Stone next

La Casa di Pietra

The exhibition project highlights the tangible outcomes of the Degree Programme in Engineering for Industrial Design at the University of Pisa
(Scientific Director: Gabriele Goretti; Project Tutors and Coordinators: Laura Fiaschi and Gabriele Pardi / Gumdesign).

Through a design methodology strengthened by engineering expertise, students developed twelve collections made of marble and materials—both natural and synthetic, complementary and contrasting—adopting an experimental, research-oriented approach focused on structural behaviour and material treatment responses.

The Association Le Donne del Marmo provided technical expertise, materials, and artisanal/digital processing to realise the exhibited products, fostering essential collaborations for design culture. A vision that becomes reality also thanks to subsequent serial production, edited by La Casa di Pietra.

STONE NEXT is the platform dedicated to stone innovation, where technologies, tools and research converge to redefine the present and future of natural stone. Under the overall direction of architect Giorgio Canale, the project brings together research, design and experimentation in a unified narrative.

From 3D printing developed at ETH Zurich, using 80% recycled stone, to Symbiosis, created in collaboration with Pannonia Stones, which translates the aesthetics of lichens into sustainable sculpture and architecture; from the tradition of the Klesarska Škola Pučišća, founded in 1909 on the Croatian island of Brač—whose students will demonstrate live the power and poetry of hand craftsmanship—to the Stone and Style temporary store; from the pioneering solutions of the Startup Area (a project by Agenzia ICE and Veronafiere) to the research projects of La Casa di Pietra, curated by the National Association Le Donne del Marmo and the University of Pisa.

Each installation reveals how technical progress and creative vision can transform the industry. An immersive Marmomac journey intertwining processes, materials and ideas, anticipating the next evolutions of natural stone and reaffirming it as a versatile, multifaceted material destined to redefine the future of design, architecture and contemporary lifestyles.

Klesarska Škola Pučišća

There is a place on the Croatian island of Brač where stone is learned through hands, patience and soul. It is the Klesarska Škola, the historic stonemasons’ school founded in 1909, where the art of carving marble with ancient Roman tools is still passed down today. At Marmomac, a delegation of students and teachers will bring this extraordinary experience to the fair: daily live demonstrations will convey the strength and poetry of manual gesture, blending technique, tradition and cultural pride. A unique opportunity to discover an ancient craft that looks to the future with passion and expertise.

Transforming natural stone through the aesthetics of lichens.
Often considered undesirable on buildings, lichens reveal unexpected beauty when observed closely. The sculptural ruins presented are inspired by the complex forms of lichens, highlighting their fascinating geometries.
As bioindicators, lichens appear only where air quality is high—their growth signals environmental improvement. Beauty, therefore, will only flourish when the air is clean enough. Over time, these structures may become natural habitats for lichens, creating true integration between architecture and nature and shifting aesthetic perception from “ugly” to “beautiful”.

Set within a sacred context, the installation amplifies the dialogue between architecture, nature and environmental awareness, creating a stimulating space where beauty, sustainability and innovation converge.

Pannonia Stones
Pannonia Stones GmbH is a stone quarry located in Southern Burgenland, Austria.

Julia Schwarz, born in Burgenland (AUT), is a designer and Head of the Food & Design Department at New Design University. Her interdisciplinary approach merges design, society and science to develop new future perspectives. Beginning with her thesis Unseen Edible at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, she explored lichens as an alternative food source—laying the foundations for her later work. She founded Simiæn and works with lichens and natural stone, both among the world’s most essential elements.