According to VeronaFiere, the organizer of the event, this year's show attracted approximately 57,000 visitors, 30% of whom were foreigners from 120 different countries. Of the more than 1,400 exhibitors, 900 were Italian companies, while the 500 others migrated from 50 nations. Among some of the participating countries were Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Egypt, Finland, France, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovania, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, U.S. and Zimbabwe. Also, being represented for the first time this year was Namibia. In addition, Marmomacc 2003 included 25 international delegations, comprised of companies, government representatives and architects interested in learning more about the application potential of natural stone.

The exhibition sprawled across an estimated 646,000 square feet of floor space. According to organizers, the exhibition has demonstrated remarkable growth over the past 11 years. In 1992, the exhibition area only measured approximately 272,000 square feet and drew 25,553 visitors. Over the years, more exhibition space has led to more exhibitors and an increase among foreign participants.

Leading the foreign countries that had a predominant presence at Marmomacc 2003 was Turkey, with a total of 87 exhibitors. Statistics illustrate that this was 25 more than last year. Next in line was Spain with 48 participating companies, followed by China with 44 exhibitors, Germany with 39, India with 37 and Belgium with 33. Show organizers reported being pleasantly surprised with the number of Brazilian producers who exhibited, which totaled 29, and the 27 exhibitors from Greece.

Scheduled events
Throughout the four days of Marmomacc, there were also various seminars, architectural exhibitions and awards ceremonies scheduled in addition to the exhibition itself. One of the highlights was the International Stone Architecture Award, which was started eight years ago to recognize famous and emerging architects. The jury selected six winning projects, which were on display in one of the exhibit halls during Marmomacc, from among 30 that were submitted. The contest stipulated that the projects had to have been completed within the last two to three years.

The winning projects and architects included: Suransuns Parade, over the River Hinterrhein, Grigion Canton, Switzerland by Jürg Conzett, Gianfranco Bronzini and Patrick Gartmann; Pariser Platz 3/DZ Bank, Berlin, Germany by Frank O. Gehry & Associates; Presidential Government Palace, Canary Islands (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain) by AMP Arquitectos (Felipe Artengo, Fernando Martìn Menis, Jose Marìa Rodrìguez-Pastrana); a residential and office complex in Walter Benjamin Platz (Berlin, Germany; 2001) by Hans Kollhof & Helga Timmermann; Vulcania -- European Volcanology Park (St. Ours-Les-Roches, France) by Hans Hollein; a new courtyard area, Bottari block (Siracusa, Italy) by Vincenzo Latina.

Additionally, an Ad Memoriam Award is dedicated each year to past renowned architects for major contributions in stone architecture. This year Mario Ridolfi (1904 to 1984) was remembered for Casa Lina, a small building that the Roman architect designed and built for himself and his wife close to Cascate delle Marmore, near Terni, which dates from 1964 to 1967.

Another feature of Marmomacc was the Masters of Stone Art 2003 Awards, which are presented to entrepreneurs in the marble and granite field, sculptors, machinery and tool manufacturers, national and international commercial operators, technicians and journalists whose work helps promote the Italian manufacturing industry. This year, the awards went to Austrian architect Hans Hollein, Brazilian journalist Emanuel Mateus De Castro, Romanian entrepreneur Victor Florean and Italians Silvio Xompero, Gian Luigi Cereser and Francesco Corradini.

Displays in technology
According to organizers, Marmomacc is also the occasion for examining the new frontiers of technological innovation and its far-reaching impact on the world of design. As a result, three events relating to this issue were held during the show.

“Pixel & Marble, The material nature of virtual languages” focused on the use of IT systems generating an authentic revolution in architectural design. This was not only through the development of design and three-dimensional representation techniques, but also through the creation of new languages in contemporary architecture. It was explained how these systems are already influencing the aesthetics of architecture by activating new mental approaches and unexpected changes in formal research.

“Digital Scapes: Global Remix, Digital Architecture Exhibition” was aimed to promote awareness of the new 3D digital design processes currently modifying the attitudes of young generations of architects in the computer age. An exhibition of video clip projects was linked with the “Pixel & Marble” discussion, and it compared the work of a group of architects emerging on the American scene over the last decade with that of new generations of European architects engaged in digital research.

Third, the “Exhibition-installation Stone House” further developed a series of previous initiatives exploiting the synergy between Marmomacc and Abitare il Tempo, which was coordinated by Carlo Amadori and Vincenzo Pavan. It was designed to involve architects, designers and artists in collaborative experiences with companies in the natural stone industry and other building sectors. The presentation dealt with the relationship between natural and artificial materials, between color and its absence, and between purity and decoration in domestic settings, where opposing trends contrast with and influence each other.

Other events held during Marmomacc 2003 included the “Exhibition of Drawings and Projects for Four Fountains,” which was promoted by the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Chamber of Commerce of Trento and Trentino S.p.A. Well-known international designers such as Mario Botta, Pierluigi Cerri, Alessandro Guerriero and Ettore Sottsass, Jr. interpreted in a creative and original manner the language of Trentino stone. Additional discussions focused on the general state of health in the field and investment potential in South America.

Sidebar1:
AIA continuing education course in Verona

The course, which was on “The Use of Marble and Stone Materials in Modern Architecture,” was held from Thursday, October 2 to Sunday, October 5 during Marmomacc. It provided a comprehensive overview of architectural stone applications. Architects were taught how marble is quarried, treated, cut and selected for specific jobs, using the latest products and technologies. The course also included field trips to a quarry and granite factory as well as ample time for a thorough exploration of the exhibition. The architects who participated earned over 20 AIA/CES learning-unit hours. Many classes also included HSW credits.

In 2003, VeronaFiere also became a provider of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects), which took part with a group of 10 architects. For the first time, management of RAIC (Royal Architecture Institute of Canada) also attended. In all, around 80 architects from all over the world took part in the education program at Marmomacc 2003.

Sidebar2:
Architecture students are awarded for stone designs

Main Award
The Main Award was presented to Dorota Filutowska, an architecture student at the University of Technology in Warsaw, for “Modernization and conservation of converter station near Minska Street in Warsaw.” “My project deals with the transformation of an existing building to a new one with much more modern character,” Filutowska said. “The concept was to find a new commercial meaning for this building. Currently the building is abandoned. The final function of the building shall be a public bath. Because the converter station is a complex of two buildings, it was easy for me to transform it into a bath. Stone has an unquestionable beauty. It is a pity that the national educational system does not allow us to learn more about the natural stones. This is why you have to do more research by yourself and, of course, be passionate about the stone.”

“The functional scheme of the proposed public bath perfectly composes itself with the present structure of the old converter station,” the jury stated. “Unconventional use of quarzite slate for the wall and floor -- laid in narrow horizontal strips -- refers to a natural structure of rock layers. The combination of stone, water and view of the sky gives the material its proper natural space. Thanks to the architect's invention, we can observe the decorative character of the natural slate, which has a texture that is harmonized with its bluish color.”

Quarella Special Award
The “Quarella Special Award” was presented to Krzysztof Wolanski for the “House of God” in Lublin. Wolanski graduated from the University of Technology in Poznan and will be studying for a doctorate in Paris. “My project was inspired by the values which are offered by conglomerate and natural stone materials. I wanted to use the most characteristic features of these two materials, show their texture and how they react to light,” Wolanski said. “I created an effect of translucency, which gives the place a proper ambience and rank which is needed in the mystical interiors of the sacral building; this was my first concept. The stone is also used on the frontal elevation, which undoubtedly has many philosophical elements deriving from ethics and aesthetics. I connected polished stone with an unpolished one and with glass. This way the frontal elevation stands out among other parts of the church. The cross on the elevation was designed in such a way that it draws the viewer's attention and almost pulls him inside. Thanks to the contest, I was able to see and learn about the stone. I can say now that I have it in my blood. It is the best material our Mother Earth offers to us.”

“It is interesting how the architect combines different materials: natural stone, Quarella's conglomerate and glass,” stated the jury. “The combination of these materials allows the light to penetrate the interiors of the church, thus strengthening light colors dominating inside. A special mention has to be given to an idea to place a cross made of large chipped stones on the frontal elevation. The author of the project feels 'the soul of the stone.' “

Special Mention I
A Special Mention was given to Malgorzata Gendek, a student in Poznan, for her project “Summer Office of the Association of Architects.” This design uses the natural qualities of stone and wood to help connect the interior and exterior spaces. “In this project, I wanted to use the stone in an unconventional way,” Gendek said. “I have used waste material from slabs, and the stone is placed on a steel bar. I think that in some way, my future will be connected with stone and that I will be able to use my experience in my professional life.”

The jury praised the project for using the “natural values of the landscape, which is an excellent background for the planned object. The rigidity of the natural stone texture harmonizes with the surrounding space. This exposes the natural beauty of stone.”

Special Mention II<
A second Special Mention was made for the work of Tomasz Smaga, an architecture student in Warsaw, for the “iSphere” project. This project was the development of a small stone kiosk, which can be used alone or in a group as information stands for sectors such as tourism or culture. It has a rounded shape to give the modern character, and also connects with older, historic architecture through the use of stone. “My project is based on the spherical form. I think it is a modern design presented in an uncommon form,” Smaga said. “Special mention given to my project means that the stone used in such architecture is attractive and gathers people's attention. The experience from the contest has changed my opinion about natural stone. This is a completely new challenge for me, and I think that stone will be present in my professional life.”

The jury commented on Smaga's “modern and unconventional idea to design an element of small architecture in an uncommon form. The spherical shape of the block gives it a modern character, which [also] can correspond with historical architecture. The use of different natural stones can exhibit the 'timeless' value of stone.”

Urban architecture in Asuncion
Another competitive aspect of the program was conducted in Asuncion, Paraguay. This was organized by the Paraguayan Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Paraguayan Architecture, with the sponsorship of Asuncion City Hall and the Verona Exhibition Authority (Veronafiere).

The contest was opened to experienced professionals and senior students in their fifth year. The winning project was from Andrea Delmas Montero, a senior at the Asuncion National University, Paraguay. It sought to give importance to the historical center of Asuncion, promoting its cultural values, symbols and architecture as the “urban origin of the city and the nation itself.” To achieve this goal, it is necessary to revitalize the public spaces and habitation areas of historic buildings, Montero said, giving the space institutional and commercial importance -- a goal that can be achieved with the help of natural stone.

Contest sponsors
Sponsors of the initiative included Kamieniarz Bozena Modlinska of Kielce, Poland, which was founded in 1978 and operates a stone processing facility as well as a sandstone quarry in Czaple, the oldest in Poland. The event was also sponsored by Veronafiere of Verona, Italy, which organizes Marmomacc as well as other major international trade shows in a broad range of industries.

Other sponsors were Quarella S.p.A. of Verona, Italy, a world leader in the manufacture and finishing of composite stone products, with five separate factories producing more than 250,000 tons per year of product, which is roughly equivalent to 4 million square meters of finished product per year. The final sponsor was Juma Natursteinwerke GmbH & Co. KG of Germany, which has quarries in Germany and South Africa as well as a modern large-scale factory in Germany and an import facility in Italy.

Touring the exhibit halls of Marmomacc 2003