Each year, the Marmomacc Stone Academy's "Designing with Natural Stone" is held in conjunction with Marmomacc, the large stone exhibition held annually in Verona, Italy. The 2014 edition will mark the 16th anniversary of the course, which is organized by Veronafiere and sponsored by Stone World magazine, Contemporary Stone & Tile Design's sister publication.
Veronafiere offers this course to help architects learn advanced techniques in the use of marble, granite and other stone materials, and explains that "the program is a unique combination of classroom lectures, guided architectural tours and field trips to local quarries as well as to natural stone processing facilities." I am fortunate enough to partake in this event every year, and each time, I witness the same reaction from the architects -- awe and curiosity. They are always amazed and excited when visiting the quarries and stone processing plants -- asking many questions to better understand the material and the production process. And that is exactly the point of an educational course such as "Designing with Natural Stone" -- to educate architects on the qualities of an assortment of stone varieties and let them see their source.