Designed to recognize the finest natural stone craftsmanship and installation completed by members of the Marble Institute of America, the annual Project Awards Program reviews project entries and declares a recipient for the Award of Excellence and the Award of Merit in both the Residential and Commercial Interior categories.

The jury for the awards program consisted of Vincent Migliore, technical director of the Marble Institute of America; Richard Booms of Booms Stone Company in Redford MI; and Terence L. Brown, architect, of Upper Black Eddy, PA. The following is a look at the winners of the 2000 competition.

Residential Interior - Award of Excellence

John Schwartz Residence, San Francisco, CA

Clervi Marble Co., San Francisco, CA

Designer/General Contractor: Draco Design and Construction

Stone Installer/Fabricator: Clervi Marble Co.

Stone Supplier: Marble Unlimited

The marble in the John Schwartz Residence features polished Opera Fantastico, which was used on the walls, floors, vanity, tub deck and riser, and the shower walls. Eleven slabs of 9 foot, 6 inch x 4 foot, 6 inch x 3/4-inch marble were needed to complete the project. The client required bookmatched floor and walls as well as matched and radiused tub risers and shower curbing.

Judges Comments: A remarkable job using 3/4-inch stone. The bookmatching is beautifully executed and it is the right stone for the project. It is an incredible space that relates well with the outside environment. This is a "wow" job.

Residential Interior - Award of Merit

Memorial Area -- Private Residence, Houston, TX

Cangelosi Marble & Granite, Inc., Missouri City, TX

Project Architect: Jeff Griffis

Interior Architect: Dennis Stalock

Stone Supplier/Fabricator/Installer: Cangelosi Marble & Granite, Inc.

In this memorial area of a private residence in Houston, the wine room includes arches, walls and flooring of honed Beaumaniere limestone and a 14-inch honed Botticino marble base with a 11/4-inch bullnose cap. As a result of this bullnose cap, each corner had to be cut at a 45-degree angle and reground to create a smooth radius. Breccia Pernice Light marble was used for the bar top.

The master bath utilized a combination of granites to achieve its modern look. The pattern on the floor placed three hand-cut medallions of polished Labrador Antico granite and stainless steel bands in a field of 24-inch x 24-inch polished Black Absoluto granite squares. The polished Labrador Antico granite was then echoed in the shower walls, floor, ceiling and casing in a 3/4-inch thickness. The judges noted that a number of fabricating challenges, due to the intricate designs, were met successfully in this project.

Judges Comments: This is a wonderful integration of wood and stone materials and features very intricate work for a residence. The intricacies of the design presented a number of fabricating challenges that were met very successfully.

Commercial Interior -- Award of Excellence

Greek Orthodox Church,

Jerusalem, Israel

Alony Marble, Ltd., Haifa, Israel

Architect: Theo Metropolos

General Contractors: Greek Church

and Alony Marble

Stone Suppliers: Esteve & Manez, Novelda, Spain; R.E. Quonium, Greece

Stone Fabricator/Installer: Alony Marble

The Award of Excellence in the Commercial Interior category was presented for the work in the assembly hall of a Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem. The restoration of this assembly hall was done in preparation for the Pope's visit to the Holy Land. The work encompassed approximately 7,000 square feet of floors, pillars, daises, wall cladding, stairs and banisters. Twenty marble "carpets" were incorporated in to the floor design, which were final polished in place.

Judges Comments: An excellent demonstration of marble craftsmanship in the traditional manner. The integrity of the original architecture was skillfully maintained throughout the execution of the restoration.

Commercial Interior -- Award of Excellence

Charles Evans Whittaker U.S. Courthouse, Kansas City, MO

Granicor, Inc., St. Augustin, Quebec, Canada

Architect/Designer: Ellerbe Becket + Abend Singleton Associates (joint venture)

General Contractor/Stone Installer: J.E. Dunn Construction

Stone Supplier/Fabricator: Granicor, Inc.

A Commercial Interior Award of Merit was given for the interior lobby of the Charles Evans Whittaker U.S. Court House in Kansas City, MO. Silver Cloud granite with a thermal finish was used in the rotunda area of the lobby. With little repetition from floor to floor, the designs required many shapes, including cubic, radial, ramp and twist. The featured piece is a hand-sculpted Great Seal of the United States.

Judges Comments: This was a very difficult and complex job that was beautifully executed. The granite is a difficult material to blend, and this job was particularly well done.

Commercial Interior -- Award of Excellence

Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem, Israel

Alony Marble, Ltd., Haifa, Israel

Architect: Theo Metropolos

General Contractors: Greek Church and Alony Marble

Stone Suppliers: Esteve & Manez, Novelda, Spain; R.E. Quonium, Greece

Stone Fabricator/Installer: Alony Marble

There had always been two entrances to the hall, which provides access to the Holy Stone on the site -- believed to be the final resting place of Jesus by most Christians. However, one of those entrances had been sealed until this project, which restored and reconstructed the second entrance in accordance with the design customary at the time the church was built. Green Tinos, Black Eddissa, White Macedonia, Agia Malina and Rojo Alicante were used throughout the project. The floor designs were produced by computerized CNC in sections that were final polished in place.

Judges Comments: A very complicated and challenging job that was superbly executed. We were impressed by the meaningful environment in which the work was done.

Special Recognition Award

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC

Rugo & Carosi, LLC

Architect: Anthony J. Segreti, AIA

General Contractor/Stone Supplier/Installer: Rugo & Carosi, LLC

Stone Carver: George S. Carr, Franco Cervietti Studio

A Special Recognition Award was issued for the "Universal Call to Holiness" bas relief carving in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.

As the stone supplier, installer, and general contractor, Rugo & Carosi worked with stone carver Franco Cervietti Studio and architect Anthony J. Segretti to complete this project in the world's 8th largest church. The entire carving and the diamond bookmatching stonework below it are Botticino Classico. Among the largest bas relief carvings in the world, this piece measures 52 feet long by 15 feet, 4 inches high -- approximately 780 square feet in area -- and weighs more than 37 tons.

Judges comments: This job represents the epitome of precision craftsmanship. The carving is extraordinary, and the bookmatching of the panels to be beautifully done. Most fabricators only dream about getting this kind of opportunity.