International Stone Architecture Award Winners

Words: Dan Kamys

Fermin Vasquez
Fermin Vasquez

Architects from Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Italy were recently selected by an international jury to receive Veronafiere/Marmomacc’s International Stone Architecture Award. This is the 11th edition of a biannual program created by Veronafiere in 1987 as part of the trade fair company’s commitment to the culture of stone. Prizes will be presented Oct. 3 during Marmomacc in Verona, Italy, at the Museo di Castelvecchio.

Espigueros and Horreos
Espigueros and Horreos

Following are the honored architects, their projects and the primary stone material:

  • Asian Architecture Friendship –
    Osaka, Japan-based group of volunteers, mainly composed of architects from the construction firm Takenaka Corp.; School Complex, Philim, Nepal 2007; local stone and slate
  • Fermin V??zquez
    b720 Arquitectos – Barcelona, Spain, www.b720.com; Restoration of Plaza del Torico, Teruel, Spain, 2007; basalt
  • Cino Zucchi Architetti –
    Milan, Italy, www.zucchiarchitetti.com; offices in the former Alfa Rome Cafeteria at Portello, Milan, Italy 2007; Cardoso stone
  • Grafton Architects –
    Dublin, Ireland, www.graftonarchitects.ie; Luigi Bocconi University, New Building, Milan, Italy, 2008; Ceppo
  • Sn??hetta –
    Oslo, Norway, www.snoarc.no; Opera House, Oslo, Norway, 2008; Carrara marble
  • “Ad Memoriam” Award: Alejandro De La Sota;
    Madrid, Spain; Civil Government Offices, Tarragona, Spain 1957; local stone
  • Vernacular Architecture Prize – Espigueros and Horreos:
    Stone Granaries in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain); granite
Beyond the Block: Aesthetic Innovations in CMU Construction
August 2026

Concrete masonry units (CMUs) have long been a mainstay of construction. They are well known as a “tried and true” material with a long history of high-strength structural performance, affordability, ease of assembly, and a long lifecycle. CMU constructio

The Most Overlooked Profit Center on Your Job Site
August 2026

The real cost of equipment ownership isn't what you pay on day one. It's what happens over the years that follow. The purchase price of a new mortar mixer, grout pump, material handling system, or masonry saw is only part of the investment. What happens

Installation Starts Before the First Course
August 2026

Some of the most expensive masonry installation problems begin long before crews arrive onsite. By the time a project reaches the field, many coordination decisions have already been made. Dimensional conflicts, congested reinforcement, specialty materia

Designing for Performance: Key Considerations for Efficient, Durable Masonry Projects
August 2026

A successful masonry project starts well before the first stone is set. The craftsmanship on site matters, of course, but many of the decisions that shape the final result are made much earlier—during design, detailing, and material selection. Those choic