Grist to the mills of the stone branch ist the encyclical „Laudato si’ – on care of our common home“ by Pope Francis promulgated in May 2015. The core of his message is renunciation of the throw-away society. One aspect is sustainability of goods. Another is the longevity of material, i.e.: Recycling. In both cases, natural stone ranks top marks. One aspect of ecology according to the Pope is using natural products. He elucidates: „We were not meant to be inundated by cement, asphalt, glass and metal, and deprived of physical contact with nature“.
The Marmomacc Trade Fair (September 30 – October 3, 2015) is booked out according to the Veronafiere web page. Abitare il Tempo, held concurrently and at the same venue will be hosting an international conference this year. Its title is „Exclusivity and sustainable excellence in interior design“ (1, 2).
One of Europe’s cultural capitals of 2015 is the Belgian city of Mons. Of particular interest to all those with a hankering to natural stone: the flint quarries in the district of Spiennes. The archeological findings are also the object of the New Museum’s exhibit Silex (1, 2 French, 3). Another cultural capital is the Czech city of Pilsen, famous for its beer. The historic town center includes a number of buildings and public places made of local granite.
The British Labor Party commissioned plaques chiseled in stone and bearing election slogans for the Party’s election manifesto in May 2015. But then, the Conservative Party won the election. The Natural Stone Specialist tells the story on its webpage.
The young Turkish designer Gorkem Sever usually works in wood but has discovered natural stone for herself of late. She showed her new lamps incorporating a combination of both materials at Milan’s Ventura Lambrate in April.
Track ballast and how the single stones interlock with each other is described on a webpage of the German Basalt AG.
Sandstone or Limestone is the question at the £850 Million masterplan for Edinburgh Saint James Centre.
A mysterious stone circle discovered in the Coast Mountains of southwestern British Columbia above the treeline has been identified as the natural result of glaciers retreating about 10,000 years ago, the Vancouver Sun reports.
A lightning recently damaged the oldest George Washington Monument in Maryland, the Guardian reports.
Madrid’s Piedra Trade Fair will be held concurrently with the Veteco (windows and sunscreens), Construtec (building materials), and Matelec (electrical and electronic solutions) next time from October 25 – 28 2016 (Spanish).
The Marble Institute of America (MIA) welcomed a delegation from the Xiamen Trade Fair to discuss means of cooperation. One topic was bringing lifelong learning seminars to China.
In Carrara the marble weeks will take place until October during which marble artifacts will be exhibited publicly in open spaces and streets. Other art events are part and parcel of the cultural happening (Italian, Newsletter IMM Carrara).
Video of the Month: care and cleaning of natural stone flooring can hardly be described vernacularly. Italian-based Fila Company has produced a series of videos posted on YouTube. One can chose among various languages. Fila is a specialist for cleaning and care of natural stone, ceramic tiles, cotto and wood surfaces. The company celebrated its 70th jubilee in 2013 and is active in a number of countries.
(01.07.2015, USA: 07.01.2015)
