The potential of natural stone to transform architecture and interior design projects is limitless. What’s more, technology is evolving all the time, allowing ever more applications of this timelessly beautiful material.
The best opportunity to see all the possibilities in one place, and discover the latest trends shaking up the industry, is at Marmomac, the natural stone trade fair in Verona. The event, to be held at the Veronafiere Exhibition Centre from 24 to 27 September 2024, promises four days of architecture and design exhibitions, internationally accredited professional training, talks, conferences and insights into the latest technological innovations.
This September’s event was the most popular so far, with over 51,000 visitors from around the world gathering to tour 12 exhibition halls and three outdoor areas. Together, these featured 1,507 top industry exhibitors from 54 countries. Whether you’re an architect, interior designer, supplier or student, there’s something to excite every industry professional, and inspire you to make the most of natural stone’s versatility and sustainable credentials in your projects.
What's everyone reading?
One of the attractions that makes Marmomac an outstanding platform for the natural stone industry is to be found in Hall 1, which hosts the A Matter of Stone showcase. Curated by ELLE Decor Italia and featuring a layout by Milan interior architects Calvi Brambilla, this space is designed to appeal to all, with inspirational displays of new products, objects and surfaces, design projects by globally renowned industry players, and tips and advice for architects and interior designers. Here, visitors can also explore the huge potential of the stone sector in a cinema space which screens insightful films.
A particular standout is Nikolaus Bagnara's project Beyond by Bagnara, designed by Studio Draw: a foreboding scene of a long table, flanked by two chairs as "massive as medieval thrones" and overlooked by a suspended lamp, all hewn from the same rich stone. It was given the Matter of Stone award by a panel which included ELLE Decoration editor-in-chief Ben Spriggs, ELLE Decor Italia editor-in-chief Livia Peraldo Matton, elledecor.it director Alessandro Valenti, architects Fabio Calvi and Paolo Brambilla, and Marmomac representatives. Unanimously, they agreed that Beyond represented "in a synthetic and evocative way the entire production process, from the extraction of the material to its transformation, in an extremely poetic living dimension".
Another star draw is The Plus Theatre in Hall 10, a training and innovations hub where exhibitions, workshops and talks explore the evolving relationship between natural stone and technology. Also home to a VIP lounge, restaurant and wine bar for informal meetings, relaxing and refuelling, The Plus Theatre is an architecture project in its own right, showing off stone’s luxurious qualities in its design.
A visit to The Plus Theatre is complemented by the Marmomac Meets Academies space, where international universities and research centres present developments for the future. It’s here that you’ll find cutting-edge new applications, from stone slabs that are just a few millimetres thick to 3D-printed finishes and materials optimised for sustainability.
Throughout the fair’s 12 halls, thousands of different types of stone and technology will be on show, from unhewn blocks to quarrying and processing machinery, chemical treatments, innovations in AI and more. Business and education come together here, too: the schedule includes professionally accredited courses by the Marmomac Academy, where visitors can enhance their expertise.
It’s even possible to access Marmomac’s excellence year-round, thanks to the Marmomac Plus portal. This evolution of the fair’s online catalogue offers numerous ways to engage with exhibiting brands in a virtual setting ahead of the event, making it even more useful for day-to-day business.
Marmomac’s ultimate objective – to promote the use of natural stone in high-end building, interior design and furnishing projects – is matched by its opportunities to network and learn. Wherever your interests lie, it’s an essential date in the design calendar.
The next edition of Marcomac takes place 24-27 September 2024. Find out more and plan your visit at marmomac.com
