Stone-Ideas.com 
At the Milan Design Week 2026, SolidNature presented “Il Sonno” (The Sleep), an art installation in form of a supermarket, celebrating not convenience culture, but the timeless beauty of stone. Designed by Samir Bantal, Director of AMO (OMA’s think tank), the project transformed the everyday shopping destination into a surreal wonderland: All the shelves and products were made from marble, onyx, quartzite, granite and travertine. “A symbol of our disposable consumer society, the supermarket becomes a way to rediscover natural beauty, timelessness and authenticity,“ is said in the press release from the Dutch company SolidNature known for artistic work with natural stone.
All in all, there were 1716 different stone elements, 32 different stones, 24 different product types and 4 types of finishes. „Here, the ‘consumer’ products have been shaped by the Earth over millions of years, and will outlast us. It is we, the consumers, who become the changing stock, bearing an expiration date. In this cashless supermarket, we pay with our presence, reminding us that dreams can only be realized by our intention and action,“ the press release continues.
David Mahyari, SolidNature: “Natural stone introduces a different sense of value, rooted in sustainability, durability and authenticity. Unlike systems built on speed and disposability, it shifts consumption towards awareness, where everyday choices become part of a larger dream – shaping a more conscious and future-oriented world.”
Samir Bantal, Director of AMO at OMA: “Nobody thinks while shopping; it’s a reflex. At Il Sonno Supermarket, this reflex is frozen in stone. Commodities have been transformed into desirable objects, stripped of function. The dream lies in the interval between recognising an object and realising that it has solidified. A supermarket with a fleeting stock, forever frozen in time. The experience of rushing through the supermarket is slowed down to wonder.”
Until June 21, 2026, the objects are on sale in the SolidNature online shop.
Photos: Sophia van den Hoek / Studio Unfolded
