stone Conservation, Elizabeth Laycock, and the stone samples now form the basis for the School of Engineering and Built Environment’s new library.

Elizabeth and her team will continue to add to the unique installation with low-carbon geomaterials and composites that are used in building conservation and in new-build construction. Students and professionals from Architecture, Geography and Construction disciplines alike are all invited to use the resource, with each sample in the library supplemented by an evolving online library.

For more information about the launch and the library visit:

/www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/stone-library-sheffield-hallam-university.html

The event will take place between 1030-1600 at:

Redmires building, University Green, Howard Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S1 2NT