Drystone walls are the topic of the recently founded International scientific society for Drystone interdisciplinary study S.P.S. or Société Scientifique Internationale pour l’étude pluridisciplinaire de la Pierre Sèche. Its first activity is to be a congress held from September 2nd to 4th 2015 on a Greek Island (1, Elias Beriatos (Mail).
In the nights around August 12th starwatchers are in for a treat: the chance of catching a shooting star are better than usual. This is when the Earth crosses the dust wake behind comet 109PTSwift-Tuttle. The Perseids, as they are called, are a prolific meteor shower observed since antique times. They ensue as dust and stellar debris cross the Earth’s atmosphere and deflagrate. Don’t forget to make a wish when catching a shooting star, which then will surely come true.
T-shirts and sunglasses with marble imprints can be seen on Duca d’Aosta’s webpage.
Ideas for garden paths made of pebbles can be viewed on Pinterest.
Italian exports for stone processing technology and equipment have reached a +18.6% increase in the first three months of 2015. Sales of unhewn and processed materials reached +3.2% as Marmomacc informs.
The Stone Expo Award, given to architects for outstanding work in natural stone is jointly sponsored jointly by the IMM Carrara and ICE Agenzia Italiana. This year’s winners are Michel Boucquillon and Donia Maaoui for their Casa Boucquillon in Lucca, Skidmore & Owings and Merril for their Freedom Tower World Trade Center in New York and Renzo Piano for the London Bridge Tower.
Trade magazine „Abirochas Informe“ (6/15) has published the last 6 months‘ export statistics compared to the same period one year before: exports to the USA were up +6.89% by value but down some -2.08% by value over all due to negative order volume from China. Also the Brazilian building industry is currently facing some tough times (Portuguese).
Cosentino-Design-Challenge: The winners of the 9th competition were chosen among 278 students of European colleges and Universities as well as from Bolivia, Togo and Russia.
Video of the Month: European currency bears fictitious bridges depicting a variety of building styles but no existing structures. But in a new settlement in the Netherlands, one such bridge has now been built with the approval of the European Central Bank.
(02.08.2015, USA: 08.02.2015)