The Natural Stone Show in London has a co-operation agreement with Marmomacc, the world’s largest international exhibition of stone and machinery held annually in Verona, Italy. Marmomacc are bringing some of the innovative designs created for the Marmomacc Meets Design feature of their exhibition to the London Show.

Marmomacc has always led the way in the search for innovation in stone and four years ago it started bringing together internationally famous designers and production companies in order to push forward the frontiers.

Marmomacc Meets Design is the result. It forms a special feature at Marmomacc intended to inspire the design world to imaginative new uses of stone that modern processing power makes possible in timescales relevant to fast-track construction and at realistic prices.

The theme of the first Marmomacc Meets Design was ‘The Lightness of Marble’. That was followed by ‘Skin, Texture’ in 2008 and ‘Hybrid & Flexible’ in 2009. The theme at the latest Marmomacc was ‘Irregular Exceptional’.

More than 33 architects and designers have unleashed their creativity in the Marmomacc Meets Design feature so far. A list of their names reads like a who’s who of architecture. They include Kengo Kuma, Claudio Silvestrin, Alberto Campo Baeza, Manuel Aires Mateus, Patricia Urquiola, Tobia Scarpa, Marco Piva, James Irvine, Tomas Alonso, Aldo Cibic, Thomas Sandell, Michele De Lucchi. The list goes on and on.

Their ideas have been set in stone by 28 processing companies no less famous in their own field – Budri, Marsotto, Pibamarmi, MGM Furnari, Il Casone, Testi Fratelli, Grassi Pietre…

And, of course, there will be various Italian companies exhibiting at the Natural Stone Show in their own right, including regular exhibitors Antolini Luigi (stand D1) who will be showing some of the most exotic of the world’s stones. If you are looking for stones to make statements their stand is well worth a visit.