For the design of his 3,500-square-foot private residence in Newport Coast, CA, Kap Malik, a Design Principal at Gensler, transformed the inwardly focused space into an indoor/outdoor environment that maximizes California-style living. And, in order to create a smooth transition from the interior to the exterior, over 7,000 square feet of natural stone from Southland Stone USA, Inc. of North Hollywood, CA, was implemented.

Originally designed by McKim, Mead & White, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art in Brunswick, ME, recently underwent an extensive $20.8 millon renovation that involved both historic restoration and new construction. While the initial project goal was to improve storage facilites and HVAC systems and adapt the historic structure to be better suited to the teaching mission of the college art museum, the project quickly grew to include a 12,600-square-foot addition with interior and exterior stone elements, as well as renovation and stone restoration work to help preserve and protect the 120-year-old building. Other updates included lowering the building’s foundation by 4 feet and upgrading the building’s heating and cooling systems, which did not meet the museum’s strict climate control requirements.

Working in the stone industry for the past 17 years has given Antonio Liberta a strong background in the trade, along with various opportunities for standing out among his competitors. Today, his company, Blue Horse Marble Inc. of Arlington, WA, has steered away from typical countertop installations, as it gears a vast amount of production towards stonework for yacht interiors. Liberta’s newest and perhaps his most unique endeavor, however, is the fabrication of marble and granite guitars, which have been sold to several recording artists thus far, while others will be auctioned off for less fortunate children, according to Liberta.

The goal behind the construction of the Center for the Intrepid-National Armed Forces Physical Rehabilitation Center in San Antonio, TX, was to build the most advanced rehabilitation facility in the world. The four-story, 65,000-square-foot center provides military patients and veterans with severe extremity injuries, amputations and burns an opportunity to regain their pre-injury abilities in a supportive, healing environment, according to a design statement released by SmithGroup of Washington, DC, which served as the architect for the project.

The Neoclassical-inspired Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Tennessee, home to the Nashville Symphony and a centerpiece of Nashville’s downtown revitalization, comprises 197,000 square feet and was named in honor of the late Maestro Kenneth Schermerhorn, who led the Nashville Symphony for 22 years. Contemporary touches such as streamlined stone balustrades, cornices and parapets and stylized detailing subtly update the timeless design, according to the Nashville Symphony.

The beautiful setting of the Lake Arthur Park in Estancia, NM, served as an inspiration for a new library’s siting, functional distribution and architecture. The construction of the new building relocates the library from its former cramped quarters within the existing fire station building - just north of the new site. The new 5,600-square-foot library, named the Williams Memorial Library after donors Corrine Williams French and her brother Willis Williams, makes extensive use of locally quarried travertine for both interior and exterior elements in order to reflect the facility’s surrounding landscape.

In creating a world-class facility that would address every aspect of health and wellbeing under one roof, the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village Wellness Center and Spa in Westlake Village, CA, was designed using stone, brick and glass. The six-story structure includes a health and wellness center, full-service spa and television studio, as well as gardens and water features. Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG) of Irvine, CA, served as the architect and interior designer for the project.

Watermark Design Tech-nologies of Tampa, FL, is co-owned and operated by John-Paul Plazza, who grew up in the industry as his family ran a company called Tile World of Italy. Today, Plazza’s shop, which was established earlier this year with co-owner Joseph Kinsel is equipped with a variety of state-of-the-art equipment, enabling the company to produce an average of 10 kitchens a week. With the addition of new machinery in the near future, the company hopes to substantially increase its current production rate.

The 31,200-square-foot Consigli Construction Co., Inc.’s modern headquarters, commonly referred to as “The Granite Building,” in Milford, MA, is the first granite building on record in the U.S. to be deconstructed and re-constructed to its original specifications. Consigli saved the building from being demolished by the town, and moved it piece by piece to its new location a half mile down the road, where it now serves as the company’s headquarters. The goal when moving the building was to salvage the granite blocks and the roofing slate, and reuse all of the materials in the reconstruction process.

The French Lick Resort Casino in French Lick, IN, recently underwent an extensive renovation, which included a stone restoration as well as the addition of stone in new construction areas throughout the space. The property’s historic features were carefully restored while modern amenities were incorporated to enhance travelers’ experience. For the renovation of two hotels within the resort - French Lick Springs and West Baden - WorthGroup of Englewood, CO, provided interior design services to the Architect of Record, GS Ridgway and Associates Inc. of Vincennes, IN, as well as serving as the Architect of Record and Interior Designer for a new casino, event and conference center and parking structure.