Stone-Ideas.com 
The “Amorf“ competition for natural stone design is held annually by the Turkish Natural Stone Association (EIB, Ege Ihracatçi Birlikteri), based in Izmir. The goal is to encourage the use of local stone through new product ideas. It was held for the 5th time in 2025. There were 221 applications.
Naz Ölmez won first prize with “Sediment.“ Her idea for a wall made of Denizli Travertine, which is widely quarried in Turkey, turns the traditional use of natural stone on its head: With her design, she aims to demonstrate how the stone changes over time. At the same time, it also offers an opportunity to utilize damaged pieces. The designer carved out depressions in the wall, for example, along the sedimentary layers. These evoke the flow of water in ancient times. She also creates spaces in the wall where plants can now grow.
“Stone no longer stands still; it makes you think, makes you act“ is the motto of the second prize, entitled “Spinstone.“ Güglen Tekeli designed the piece, and the Alimoğlu company created the prototype. The spindle-shaped stone is intended to be placed in a park and serve not only as a decoration but also as a piece of exercise equipment: When it rotates, people can walk alongside it or, by standing on it, practice balance exercises. A metal rod serves as the rotation axis, and a QR code can be used to access information or music. A dynamo even generates energy during the rotation.
The two designers, Tolga Gündoğdu and Setenay Kamazoğlu Kızıl, were inspired by ancient ruins for their city fountain “Kent Çeşmesi,” winning third prize. The ancient elements have been transformed into new forms that can be assembled like mosaics or meanders. The result is a stone ensemble whose individual pieces can be disassembled and recombined (somewhere else) as needed. The ensemble also includes a fountain.
The jury awarded three special prizes:
Ümit Karaca created the marble fountain “Mermer Çeşme“ that combines design and art, creating a sculpture for the city center. Like flower petals, the form opens up, from which the water flows. The ingeniously shaped petals showcase the beauty of the natural stone and demonstrate the skill of the production company.
“Anıtaş“ by Oğuzhan Çetinkaya is actually a promotional idea for stone that utilizes product design: It consists of cubes with sides measuring 7 x 7 cm, which can often be cut from offcuts. Different types of stone are named for each quarry region – the idea is for customers to become familiar with them, for example, by traveling to the region. At home, he can transform it into a decorative object with a scaffold. In addition to the simple cube (memory stone), there is also the sound stone with a built-in speaker, and the light stone.
Ekim Güney Öztürk named his fireplace “Kazan.“ It has a metal bowl at its core, into which basalt rods are inserted on the outside. These provide stability to the structure and also function as heat storage. A variety of shapes are conceivable.
Awards ceremony to promote the region
The association on the Turkish Aegean coast recently began promoting its natural stones not only with the Amorf competition. The awards ceremony is now held as a gala at a tourist center in the region. This way, the beauty of the material is highlighted in connection with its history. This time, the ancient city of Laodicea on the Lycus River was the venue for the event. It is famous for its magnificent Roman ruins. It should not be confused with the city of the same name in Greece.
The gala also featured the “Stars of Export“ awards ceremony, honoring the most successful natural stone exporters. In his speech, a representative of the Ministry of Commerce emphasized that the Turkish stone industry is performing strongly despite the challenging global economy: Between January and August 2025, Turkish exports increased by 4.3% to USD 178.1 billion. This places Turkey in third place worldwide. He emphasized that initiatives such as the design award add value to domestic resources.
Amorf (Turkish)