Stone Panorama April-June 2021 Edition by Stone Panorama Magazine

VOLUME 23 • NUMBER 2 • APRIL - JUNE 2021

250

News

Technology

Export Market

Hard Surfaces

Astronomy

Fairs

AGRASENPRIME OVERSEAS PVT.LTD. www.agarsengranites.com

GRANITE MARBLE SANDSTONE SLATE STONE

Special aluminium alloy motor for cutting and edging with flanges and nut

Special aluminium alloy electro-spindle for cutting and milling ISO 40/50 cone tools

Mine Owner and Processor

Zebra White

Bianca Mystique quartzite

Blue Flower

Mine Owner of : Creama Mystique Quartzite Blue Flower Granite Copacabana Granite Exotic Alaska Granite Copacabana

Azul White

LUXE STONES PRIVATE LIMITED Registered Office : Gyan Ganga Building, Nadi Gate, Jayendra Gani, Gwalior, MP Branch Office : 603, Bravia Residency, Panchsheel Nagar, Ajmer - 305004

Showroom : B-221, Bank Officer’s Colony, Jagatpura, Jaipur

Mob. No.: +91-9425307635, 8770341942

MONO WIRE Specially for Granite

MULTI WIRE Specially for Granite

VINAYAK DIAMOND TOOL PVT. LTD.

CMYK#9929493735

QUARRY WIRE

CONTENTS Editorial

News

FIGSI : Office Bearers Elected for 2021-23 Indian Granite Export Demand Picks Up Piedra Espana Takes Over Grabasa Pierre Actual Magazine Completes 1000th issue

R. Sekar, Bangalore

Greek Marble Honouring All Presidents of USA QATAR : A New Opening in the Middle East Technology

STONE PANORAMA A Quarterly Publication Annual Subscription India : Rs. 900 Foreign : Euro 35 Single Copy : Rs. 250

Editor

Marble and Natural Stone Panel Finishes Waste to Wealth

When Scrap is a Resource Hard Surfaces

A marble block of 5x5x5 metre weighing 300 tonnes carved to a sitting Lounge in Carrara Italy

Import of Hard Surfaces By USA in December 2020 Memorial

Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Architecture Associate Editor Jaya V. Rastogi

The Archangle Estate : A Home Set in Stone

Laxmi Rubber & Polymers

Laxmi Rubber & Polymers: Manufacturer of Wire Saw Rubber Rings & Aluminum Alloy Wheels150mm to 1200mm and Industrial Use Moulded Goods. Laxmi Agrotech Steel: Manufacturer of Steel Moulded Accessories and Fittings for HDPE Sprinkler Irrigation System.

Factory : H- 84-85, Road No.-5A, RIICO Ind. Area Bindayaka, Jaipur-302012 (Raj.) India Ph. : +91 - 141- 2240503, (F) Fax. : +91 - 141- 2240503 Mob.: +91-9928353057, 9314509115, 9314209691, 9602419798 E-mail: laxmirubberindustries@gmail.com

www.laxmirubber.com, www.laxmirubbers.com

CONTENTS Sub Editors

Turkish Representative Mehmet OZMEN Design Paras Bhansali Graphic Design Kunj Bihari Sharma

Administrative Office an association of independent trade journals

STONE TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

Phones : +91-141-237 6171, 237 9653 Fax : +91-141-236 5232 E-mail : info@stonetec.org info@stonepanorama.com Website : www.stonepanorama.com Owned, Published and Printed by Jaya V. Rastogi Published from Rastogi House B 9 Vivekanand Marg, Jaipur 302001 and Printed at Navpack & Print, Jaipur 302021 Editor K. Vikram Rastogi The editors do their utmost to verify information published. They do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.

Geotourism 34 Rainbow Cave, Hormuz Island, Iran Skating in a Quarry 35 Fun In Quarry : Skateboarding in the Larvikite Quarry of Lundhs, Norway Traditional Technique 36 Stone House in Greece Astronomy 38 Baan Stambh of Somnath Temple Imports in China 40 China’s Marble and Granite Imports in 2020 Central Vista Project 42 New Parliament Building in Lutyen’s Delhi Unesco’s World Heritage Site 44 Bordeaux : Unesco’s Largest World Urban Heritage Site Ram Mandir 46 A Magnificent Temple in Making Castle in Scotland 48 The Spazio Hood for the Age-Old Kilmartin Ornamental Stones 49 Marmortrophy Mementos in White Marble Fairs 52 The Surface + Design Event China 2020

Black Galaxy

25+ Years Existence 50+ Colours

Mine Model in a Marble Washbasin Promotion

Classified

Marketplace

Subscription Form & Advertiser’s Index

Absolute Black

2 Processing Units

20+ Countries Presence

1000+ Retail & International Customers

SHOWROOM 2&3, Mettukuppam Main Road, Maduravoyal, Chennai – 600095, Tamilnadu, India Ph. : 044 - 4852 7866, 4853 7866 | Mob.: +91 90030 64786, +91 90030 65786, +91 97910 46786 E-mail : hameed@kalima.in | www.kalimagranites.com UNIT - II : 1-Log Hub, N.H.7, UNIT - I : P. Gudipadu Village, Soolagiri(V), Krishnagiri District S.N.Padu (M), Prakasam District Tamilnadu - 635 117, India Andhra Pradesh - 523 225. India

EDITORIAL

23 STONA 2020 held in Bangalore concluded on 9th February, 2020. It was the last physical international exhibition in calendar year 2020. COVID 19 spread with effect from 25th March, 2020 in India and continued until end of the year. We, in India, had some relief from December 2020 to March, 2021. There had been a shift in identifying importers from developing countries to emerging markets; shortage of qualified labour; development of new markets and issues of sustainability - carbon footprint etc. All these are posing great threat to stone mining and processing sector because of climate change and global warming.

www.stonepanorama.com

Chinese have been concentrating on domestic market, which is sizeable. They started import of granite and marble blocks in January, 2021. European Union has sizeable renovation industry with subsidies for construction. Commercial construction is suffering at present as Work from Home is becoming a necessity in COVID 19 times.

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

The production and export of granite and engineered stone from India increased drastically. There was a boom in construction industry in USA (1.6 million units per year) with individuals constructing and occupying small apartments instead of big houses. Renovation projects increased in USA because of low mortgage rate of 2.5% with repayment period up to 30 years. Non-availability of containers was the only handicap. Low oil prices reduced construction activities in Middle-East – Kuwait, UAE, Qatar etc. Some projects have been put on hold in these countries. Construction market appears to be bleak as solar energy production is increasing in MiddleEast, but all over the world. Demand for oil is decreasing resulting in low revenue to oil rich countries in the world. Brazilian companies increased exports to USA. Stone Industry in India improved in the last quarter of 2020 and continued till March, 2021. There had been no construction boom, but there has been a shift in construction from urban areas to rural areas. Second wave of COVID 19 which is very severe, started w.e.f April, 2021 and has greatly affected stone sector again. Indians must develop new marketing strategy with new business models as there has been excess supply of stones over demand. Engineered stone, porcelain and ceramic tiles have entered into Indian and foreign markets to a great extent. The use of small sizes of blocks, setting up of projects for manufacture of value added items, furniture, landscaping and interiors must be given priority. This would utilize small sizes of bocks as also stone waste and will increase revenue. While last year was dominated with virtual international fairs, some fairs to a limited extent may be held physically during 2021. The international participation shall be very small in such fairs. Virtual fairs and conferences coupled with webinars may become a New Normal until 2025. K. Vikram Rastogi

NEWS

FIGSI Federation of Indian Granite and Stone Industry (FIGSI), Bangalore, elected its office bearers for the term 2021-23 in an election held on 27.03.2021 at Hotel Lalit Ashok. Ishwinder Singh, Manoj Kumar Singh, and S. Krishna Ishwinder Singh, President Prasad have been reelected as President, Vice President and General Secretary respectively for the second time. Similarly, many of the Executive Committee members have also been reelected for the second term. The list of new office bearers is given below. 1. Mr. Ishwinder Singh, President 2. Mr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Vice President 3. Mr. G.M. Hegde, Vice President

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

Mr. Mahaveer Singh Rathore, Vice President Mr. Sunil K Arora , Vice President Mr. N. Ashoken, Vice President Mr. Pramod Bhandari, Vice President Mr. S. Krishna Prasad, General Secretary Mr. Sunder Somani, Treasurer Mr. Yeshwant Ranka, Joint Treasurer Mr. Kalit Bhandari, Joint Secretary Mr. Rajesh Kumar Sharda , Joint Secretary Mr. S. Shankaranarayanan, Joint Secretary Mr. Venkatesh Saka, Joint Secretary Dr. Harpal Singh Yadav, Joint Secretary Mr. Sanjeev Modi, Joint Secretary Mr. Laxmikant Jain, Joint Secretary

18.

Mr. Madan Lal Jangid, Joint Secretary

The newly elected Executive Committee also held its first meeting on 28.03.2021 at Hotel Lalit Ashok.

www.worldstonefairs.com

OFFICE BEARERS ELECTED FOR 2021-23

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Elected Executive Committee of FIGSI

NEWS

INDIAN GRANITE EXPORT DEMAND PICKS UP The granite exports are finding their feet back after being in doldrums last year due to the Corona virus restrictions. However, it is now seeing a huge shortage of containers, which is impacting the movement of granite, according to Krishna Prasad, General Secretary, Federation of Indian Granite and Stone Industry.

www.stonepanorama.com

Rajasthan tops the list of exporters and is followed by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh combine in the next place. Granite is a mainstream activity in Khammam, Karimnagar, Warangal districts of Telangana. The quarried granite is converted into blocks and exported to China, US and Europe for value-addition. “The year 2020 was a complete washout due to the Corona virus and accompanying travel restrictions. We have recently seen the demand coming back. The US and Europe are the key importers as construction is happening. However, we are not able to find enough containers to carry on the exports,” said Prasad. The trade fell to near zero in 2020 and has now started growing. “We hope to reach the previous level in about a year and then see a ten per cent increase in

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

About 25 lakh people are employed all over the country and this will go up with various environmental clearances coming for the quarrying activities. The two Telugu States account for about 10 per cent or more of the total exports and provide employment to about six lakh people. There is demand for black granite as well as various other colours. Quartz Surface is also finding buyers in the export market. Domestic market is also coming back slowly. The industry is investing on new technologies. Quartz is one such area which has seen a lot of investment in the past three years. On the pricing, granite fetches US$ 600 to US$2,500 per cubic metre for the blocks. For the finished materials, the price ranges from US$ 30 per square metre to US$ 70 per square metre. “The granite industry is still facing difficulties in terms of demand. Non-availability of containers is a big issue now,” said Gautam Chand Jain, CMD, Pokarna Granites.

PIEDRA ESPANA TAKES OVER GRABASA Once one of the biggest producer of natural stone, Grabasa were purchased by a German investor joining the very successful operating Balke&Partner network . The new company name is PIEDRA Canteras y Producción S.L. (quarries and production)

the year after that considering that we had near zero exports last year,” Prasad said.

Balke&Partner LLC will rebuild and run the entire operation in Spain with a global team of experts in all fields of natural stone business. B&P unites around 100 experts in mining and stone extraction, geologists, product developer, thin-stone experts, marketing and sales experts focussing on worldwide niche markets and solutions in stone. Every day in every country world-wide. Philip Callant and Christene Sache are the head of sales of B&P expert sales and marketing team in the US and Canada. Joseph Sam is leading the Asian team and Markus W. Balke's team is responsible for Europe and parts of Africa and Australia.

NEWS

Claude Gargi and Corinne Berger

This natural stone magazine of France founded by Rene Motinot started its journey in 1933 in the name of “Le Mausolee” covering topics of grave stone. The magazine remained confined to France, but widened its contents from world outside France with jubilee edition in 1960s.

Noteworthy activities of Pierre Actual in recent times are the biennial fair Rocalia, which started in 2017 and will be held again in Lyon in November 2021, and also the webpage “Envie de Pierre“ (Envy of stone), which shows many beautiful ideas for the use of natural stone.

Greek Marble involved in the primary sector and some 18,000 workers in the secondary sector. During Greece’s recent financial crisis, the sector was challenged into redefine its role, becoming more extroverted and seeking a fresh strategy. Addressing the global market meant matching the foreign markets’ demand. 60 % of all exportable raw Greek marble is absorbed by China, a country known for being the largest importer of unprocessed marble in the world.

Greece stands fourth worldwide in the export of marble blocks and slabs, shipping 76% of its production to 120 countries. This translates into 1.27 billion euros in global demand for Greek marble. The sector employs 6,500 workers who are directly

As far as the American marble market is concerned, the US is Greece’s top buyer of processed marble, “a strategic industry partner” accounting for 15% of Greece’s processed marble. Greece is the US’s sixth largest supplier of processed marble, following Italy, China and Turkey, among others.

17 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

In 2001, René, father of Claude Gargi, took account of these radical changes worldwide and the magazine was renamed “Pierre Actual” and had its focus on all topics related to quarrying, processing and usage of natural stone. In 2005, Claude Gargi took over the role as “Director”. He outlines his concept in the editorial of the jubilee issue. “I usually say that Pierre Actual is more of a stone company than a press company, and we will absolutely go on in this direction, so promoting and enhancing the industry” said Claude Gargi.

www.worldstonefairs.com

Pierre Actual Magazine Completes 1000th issue

NEWS

HONOURING ALL PRESIDENTS OF USA President's Day, also known as Washington's Birthday, is on the third Monday of February each year and is a federal holiday in the United States. The day not only honours George Washington (born February 22), the first President of the United States, and Abraham Lincoln (born February 12) whose birthdays are both in February, but honours all the presidents who have served in the United States.

www.stonepanorama.com

The holiday is also a tribute to the general who created the first military badge of merit for the common soldier. Revived on Washington's 200th birthday in 1932, the Purple Heart medal (which bears Washington's image) is awarded to soldiers who are injured in battle.

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Presidents' Day for 2021 is celebrated on February 15th

A food traditionally associated with the holiday is cherry pie, based on the legendary chopping down of a cherry tree in Washington's youth.

QATAR A NEW OPENING IN THE MIDDLE EAST Qatar is a continuously booming economy, with the highest GDP per capita in the world. The country will host the football World Cup in 2022, and has been building a large number of hotels, state-of-the-art hospitals, museums, football stadiums, shopping malls, and much more. It is estimated that Qatar will spend about USD 150 billion in the next ten years on infrastructure. Qatar accounts for 16% of the stone market in the region, evaluated at USD 4.87 billion. The Qatar National Vision 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2022 are major growth drivers for Qatar’s construction & infrastructure Development. The ongoing implementation of major development projects across various sectors (building, hospitality, tourism, transportation, infrastructure, etc.) translate Qatar’s vision, as well as the recently-drafted National Development Strategy (NDS) 2017- 2022, which aims at creating

conducive conditions for more private-public participation. The marble, granite, stone and ceramics market in the region is expected to grow at 5.8 % in the coming years. Green building projects alone will be driving the regional stone market to US$5.4 billion. Cement, concrete and stone are three of the raw materials accounting for a large proportion of the production cost in the construction industry in Qatar, and generally anywhere. Hence, the demand for these materials closely follows the movement of the construction industry. Participation in QATAR STONE TECH 2021, 8th International Stone and Stone Technology Show, scheduled to be held from 4 - 7 October 2021 at Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre will be an added advantage to exploit the new emerging market in the Middle-East.

TECHNOLOGY

MARBLE AND NATURAL STONE PANEL FINISHES Stonesize marble and natural stone panel finishes offer a variety of surface appearances. Their Stonesize panels combine lightness and strength with the versatility of natural stone to obtain different types of textures and finishes. The great variety of finishes ranges from smooth and glossy to matte or non-slip. Each finish qualifies the stone aesthetically and adapts it to the use the stone is going to have in the future. For example, we will not apply the same finish on an interior onyx wall compared to a marble floor on a terrace with a swimming pool.

www.worldstonefairs.com

Below are some of the types of marble and natural stone finishes applied to Stonesize ultralight stone panels. Polished Finish The polished finish stands out for the shine it provides to the stone. The mechanical process of polishing reduces the surface’s porosity and significantly increases its reflective capacity as if it were a mirror. Honed Finish The honed finish confers a smooth texture both, visually as well as to the touch. The resulting surface is smooth and also has reduced porosity. However, unlike the polished finish, the honed finish is matte. Zero Smooth Finish

Sandblasted Finish The relief of the sandblasted finish is more pronounced compared to the ZERO finish but maintains uniformity. The granular atomization spreads over the surface, significantly reducing its level of slipperiness. 19

In addition to the finishes, Stonesize can also apply various textures or reliefs to the stone. These unique patterns give the stone a unique personality while respecting and even enhancing its natural beauty.

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

ZERO Smooth finish subtly etches the surface of the stone with a uniform graining. It produces a delicate matte roughness in order to achieve anti-slip properties.

WASTE TO WEALTH

www.stonepanorama.com

WHEN SCRAP IS A RESOURCE

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

The age-old question is about waste and what to do with (the so-called “scrap”) of processing generated by the pieces left over from an excavation, from a natural stone artifact, or breakages during processing. Considering stone waste as a resource means the eventual overall reduction of waste and allowance of alternative methods to realize objects and products obtained through regeneration and sustainability. A more important example for completeness, sustainability value, and workmanship, Il Lavabo 024 designed by Gumdesign for Antonio Lupi is the result of the assembly of 24 recycled marble segments cut into the trapezoidal shape and glued together by resin in a contrasting colour. The basin is in white Carrara marble, while the pedestal is in black Marquina marble. The segments that make up the bust are much smaller to make the washbasin light, which weighs a total of 50 kg. This washbasin is part of the collection Tra le righe which includes the two washbasins Gessati and Rigati, whose marble slats are glued vertically and horizontally and subsequently carved and worked to obtain the desired shape. The Intreccio washbasin, designed by Paolo Ulian for Antonio Lupi, deserves the Honorable Mention of the XXVI Compasso d’Oro 2020. This piece is of another type of artistry, but it is equally light thanks to the craftmanship. With a weight of 55 kg this piece is

transformed into a block of 11 cm marble, obtained through a numerically controlled processing technology, concentric thin, and light rings. From the overlapping of these staggered layers, one creates a game of light and shadow, full and empty spaces resulting from the variation of light on the concave or convex shapes. Intreccio can be considered an eco-sustainable washbasin as the technology used for its realization is a virtuous example of the reduction of waste of raw materials.

HARD SURFACES

IMPORT OF HARD SURFACES BY USA IN DECEMBER 2020 The General View: U.S. hard-surface imports remained relatively stable in December, dipping only 1.7% in customs value from November. Granite declined month-to-month by 5.8% in December, but it still beats year-to-year totals from December 2019 by 26.6%.

www.stonepanorama.com

The Expected: The catch-all sector of Other Stone in U.S. import reporting remains strong, with December stepping up by 1.7% in month-to-month performance from November. It’s also an amazing 77.9% ahead of December 2019, no doubt fueled by the demand for quartz slabs.

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

The Unexpected: Spain retook the lead in shipment value for quartz slabs in December, as India and Vietnam both slip from November totals by more than 10%. India also fell by double-digits from November in

volume but maintains a healthy lead of more than 1.2 million square feet over Spain and Vietnam. The Strange: It’s strange all over again for porcelain, with the $88.2 million in December shipments finishing only 1% ahead of November, while the 93.23 million square feet going through U.S. ports in December is only 0.1% better than the previous month. Next Month: Both January and February, 2021 perpetually rank as the lowest months in hard-surfaceimport activity, so a decline would be normal market behavior. A lag in March and April, though, would be cause for concern. Data for Top Five countries (volume-wise) from where USA made imports of Hard Surfaces with total import of Hard Surfaces by USA in December, 2020 is tabulated below:

(1) Worked Granite Country

Volume in Metric Tonnes

% Change in Volume Value in US$ % Change in Value

Brazil

60,529

China

24,399

2.3%

11,282,179

-8.0%

India

23,861

29.7%

15,516,590

30.6%

Spain

6,663

13.5%

3,027,602

23.8%

Canada

2,845

-27.0%

2,057,083

-89.8%

Total Global Worked Granite Import to USA

122,196

28.2%

70,947,446

46.1%

54.8%

33,647,446

46.1%

(2) Quartz Slab Country

Volume in Square Feet

% Change in Volume Value in US$ % Change in Value

India

3,484,662

418.4%

20,398,264

544.0%

Spain

2,243,046

-32.6%

22,061,700

-31.1%

Vietnam

2,219,086

34.3%

19,940,421

22.4%

Malaysia

1,304,100

47.8%

10,278,781

67.5%

South Korea

805,140

150.1%

8,210,174

182.9%

Total Global Quartz Slab Import to USA

13,916,087

26.2%

117,952,598

18.3%

(3) Worked Marble Country

Volume in Metric Tonnes

% Change in Volume Value in US$ % Change in Value

Turkey

26,746

26.0%

10,723,011

26.5%

India

12,689

129.7%

7,120,427

145.4%

Brazil Italy

6,240 6,098

100.8% -5.2%

5,904,719 17,630,615

118.3% -2.6%

China

4,243

-8.0%

4,889,372

-4.0%

Total Global Worked Marble Import to USA

59,813

38.2%

50,176,757

23.5%

HARD SURFACES

(4) Travertine Country

Volume in Metric Tonnes

% Change in Volume Value in US$ % Change in Value

Turkey

11,517

-4.3%

5,305,120

2.2%

Mexico

3,506

16.2%

1,585,886

21.2%

Peru

735

127.6%

509,666

71.0%

China

728

118.0%

672,956

73.8%

Italy

312

-81.5%

854,396

-65.9%

Total Global Travertine Import to USA

17,205

3.3%

9,322,617

-6.5%

(5) Other Calcareous Stones Volume in Metric Tonnes

% Change in Volume Value in US$ % Change in Value

Canada

1,432

53.5%

294,479

-41.6%

China

1,416

28.1%

1,439,409

4.8%

Portugal

834

26.9%

752,872

-42.7%

Turkey

806

-25.2%

548,725

-32.2%

Morocco

630

221.4%

586,209

292.4%

Total Global Other Calcareous Stones Import to USA

8,832

13.7%

7,585,289

-11.2%

(6) Other Stones Country

Volume in Metric Tonnes

% Change in Volume Value in US$ % Change in Value

India

14,015

136.2%

6,474,337

85.8%

Brazil

13,058

67.3%

19,613,327

90.6%

China

10,127

99.9%

4,708,086

51.6%

Italy

1,405

-1.3%

3,357,010

3.5%

Canada

1,142

-16.8%

1,647,889

-21.4%

Total Global Other Stone Import to USA

42,871

77.9%

38,778,231

56.2%

www.worldstonefairs.com

Country

Volume in Square Feet

% Change in Volume Value in US$ % Change in Value

Italy

23,189,025

5.4%

36,280,497

3.8%

Spain

20,662,210

20.4%

19,940,214

14.2%

India

19,749,022

185.7%

10,819373

182.8%

Turkey

14,316,256

5.5%

8,971,204

15.1%

Brazil

4,866,015

14.4%

3,195,256

34.1%

Total Global Porcelian Import to USA

93,238,215

30.9%

88,282,217

20.2%

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

(7) Porcelain

HARD SURFACES (8) Slate Country

Value in US$

% Change in Value

China

1,553,781

-9.4%

India

848,324

57.0%

Brazil

811,404

45.7%

Canada

131,250

-4.1%

Spain

128,106

42.1%

Total Global Slate Import to USA

128,106

13.6%

www.stonepanorama.com

Importance of Indian Stones in USA

The export of Porcelain from India, being third largest exporter to USA mainly from Morbi in Gujarat is remarkable. It is following Italy and Spain.

India is a major exporter of granite, marble, quartz, slate and other stones. Its contribution in Porcelain is also sizeable. The export of these items shall now improve from March & April, 2021 onwards although there is a shortage of containers and sea freights have gone up. Source: hardsurfacereport.com/

Special Offer for Architects Contact us for Granite for flooring & cladding: Lakha Red, Rajasthan Black, Platinum White Sandstone: Dholpur – Beige, Red, Banshi Pink, Jodhpur Pink Exterior Cladding: Exclusive Designs in stones for Fascia Paving for Landscaping: Cobbles, Bricks, Kerbs Artifacts: For landscaping in sandstone & marble Attractive Interior Decoration Artefacts

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

During December 2020, India was the third largest exporter in worked granite, first in Quartz Slabs, second in Worked marble, first in other stones and second in slate to USA. The Indian Stone Industry has done well during pandemic period.

India does not figure in travertine and other calcareous stones in the first five countries of the world.

Stone Technology Center “Rastogi House”, B-9 Vivekanand Marg, C Scheme, Jaipur-302001 INDIA Mobile: +91 9829015232 (Whatsapp) Tel: 0141 2376171, 2379653 Email: info@stonepanorama.com; info@stonetec.org; Web: www.stonepanorama.com | www.stonetec.org

MEMORIAL

www.stonepanorama.com

Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

The national mall is home to some of the greatest memorials in the United States. The addition of a new memorial is no small undertaking and involves careful coordination of design, construction and materials. Memorializing Dr. King’s message, “the commanding tenants of the American Dream – Freedom, Democracy and Opportunity for All” – was no easy feat for the

design and construction team. The major elements of the memorial are the sculpture, inscription wall, trees, plaza area and benches. The memorial is designed to be a place of reflection. The first main feature is the entry portal which passes through the Mountain of Despair. Visitors enter by

MEMORIAL

memorial. In addition, Coldspring also provided the granite for the paving and visitor center.

www.worldstonefairs.com

walking through the separated stone boulder, which symbolizes the path of struggle that King endured during his life and then be welcomed into a wide open

The memorial includes the iconic cherry blossom trees that offer promise each spring and the sound of falling water propels the visitor to move forward throughout the memorial. Being a part of a memorial of this magnitude is an extreme honour for Coldspring.

plaza featuring the Stone of Hope, symbolizing freedom. After entering through the stone portal, visitors are met with the 450-feet crescent shaped granite wall engraved with 14 of Dr. King’s most notable quotes. Coldspring was responsible for the kerbing and benches located on the opposite side of the inscription, encouraging visitors to take their time in this part of the

Coldspring fabricated 50,000 square feet of Kenoran Sage granite for the plaza kerbing, paving and benches. Several finishes were used to create the unique look including: Diamond® 8, Thermal and Diamond® 200. There were approximately 430 uniquely designed kerb pieces.

31 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

“The memorial becomes a representation of somebody’s cause and visions for people and the country,” said Coldspring Regional Sales Rep Duane Krueger. “We are proud to be a part of Dr. King’s enduring legacy and lend our skills to this important project.”

ARCHITECTURE

www.stonepanorama.com

The Archangel Estate: A Home Set in Stone

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Inspired by the historic stone architecture surrounding the Boston area, the Archangel Estate is an elegant display of the use of natural stone at its finest. The exterior façade and landscape elements of the 6,300 square feet residence in Brookline, MA are built from cut-to-size regional stone—grounding the home to its natural habitat and relating it to its surrounding environment. “Our client showed us favourite homes in their neighbourhood so we could get an understanding of

styles they like, and didn’t like,” explained Laura Brooks Meyer, IIDA, principal, interior design, at Meyer & Meyer in Boston, MA. Meyer collaborated with her husband, John I. Meyer Jr., AIA, LEED AP, principal, architecture. “Although the house design is completely unique from both the interior and exterior, certain building details - especially those of the exterior stone were inspired by lovely stone bridges that were built in and around Boston. Specifically, the Agassiz Bridge, built by H.H. Richardson in Boston’s Fenway Gardens with its natural arboretum setting, influenced the bold front archway. The center of the house focuses not only on the stone detailing, but also on the 100 year old Beech tree located in the backyard of the bridge-like entry.” Native Puddingstone and fieldstone were the primary building materials for the estate. The stone was applied extensively for the façade and the hardscape, which was designed by the landscape firm Pressley Associates. Stone was also specified for interior applications, including floors, architectural details, and countertops. The cut stone was supplied by Swenson Stone Consultants of Hanover, NH. Deer Isle granite was used as cap stone for the project.

To ensure a successful installation, the architect and designer viewed mock-ups of the stone prior to the start of construction. “We insisted on mock-ups on all sections of the exterior,” explained Meyer. “The weightiness of corner pieces, the shapes of the details at windows, and particularly the mortar colour were important.” The shape of the property had to be considered when designing the residence. “It’s very narrow along the street, but deep in length,” said Meyer. “To maintain a graceful street presence and the client’s program, including a large patio and pool house, the design prompted an L-shape, unbeknownst to the passersby. Stone wise, the challenge was scaling the pieces to look naturally in place, as well as colour offset, to draw attention to certain details such as over the windows.” Installing the Stonework Meyer & Meyer worked closely with the install crew from The Stonemasons Inc. of Westport, MA, to ensure the stonework was secured successfully. “We see our function and responsibility as stonemasons to fulfill the design intention of the architect and landscape architect,” said David von Jess of The Stonemasons Inc. “We work to bring our technical expertise of the use of the stone to the designs and artistry of the architects.”

The project was designed to look like it had always been one of the original homes in the historic community. “The selection of the fieldstone and how the arches would be constructed was a critical point in discussion and design,” said von Jess. “The elliptical arches are a single piece of stone. They are 30 inch deep pieces. We built the wood frames for the arches at our shop and then cut and honed the joints of each stone - dry laying it out. Upon final assembly in place, we pinned and epoxied 1 inch stainless steel rods between the stones for structural support. The top keystones were pinned with vertical rods tied into a steel superstructure above for additional support and safety.” According to the mason, the fieldstone veneer employed for the exterior façade of the house is a full 10 inches thick. In the landscape wing walls, the stones average 400 to 2,000 pounds a piece. “One of the reasons we love working with Meyer & Meyer and Pressley Associates is that they always bring new challenges and details to each of the projects we perform for them,” said von Jess, adding that the project required six stone masons who completed the job in approximately seven months, along with the hardscape. “It is always an honour and a privilege to complete projects under their guidance,” he said. When asked how their clients responded to the finished project, Meyer said, “Tremendously! The intrigue of the unusual entry, along with the exposed Beech tree, is a novelty that has received much acclaim. Once the clients saw early presentation drawings by John Meyer, the design was, dare we say, ‘set in stone!’ This home is one of our most recognizable designs and is a perfect example of our creative process that blends local materials and historic detailing into new construction. Best of all, it maintains the integrity of the neighbourhood.”

www.worldstonefairs.com

“Meyer & Meyer treats sustainable material equally with quality and permanence,” said Meyer. “This home was designed with the character of the established neighbourhood and as the ‘forever’ home of our clients and their family for years to follow. Our homes have a charm about them - looking like they have always been there even though they are newly built. Besides availability and price, it was important that the stone be natural to the surrounding areas, such as old stone walls in the immediate neighbourhood. Many old homes and public buildings used a great deal of Puddingstone, which is now very hard to find.”

ARCHITECTURE

33 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

GEOTOURISM

Rainbow Cave, Hormuz Island, Iran

www.stonepanorama.com

The rocks show that, over thousands of years that the island of Hormuz gradually comes out of the water, the wear and tear on it makes different shapes. According to researches, geological age of the Hormuz island is about 600 million years and its life when coming out of the water is about 50 thousand years.

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Hormuz Island has an area of 42 km2. It is covered by sedimentary rock and layers of volcanic material on its surface. The highest point of the island is about 186 metres above sea level. Due to lack of precipitation, the soil and water are salty. Hormuz Island is a salt dome situated in the Persian Gulf waters near the mouth of Hormuz Strait in Hormuzgan province, at 8 kilometers distance from Bandar Abbas. The island is elliptical, and its rock is mostly of the igneous and often volcanic type. Hormuz is one of the most beautiful Islands of the Persian Gulf due to its geological phenomena and related landforms. This island is a mature salt diapir with great mineralogical and lithological diversity. The main geotourism attractions of the island include various landforms resulted from differential erosion, as well as very attractive geomorphologic structures such as rocky and sandy beaches, sea caves, colorful salt domes, coral reefs, etc. Besides the geological and geomorphological sites of the region, the ancient and cultural features are also potential attractions for tourism development on the island.

This cave is created by the flow of water to the sea and its passage under the salt mountain. The depth of the cave is about 30 to 40 metres. In some parts of the cave, several corridors can be seen, which, according to geologists, have caused these corridors. The height of the roof varies along the cave and in some parts you need to bend your head to cross. Inside the cave, sedimentary and salt rocks are stacked layer by layer, creating a smooth surface just like a rainbow. The most beautiful part of the cave is the end where the colours reach their peak. The colour spectrum seen in this cave is about seventy spectrums. The colours in this cave are due to their mineral composition. These compounds are metals such as iron that combine with other elements to form coloured minerals. Salt rocks can be seen at the beginning of the cave, but gradually colours and colourful stones appear on the cave walls.

SKATING IN A QUARRY

FUN IN QUARRY Skateboarding in the Larvikite Quarry of Lundhs, Norway

One of the stars say: “It’s extra fun to skate on Larvikite, because it’s very hard. It makes the board glide better”

A quarry belonging to the Norwegian company Lundhs, known for its Larvikite and innovative marketing ideas, was the setting for the latest image film of the beverage manufacturer Red Bull. Some of the best skateboarders in the world met there and showed their tricks on the

Didrik Galasso is also from Larvik, and because he is now a world star in his sport – with contracts with Enjoi Skateboards and Nike, as well as 141,000 followers on Instagram, as the press release informs – the beverage company signed him for the film work. The other main actors were Torey Pudwill from the U.S., Chris Haslam from Canada and Angelo Caro from Peru. The company Steinriket reshaped the blocks of Lundhs to the obstacles for filming. “It took a lot of work to manage the project and make it happen, first and foremost in terms of safety but also in terms of practicality,” Lundhs resumes. One of the stars is impressed and compares the quarry with the high stone walls in the Grand Canyon. And we hear the stars – totally cool, of course – debating how to deal with the sloping surfaces. “Anything could go wrong, you never know,” they comment.

www.worldstonefairs.com

“It all started with Andreas Mogster, athlete manager for Red Bull in Norway, who is also from Larvik, wanting to gather the skate elite in his hometown, “ the Lundhs press release states. “Having grown up skating in the town square on larvikite blocks, his idea was to create skatepark obstacles out of the material, adapted for the best skaters in the world.” He goes on: “Lundhs thought the project was exciting and wanted to contribute.”

The happy ending also brings the audience back to civilization, so to speak: the Larvikite obstacles are now in Furumoa, an amusement park in the Torstrand district in the city of Larvik. A new skate park has been built there on a former basketball court.

specially made obstacles made of the stone, which shimmers mysteriously when polished. “It’s extra fun to skate on Larvikite, because it’s very hard. It makes the board glide better,” said Didrik Galasso, one of the world stars in that sport and one of the group of four in the film. The fact that representatives of the beverage industry, the stone industry and a sport for young people came together for this marketing idea was actually obvious.

35 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

The film is 8:28 minutes long and shows the fascination of skating in a beautiful ambience.

Then the heroes have already moved on, but in Furumoa and by taking a sip of Red Bull, everyone can become a hero themselves. The film has started on TV and in cinemas.

TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUE

STONE HOUSE IN GREECE

www.stonepanorama.com

horizontal microcement surfaces.

The steep ground and the plot’s narrow dimensions determine the pronounced and gradient form of the building which rises from the mountain and over the valley of Poisses, to finally balance itself with the surrounding traditional dwellings and the natural context. The secondary home of a family of four, spreads through 3 sections which clearly can be defined as the seating & kitchen, the circulation tower and the sleeping & storaging area. The principal material chosen is the local stone, carefully crafted against the

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

The experience of the Cycladic landscape is the design’s main concern, expressed through the spatial evolution and relationship of the building with the dramatic land. This is achieved through the traditional method of construction called “kotounto”, a dry, humid-free space between the rock and the building. In such a way, the external spaces, a continuous perimetrical ‘kotounto’ makes the building sometimes trying to break away from the rock and sometimes to reconcile with it. Apart from this traditional tecnique which is principlally used to drain the waters coming from the mountains, leaving walls and foundations dry, the house includes in its design an under-floor heating installation which is generated by the solar heaters installation the roof. The cooling is achieved from cross ventilation and also an additional under-floor cooling is provided. Finally, the rainwater is collected in the 3 rooftops and stored in an underground reservoir.

WE PROVIDE TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED MANPOWER FOR YOUR INDUSTRY

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Gangsaw Machine Operator EOT Crane/Derrick Crane Operator Block Cutter Machine Operator Hand Polisher Machine Operator CNC Machine Operator Edge Cutting Machine Operator Line Polishing Machine Operator Gantry Crane Operator

Dressing Machine Operator Column Perfecting Machine Operator Wire Saw Machine Operator Slab, Tile Sales Staff Power Tools (Grinders, Cutters, etc.) Operator ? Factory Supervisor/Manager ? Electrical, Mechanical Maintenance Staff ? ? ? ? ?

Other Technical Staff for Marble, Granite, Quartz Stone, Glass Industries STONE TECHNOLOGY CENTRE (TRAINING DIVISION) “Rastogi House”, B 9 Vivekanand Marg, ‘C’ Scheme, Jaipur – 302001, Rajasthan Phone: 0141-2376171, 2379653 | Email: stctdmanpower@gmail.com | info@stonetec.org | www.stonetec.org V.J. CONSULTANCY SERVICES Chamber No.5, Basement Floor, 6, Vivekanand Marg, ‘C’ Scheme, Jaipur -302001, Rajasthan Phone: 0141 – 4050360 | Email: vikjaymanpower@gmail.com

www.stonepanorama.com

ASTRONOMY

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

BAAN STAMBH OF SOMNATH TEMPLE History is always very interesting. In addition, when we follow the tracks of history, we reach such a place where one can get amused with a sense of wonder. Whether it is really possible and such other curious thoughts float across our mind. There is no doubt that this advanced knowledge was with us more than 1,500 years ago. One can have such a situation if one comes to Gujarat's Somnath temple. There is a pillar in the premises of Somnath temple. This is known as Baan Stambh (Arrow Pillar). By taking history as reference, we reached somewhere in the sixth century, where this Baan Stambh is mentioned. However, it does not prove that it was built in the sixth century. It is not possible to tell exactly how old this Baan Stambh is. On the Pillar it is inscribed that:

^^vkleqnzkUr nf{k.k /kzqo i;Zar vckf/kr T;ksfrekZxZ**

This is a wonderful indicator of the ancient Indian wisdom. At that time when world was merely learning how to survive; our ancestors had found unique location? We have the global heritage of a very rich knowledge. The meaning of this single line, written in Sanskrit, has many mysterious meanings. This line has a direct meaning that from the point of the Somnath Temple to the Antarctic, there is no land or plot in the middle, if one pulls a straight line. In today's age of this technology, it will be easy to detect. Nevertheless, this is not as easy as that. If you look up the Google Map or Google Earth, you can see this entire concept. It means if you start travelling from Somnath Temple towards South in sea, you will not meet any land until you reach the South Pole aka Antarctica. The nearest land towards South Pole is about 9,936 km away. In other words, it means that the Sanskrit stanza is genuine.

Even in the sixth century, it was said that the arrow was set up, but from where this knowledge came from that the earth is having a Southern Hemisphere. Assuming that the southern hemisphere was known, Somnath went straight from the temple to the south side and did not get any plot anywhere, who and how did this mapping? This is absolutely amazing! This knowledge was known to our ancestors that the earth is round, and the knowledge that the earth is having a South Pole (i.e., the North Pole as well). Did the Somnath Temple was build first and then the fact of single line with no landscape was found or first this single line with no landscape was discovered and then the Somnath Temple was built? And what does the "Jyotirmarg" actually means? There are many such questions. Right now it is all a mystery! The Baan Stambh identifying its location as the first point of land to the north of the South Pole is yet another illustration of the knowledge of astronomy, geography, mathematics and indeed maritime sciences of the ancient India and therefore constitutes an element of our rich heritage.

www.worldstonefairs.com

This means - there is no hindrance in the straight line from this point to the south pole. Of course, there is no piece of land in this path.

ASTRONOMY

39 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

IMPORTS IN CHINA

CHINA’S MARBLE AND GRANITE IMPORTS IN 2020 China’s marble and granite products imports recorded a different course in 2020, according to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China. The data show that China, in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, has significantly reduced marble imports, while increasing granite products imports.

Marble In the marble products imports between 2019 – 2020, a decrease of 22.27% in value and 28.05% in the quantity of imports was recorded. The monthly changes (%) in China’s marble products imports are given below:

www.stonepanorama.com

Chinese Marble Products Imports Growth % 2019-2020

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Month

Value

Quantity

January

-15.39

-31.23

February

20.02

-10.38

March

24.99

-7.82

April

-32.82

-32.18

May

-52.56

-55.31

June

-30.31

-30.70

July

-64.15

-62.11

August

-42.09

-41.61

September

-25.07

-26.39

October

0.73

-2.15

November

-7.72

-8.31

December

-7.08

-15.49

Between 2019 – 2020 in the value of imports had nine months of decline and only three months of increase while in quantity the decline is continuous throughout 2020. However, the rapid rise of imports, from August to December, gave boost to the marble market and cut the losses of China’s major suppliers. In 2020 the month with the highest imports in value was March, while with the lowest it was May.

Granite In contrast to marble, China’s granite products imports between 2019 – 2020 increased 7.58% in quantity, while in value these remained marginally stable, recording a decrease of 0.56%. The monthly changes (%) in the granite products imports of China are given below :

Chinese Granite Products Imports Growth % 2019-2020

Month

Value

Quantity

January

-25.11

-25.00

February

54.25

58.10

March

21.26

34.75

April

-31.71

-33.82

IMPORTS IN CHINA Months

Value

Quantity

May

-36.21

-32.59

June

-29.77

-18.26

July

14.78

23.60

August

13.85

34.32

September

14.15

21.83

October

-1.57

0.53

November

24.40

44.19

December

-7.78

4.96

Import of dark green marble blocks reduced considerably. The popular varieties of granite were imported from India as these are exclusive varieties. China has a large variety of granites but imports exclusive varieties from India., Norway, Sweden, South Africa, Brazil, Zimbabwe for its luxury hotels and commercial malls. Such granites will always remain in demand in China as far as blocks are concerned. Prospects in 2021 China is the only major economy in the world to grow by 2.3% in 2020, while the forecasts of credit rating agencies and many financial analysts point to 8% growth in 2021. Despite China’s recovery, many major destinations for marble and granite products are facing an unprecedented crisis due to the pandemic. However, the new Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement, which provides for the reduction or even zeroing of trade duties between 15 Asia-Pacific countries, is expected to boost the exports of China. RCEP countries absorb about 50% of China’s finished marble products and granite exports. China’s new fiveyear plan focuses on domestic consumption.

www.worldstonefairs.com

Impact on India

41 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

There is clearly different course of the imports of marble and granite. The rise of imports in the second half of the year improved the already positive course of the first half leading the overall rise between 2019 – 2020. The month with the highest imports in value was February, while the lowest was May.

23 NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING IN LUTYEN’S DELHI

www.stonepanorama.com

CENTRAL VISTA PROJECT

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

The Central Vista Redevelopment Project is a construction plan to give India’s power corridor a new spatial identity in what is usually called Lutyen’s Delhi. The existing buildings for Parliament, various offices of the central government, the residence of the Prime Minister and also the Vice President’s House, in the view of the government, have been found to be inadequate. New buildings will be constructed along the Rashtrapati Bhawan – India Gate stretch of the Rajpath in New Delhi. Under the Central Vista Project, the residence of the Prime Minister is likely to be shifted near the South Block that houses the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The Vice President’s new house will be closer to the North Block. The North and South Blocks are named for their location north and south blocks of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

According to the Central Vista Redevelopment Plan, North and South Blocks will be converted into museums. However, the current residence of the Vice President is among the buildings identified for demolition. Lutyen’s Delhi will witness the razing of Shram Shakti Bhawan and Transport Bhawan to make way for the construction of the chambers for the Members of Parliament. The move is part of the Central Vista Development Project. The master plan for the project has been developed by HCP Design Planning and Management Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad. The two buildings, which are located at Rafi Marg and Sansad Marg, would be razed and offices for the MPs would come up at their places. The new Parliament would have a chamber for the

The plan is to link the Chambers of MPs. in the complex of the Parliament with the building with a tunnel. The new Parliament would conduct business in six committee rooms. The offices of various ministries would be temporarily shifted for the project to be carried out and for this, four locations have been identified by the government. These locations are on Kasturba Gandhi Marg in Gole Market, near the Talkatora Stadium and near Africa Avenue. The buildings would be demolished in phases so that ministries can continue to function smoothly. Central Vista is the nation’s power corridor and the redevelopment project aims to give the nation a new Parliament building, which would be triangular, a common central secretariat as well as a revamped

Rajpath stretching 3 kms from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhawan. The new Parliament building, triangular in shape, will be spread over 64,500 square meter, is described as the pivot of the Central Vista Project Design. It is to be much bigger than the existing Parliament building and will be able to house 1,224 Members of Parliament. The increased capacity of the chambers has been provisional for keeping in mind the future increase in the number of MPs. Thew new Parliament building will have a Grand Constitution Hall showcasing India’s democratic heritage, along with the original copy of the constitution. The existing Parliament House building will continue to be in use by echo fitting to provide for more functional spaces for parliamentary events. The estimated cost of the project is Rs.971 crores and is expected to be completed when the next Lok Sabha elections will be held. Tata Projects Ltd. will construct it.

www.worldstonefairs.com

lower house or the Lok Sabha which would have a capacity to seat 888 members while the upper house or the Rajya Sabha would have seats for 384 members. The new Parliament building will wear the National Emblem as its crown.

CENTRAL VISTA PROJECT

43 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

UNESCO’s WORLD HERITAGE SITE

BORDEAUX

www.stonepanorama.com

UNESCO’S LARGEST WORLD URBAN HERITAGE SITE

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Porte de Cailhau, one of the many UNESCO sites in Bordeaux

The iconic Pont de Pierre label. It is also the world’s largest ensemble on the prestigious list.

Bordeaux’s candidacy for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list was uncommon right from the start. Indeed, presenting such a large urban space to be an eligible member of the renowned organization was unheard of, but totally legitimate. Bordeaux’s exceptional architecture has been wellpreserved over the years. Due to its exceptional patrinomy—and after The fabulous Place de la Bourse consulting the most prominent local scientists, architects, Ten years ago, the city of Bordeaux joined the historians and urbanists—the privileged circle of cities with monuments and sites city officials decided to apply to UNESCO under the registered under the UNESCO World Heritage Site “urban ensemble exception” category.

Garonne River and Port de la Lune up to the city’s boulevard belt. The ministry rapidly agreed to support Bordeaux’s candidacy and, after rigorous examination and several visits by the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), Bordeaux was officially added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list on June 28, 2007. What’s unique about Bordeaux’s membership is that 2,718 acres of the city’s 10,872 acres are registered as World Heritage Site.

Porte Dijeaux

Beautiful stone buildings, palaces, monuments and other historical sites can be seen in the city. The skill of artisans in making such architectural marvels needs to be appreciated.

www.worldstonefairs.com

UNESCO’s WORLD HERITAGE SITE

The historical monuments have still been preserved which reminds of their heritage. A visit to Bordeaux is worth exploring

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Grand Theatre of Bordeaux In the first application submitted to the Ministry of Culture in 2005, the urban ensemble included the

Vestiges of the Roman Empire at the Palais Gallien

RAM MANDIR

www.stonepanorama.com

A MAGNIFICENT TEMPLE IN MAKING

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Chandrakant Sompura, 77, a temple architect had started work on the temple to Ram Lalla in Ayodhya 30 years ago, after he first visited the site with the then Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) President, Ashok Singhal. Industrialist, Ghanshyamdas Birla, asked him if he would take up the Ram Nandir Project, and introduced him to Singhal. Sompura had worked on several of the Birla Temples. The Sompura family had designed around 200 temples in India and abroad. Chandrakant’s sons Nikhil and Ashish Sompura are also architects.

The main structure of the temple will be built on a raised platform and will have three storeys. It will have five ‘Mandapas’ in the middle of the ‘Garbhagrisha’ (sanctum sanctorum) and the entry – the three Mandapas – Kudu, Nritya and Rang; and two Mandapas for the Kirtan and Prarthana on the other side. In Nagara style, the Mandapas are to be decorated with ‘Shikhara’. The tallest Shikhara will be that above the Garbhagriha. The building will have a total of 366 columns. The columns will have 16 idols each to include the incarnations of Shiva, the Dashavtars, the Chausath Yoginis and the 12 incarnations of the Goddess Saraswati. The width of the stairs will be 16 feet. In accordance with scriptures dedicated to Vishnu, the sanctum sanctorum will be Octagonal. The temple will be built in 10 acres and 57 acroes of land will be developed into a complex with a prayer hall, a Ramkatha Kunj (lecture hall), a Vedic Pathshala (educational facility), a Sant Niwas (saints’ residence) and a Yatri Niwas (hostel for visitors) and other facilities like a museum and a cafeteria.

The construction project is being overlooked by Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. After the bhumi pujan on August 5, 2020, paperwork regarding construction, map, designs and ownership was filed. The Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) received a 4,000 page document that had the proposed map of the temple’s architecture. The structure is claimed to be approved for fire and electricity safety, and earthquake-resistant measures. The report mentioned that ADA has confirmed the approval of the map and the land will be put under the category of religious, tourist residence, orchard or spiritual ground. The temple will be made in such a way that it prevents overcrowding. The temple will be spacious enough that it can handle around 1 lakh devotees. The map provided by the Trust shows that there will be a 30 meter wide road that will lead to the temple. On the entrance of the temple, several stones will be placed. The construction of the temple will use stone and not concrete, thereby reducing the use of cement. The original would have used up to 3 lakh cubic feet of sandstone and additional 3 lakh cubic feet will now be needed which will be mined at Bansi Paharpur in Rajasthan. Construction giant Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has offered to carry out the design and construction of the temple. The construction company has expressed its desire to execute all technical and construction projects related to the temple. The company has offered to undertake the execution of the project without charging any fee. The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs.3,000 crores with another Rs.1,000 crores to be spent on the development of the surrounding area. It will be built in 3-3.5 years.

www.worldstonefairs.com

The original design was prepared by the Sompuras in 1988. A new design, with some changes from the original, was prepared by them in 2020. The temple will be 235 feet wide, 360 feet long and 161 feet high. Once complete, the temple complex will be the world’s third largest Hindu shrine. It is designed in the ‘Nagara’ style of Indian temple architecture. A model of the proposed temple was showcased during the Pryag Kumbh Mela in 2019.

RAM MANDIR

47 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

CASTLE IN SCOTLAND

THE SPAZIO HOOD FOR THE AGE-OLD KILMARTIN

www.stonepanorama.com

with stone details, the Spazio fits perfectly into this environment, enhancing the impact of the island in the centre of the room. Situated on the large smoked glass shelf of the 180 cm wide black Spazio, are all the items required for daily use, while the lower part of the appliance houses a small green area reserved for aromatic plants.

STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

In the wild and unspoiled natural environment of Scotland's west coast, is the wonderful Kilmartin Castle, located in the valley of Kilmartin Glen. The area boasts precious prehistoric monuments, such as the suggestive circular henges of standing stones, and rocks decorated of the Neolithic period. Built around the middle of the sixteenth century, the castle fell into ruin after 200 years of activity, but despite this, the ground floor continued to be used as a school. In the ‘90s a couple decided to take it over and transform it into their own country residence, and since 2015 it has been owned by Stef Burgon and Simon Mark Hunt. The two, an English travel reporter and an Australian advertising creative, were captivated by the beauty of the castle during a trip to the Scottish highlands. After a long time restyling, the building was converted into a bed and breakfast with five bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms and wood burning stoves - a dining room with a medieval atmosphere, and a large hall that welcomes guests. To preserve the castle's rustic charm, the young couple paid particular attention to their choice of materials and furnishings, opting for solutions that combine past and present in this magical and suggestive place. Objects from different eras – many from antique markets coexist with pieces of contemporary design, all selected with meticulous taste while always preserving the original appearance of the residence. Faithful to this concept, Stef and Simon chose the extraordinary Spazio hood by Falmec for the beautiful kitchen alcove. With its low ceilings and rounded walls

In fact, Spazio’s design allows you to take care of your garden without leaving the kitchen by incorporating a set of trays plus a special illuminated one especially for indoor cultivation, favouring both the photosynthesis process and the growth of the plants themselves. Technologically advanced and incredibly smart, the award-winning extraction centre designed by Francesco Lucchese offers a multitude of functions, such as an LED lighting system that extensively illuminates the worktop, a channel equipped with hooks for hanging ladles and spoons, a roll holder and a spice holder. To ensure everything is close at hand, the Spazio is also equipped with a system of electrical sockets and USB ports to recharge electronic devices, and a practical tablet holder that allows you to consult apps and multimedia content quickly and easily. This model relies on Falmec 's patented Circle.Tech system, which combines both suction and filtration in one single apparatus. This allows the outgoing air to spread evenly and be filtered effectively from the Carbon.Zeo filters that surround the engine. These innovative filters retain any unwanted odours by combining materials of natural origin, such as activated carbon and zeolite, that are ideal for absorption of organic compounds and cooking vapours.

ORNAMENTAL STONES

Marmortrophy Mementos in White Marble A trophy is a tangible, durable reminder of a specific achievement, and serves as a recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics. In other words, a trophy is a prize given for winning a competition. Different types of trophies such as Acrylic Trophies, Glass Trophies, Wooden Trophies etc. are common. Lately, mementos made of white marble are added to the categories of trophy.

www.worldstonefairs.com

Lasa Marmo Ltd, based in North Italy, supports sports events such as the Skimountaineering Worldcup in Val Martello-valley. The winners get trophies made in Lasa marble - finest white marble- often called as “White Gold”. The designs on the trophies are made with laser technology.

Lasa Marmo Ltd, is quarrying the precious white Lasa marble in the middle of the Stelvio National Park. Their marble is considered as one of the purest marbles in the world. We can also promote different stone deposits in India and abroad by developing trophies & souvenirs for different events – sports, games, conferences, seminars, workshops. These could be with the name of city or

village – Makrana White Marble, Kaisariya Green Marble, Kotah Stone Blue, Khammam Black, Jaisalmer Yellow etc. Similarly, these could be nomenclature as Jhansi Red, Ilkal Red, Korana Pink etc. Stone Industry in India occupies a very important place in India Mineral Industry.

49 STONE PANORAMA April - June 2021

Many of these sports events are in or close to the Stelvio National Park and Lasa Marmo Ltd. uses the Sports sponsoring also to promote their heritage in this beautiful area. Once a year in September, there’s an Uphill Trailrun from the valley to the quarry of this company. This so called “Marmortrophy” is always organized with the local Sports Association.

JayBhavani MinechemPvt.Ltd.

Delta Diamond

STONE PLUS (INDIA) PVT.

AP Marble & Tiles

UV Stone Impex

N. V. Marbles

info@uvstoneimpex.com, www.uvstoneimpex.com

Manufacturer & Exporter of all kind of Granite & Marbles

Mines Owner, P r o c e s s o r, Exporter

Manufacturer & Exporter

Block No.73, Jay Bhavani Compound, Opposite +91-8128124490 jbmcstones@gmail.com Plazo Resort, Near Dumad Crossing, N.H. No. 8 www.jbmcstones.com Vadodra-390008

Indian and Italian Marbles & Granite, Semi Precious Inlay Work

Retail & Wholesaler

Manufacture, Processor, Exporter

Mr. Rajul Singhal stoneplus.ritish@gmail.com, 9811111815 Mr. Ritish Singhal rajul@stoneplusindia.com 9811761780

Deals in Tiles, Granites, Marbles, Sanitary etc.

Plot No. 118, Sri Venkatsubramaniyam Nagar Sy +91-44-32572531 diamondtools_delta@yahoo.co.in Manufacturer of all kind of diamond cutting tools for No. 772, Kundrathur Thirumudivakkam Raod +91-9841738373 www.deltadiamondtools.com stone industries Kundrathur, Chennai- 600069 +91-9841738379

128, Asola Fatehpur Beri Road, Opp. Golden Tulip Hotel, New Delhi-110074

Mr. Pramod Kedia Bhalupali Chowk, Jharsuguda Road, Sambalpur, 9 4 3 7 5 7 9 5 3 3 apmarblesandtiles@gmail.com Odisha-768006 7008252362

All Indian Natural Stone including Manufacturer Marble, Granite, Sandstone, Exporter and Project Limestone, Slate, Quartzite, FlexibleThinStoneVeneers etc. Contractor

Retailer

Mr.U.S.Sharma 9829253365 7375001000 7014829152

Marble, Granite, Sand stone etc.

"Shyam Plaza", Near Pardaya Hospital, Sanganer, Jaipur-302029

Plot No. 81, Bhawani Niketan Colony, Kamani Chouraha, Jhotwara, Jaipur-302012

nvmarble@yahoo.com, www.nvmarbles.com

Import marble, Blocks

Manufacturi ng, Importing Blocks