Stone and Architecture

Why does urban furniture have to be ugly as it so often is in so many cities in the world? With a little of imagination, design, technical competence and using natural stone, of course, urban planners can renovate public spaces, creating a new, modern and attractive image of public areas, make them great places for city dwellers to spend their time. The images below need no explanation.

The new technologies allow for new finishes that highlight the aesthetic possibilities which in stone come out in a natural way. New textures that highlight out even more, if it is possible, the beauty of natural stone. The limit is in the imagination.

If natural stone is beautiful by nature, imagine what can be achieved when we bring out its attractiveness with techniques that create new textures and finishes without changing its colour and without damaging the environment. Just with waterjet one can achieve spectacular finishes such as those shown here.

No design is more beautiful than one created by nature. With this premise, the designer Alessandro La Spada has created for the showroom of the Italian company Antolini, twelve spaces in which the veins and colours of natural stone are combined with the designs that come from skins, feathers or shells of an animal. The result is an inspired harmony that highlights as never before the beauty of natural stone. 

For those who think the polished, honed, flamed, bush hammered, aged, etc. are just about all the finishes possible with natural stone, the images shown below may well come as a surprise. With some imagination the beauty of natural stone is enhanced even more to give some unique looks that make any wall anywhere look truly spectacular.

In the 2015 edition of the Marmomacc fair in Verona (Italy), held from 30 September to 3 October, “The Italian Stone Theatre” was presented, a project made by Raffaello Galiotto and Vincenzo Pavan to demonstrate what design and technology can achieve when united to the unique possibilities of natural stone.