Building in Stone Today: Voices and Commentaries is a critical look at the revival of load-bearing stone in contemporary architecture, told through the people who quarry, design and build with it.
About This Book
Structural stone is returning to building sites, often presented as a low-carbon novelty. Natália Peťková examines what that choice really involves for architectural practice and form, drawing on conversations with architects, engineers, quarriers, builders, clients and advisors.
Built on case studies from Spain, Switzerland and England, the book takes a storytelling approach to the everyday work of stone—where it comes from and the politics of its supply, the expertise and labour of extraction and assembly, its tactile qualities and its durability. It is illustrated with the author's own analogue photographs.
Key Features
- Voices from across the stone supply chain, from quarry to site
- Case studies from Spain, Switzerland and England
- Illustrated with the author's analogue photography
- A grounded, critical view of stone as a contemporary structural material
What You'll Discover
- Why load-bearing stone is being revisited now
- The politics and logistics of sourcing stone
- The skills and labour stone construction demands
- How tactility and durability shape stone architecture
About the Author
Natália Peťková is an architect and writer based in Zurich. She studied architecture and urban design at the University of Cambridge, social sciences at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, and completed a PhD in architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture Paris-Malaquais.
Specifications
- Format: Hardcover
- Dimensions: 170 × 240 mm
- Pages: 360
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9783035629934
- Publisher: Birkhäuser
Perfect For: Architects, builders, students and anyone interested in material sourcing, craft and low-carbon construction.