Verona, 28 September 2013. A new record of operators from 143 nations marked the closure today of the 48th edition of Marmomacc. These figures confirm the role of the Verona Exhibition Centre as a global centre for business focusing on the natural stone, design and technology value chain. In addition to coverage of geographic areas, the overall share of foreign operators visiting the halls grew by 6% to 55% of the 56,000 visitors in total. The top ten specialised operators came first of all from Germany, followed by India, Spain, Turkey, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Russia and Brazil. The four days of the event welcomed well over 1,400 exhibitors from nearly 60 countries with new entries from Singapore, Slovenia and Ireland; there were 16 international group attendances, with the return of Palestine and the debut of Tunisia, and 44 official trade missions from 44 countries. Inside Marmomacc and Stone Academy: architecture, design, culture and education - all Awards at the 2013 Edition. The four days of the exhibition saw Hall 7B transformed into "Inside Marmomacc" - a venue for exhibitions, installations and international conferences dedicated to the use of stone. Inside Marmomacc was also the stage for numerous awards and honours: the XIII edition of the International Stone Architecture Award - that celebrates the best architectural projects involving the use of stone - acclaimed Arup Associates, Alberto Campo Baeza, Max Dudler, Josep Mias Architects, Carl Fredrik Svenstedt (as well as the special mention for the Ufficio Sassi di Matera, the Ad Memoriam Award to architect Alessandro Anselmi and the Vernacular Architecture Award to dry stone works: Taulas, Navetas, Barracas, Muragghi, Pagliari); the Best Communicator Award for exhibitors distinguished by the quality and originality of their stands (winners: Fibra, Scandola Marmi, Testi Group; special mention: Comes, Cava Romana, Tyrolit, Favorita, Solancis (Portugal), Finstone, Premium Stone (India); exceptional special mention: Piba Marmi and Prometec); the Master of Stone Award was made to Daniel Avital of Fervital and Nassar Ali Nassar of Nassar Store Group; the Women in Marble Award went to Patrizia Dottori. Cultural projects were particularly distinguished by the installations in the Marmomacc&Design "Fluid Stone" event involving young under-30 designers capable of interpreting stone materials using modern media tools; as well as the exhibitions of prototypes by students of the Faculty of Architecture, Ferrara, and students at the Brenzoni Art School; the Bathing in Light exhibition of works from Turkey; the rotating disks with marble tiles in Opus Motus; the two different Stone & Luxury SPA installations representing the relationship between man, water and stone; the Structural Stone event for the design of prototypes and design themes for stone architecture, and many others. There was also impressive participation by architects, engineers and designers at the course and educational activities promoted by the Stone Academy involving 20 Italian and international universities, this year joined by Schools of architecture in Florida and Ljubljana. Even after closing its doors, Marmomacc will continue to live in the city until the end of October with Marmomacc & The City, an exhibition of stone sculptures and installations in the streets and squares of the historic centre of Verona.
