The truth of the stone

To defend and promote the qualities of natural stones, the PNA network asked the opinion of important signatories of the Italian project who testify to their preference for authentic stones, with an eye to the continuity between territory, landscape and the choice of raw materials. locals.

But it is also necessary to talk about historic buildings, such as the Milan Cathedral and its Candoglia marble, a pink stone that reflects light in a unique way. And also remember the presence of stone in the most modern buildings. The Palazzo della Triennale, designed by Pietro Muzio in 1933, in which botticino, marble and bricks create a rare aesthetic balance both on the facade and in the interior.

The central role of stones is in the possibility of working with living nature. A quality that makes every surface unique and stimulates careful research. "This is what I seek to give uniqueness to each project", explains Antonio Iraci, who is the author of a Palermo architecture in which the Billiemi stone is the protagonist. After all, good design avoids imitation, visual manipulation or camouflage. It is a question of order and the intelligent use of materials. A use that needs knowledge: this is the most important role of the PNA network. Guiding professionals in choices and discovery. Because nature is never simple or obvious, nor predictable.

"Stone has a soul, which is why it is important for us to choose it" says Setsu Ito, a Japanese architect and designer and a great connoisseur of materials. “When we use stones we feel in a deep contact with nature”. And on this relationship, made of respect and patience, a project such as the Elic table is born, a true tribute to the qualities of Carrara marble. A light and dynamic shape that seems to defy the rigor of the stone. And at the same time it enhances the designs and the material grace. It is not easy to create a 20 mm marble slab that manages to speak of strength and lightness at the same time. The dialogue with the excavators and transformers, who know and love stones, allows a truly creative use of stones.