Material Matters Vol. 6: Marble and Stone

Material Matters vol.6: Marble and Stone

The sixth edition of Material Matters, organized by ek magazine, took place with great success and notable innovations on May 16 at the Banquet Hall of the “Megaron” Concert Hall in Athens—the first time the event was hosted at this venue. Dedicated to a material family of deep significance to Greek architecture—marble and stone—the event was curated by architects Ariadni Vozani, Professor at NTUA and Managing Director of ek magazine, and Stavros Martinos, member of the editorial board.

This year’s talks followed a refreshed format: each invited architect or designer presented two of their own projects along with one work by another architect or artist, all within a strict 10-minute time limit. This format fostered concise, focused dialogue and was met with enthusiasm from both speakers and audience for its balance and substance.

The evening opened with Panos Iliopoulos, board member of the Hellenic Marble Association, who spoke about stone’s capacity to embody geological time and express distinct aesthetic qualities. Dr. Stella Pieri (Pieris Architects) followed with examples from the Viva Wallet offices and design objects, showcasing marble’s use through new technologies and the lens of “eco-emotional intelligence.” Giannis Giannoutsos, Assistant Professor at NTUA, gave a compelling presentation on the role of stone in sacred space and in the redesign of Eleftherias Square in Heraklion. Niki and Zoe Moschofoglou (On Entropy) approached marble from a phenomenological perspective, referencing the architecture of Peter Zumthor, while Lamprini Lyrou (Desypri & Misiaris Architecture) presented two recent houses combining natural stone with exposed reinforced concrete. Giorgos Spyridonos (React Architects) shared housing projects from Paros, showing how natural stone in contemporary architecture evokes archetypal forms and harmonizes buildings with the landscape, following the example of Aurelio Galfetti. Eleni Tsigarida explored how natural stone evokes memory—both personal and collective—through the adaptive reuse of the historic Kardamyli Customs House and a new residence in Messinia that aims to root its occupants in place. Dionysis Sotovikis delivered a moving account of his discovery of abandoned marble fragments during the financial crisis and how they became central to his practice, paying tribute to the enduring lesson of the “Rodakis House” on Aegina. Vangelis Bonios (Studio Bonarchi) reflected on marble’s timelessness in the design of hospitality spaces, from the perspective of interior architecture. Finally, Dimitris Tsigos (Omniview Design) discussed the integration of marble and stone into his architectural work, emphasizing his experiments with parametric design.