In this Online Stone Fabricators Forum conducted at www.stoneadvice.com -- both users and non-users of CNC equipment offer their insight on the technology.
The use of stone in both residential and commercial flooring applications continues to expand, far outpacing the growth rate of ceramic tile and other hard surface coverings. This incredible growth can be attributable to the beauty and variety that stone offers, plus when coupled with a steady decline in the cost per square foot of stone, it’s easy to see why designers are opting to upgrade their flooring needs to stone.
After years of taking place at locales around the country - most recently Orlando, FL, where it was held for nine out of the last 10 years - Coverings is headed north to Chicago, IL, and the McCormick Place Convention Center from April 17 to 20, 2007. And whether in spite of or because of the upcoming venue change from Orlando, organizers report that the event is showing signs that it is going to be another record-breaking year.
As the corporate presence in Austin continues to rise, office complexes are rapidly being developed and expanded. One such example has been the Barton Skyway office complex, which has steadily grown in phases over the years. As the corporate campus has expanded, a common denominator has been the use of stone - including slate from England for multiple buildings.
There are many reasons why the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center (GEHC) is a one-of-a-kind project that should be recognized for its purpose and design. Built as an educational center to serve as a working model of ecologically sustainable design, the two-story, 59,000-square-foot facility is the first “green” county-owned building in Gwinnett County, GA. Its exterior facade features approximately 900 tons of salvaged Elberton granite, which not only helps qualify it for LEED Gold certification, but also creates a timeless piece of architecture.
Whole Foods Market, the world’s largest natural and organic foods supermarket, has opened an 80,000-square-foot landmark store and a 200,000-square-foot office tower in downtown Austin, TX. Locally quarried Antique Lueders limestone from Mezger Enterprises Ltd. of Lampasas, TX, was selected for various exterior elements, and HKS Inc., of Dallas, TX, was hired to carry out the design.
Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo, MI, recently opened a 195,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) facility on its Oakland Drive campus, and SmithGroup, Inc. was hired to carry out the design. The new facility consolidates all WMU Health and Human Services faculty and academic programs into a single learning facility for teaching, research and community-based health and human services activities. Warm cream-colored Mankato Kasota limestone from Mankato Kasota Stone, Inc. of Mankato, MN, was used in a split-faced finish to accent the buildings exterior facade, as well as for interior elements such as columns and walls.
During an informative presentation, Susan Sherry, a natural stone design consultant, discovered Accretia Flooring Accents (AFA), just the company she was looking for to design a large 16-foot marble and granite compass for a private residence in Chattanooga, TN. This element is the centerpiece among the many stone features of the home.
The owners of a private residence located in the affluent community of Tammy Brook Estates in Cresskill, NJ, were seeking chic sophistication for the design of their new home. And they turned to a variety of natural stone products - among other materials - to carry out the design objective.
Located in Longwood, FL, just outside of Orlando, Custom Stone Creations serves as a high-end stone fabricator and installer, and is currently one of the largest fabricators for Home Depot in the state of Florida. The company is continually expanding, and has recently added a third CNC machine to its operation.
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