Welcome to an evening seminar on … stone!

The New Stone Age explores how natural stone can become part of a more resource-conscious and long-term building practice. Despite its long history and structural capacity, stone has largely been reduced to surface, ornament and historical reference in contemporary construction. But how can stone once again be understood as a resource, a building material and part of a more durable building culture?

In this seminar the idea that innovation always depends on new, complex or highly processed materials, is challenged. By looking at stone’s strength, local origin and long lifespan, the seminar explores how existing material resources can become relevant again in response to today’s climate and resource challenges, through presentations, case studies, and conversations.

The theme raises questions of extraction, transport, standardisation, structural use and reuse. This opens up reflections on what knowledge and decisions are needed to use materials with greater care and responsibility, pointing towards a building culture where the connection between material, place, resource and lifespan plays a more important role.

A key reference of the seminar is the Finchley Road project in London, designed by Groupwork. Eladio Ramm, Studio Widerøe, Martin Hopland and Transborder Studio will offer further perspectives on the use of natural materials in contemporary architecture.

Programme:

Part 1 (4 PM–5 PM)

• Welcome and Introduction
• Groupwork Architects: Design intent, architectural outcomes, and material strategy
• Webb Yates Engineers: Structural approach, load bearing stone design, and performance
• Discussion + Q&A

Part 2 (6 PM–7 PM)

• Short provocations:
  
  “Lasting Larvikite: Architecture from surplus Stone” by Martin Hopland & Magnus Widerøe
  “Lunar Landscape” by Eladio Ramm, David Eladio Hugo Cabo & Nicolai Ramm Østgaard
  "The New Stone Age” by Transborder Studio, Øystein Rø
  

• Panel discussion