The Stone Collective is aiming to weaken concrete and steel's hold on the architecture industry. As part of our Stone Age 2.0 series, the newly formed group explains its ambition.
"There is a lack of exposure to stone projects by contemporary architects everywhere," said spokesperson Pierre Bidaud, member of The Stone Collective.
"It's a bit political," he told Dezeen. "The steel and concrete industries are dominating because they are well organised and lobbying. The Stone Collective's ambition is to change that."
Above: The Stone Collective recently launched. Top: the group says using stone in place of concrete is "a simple switch". Photo of Lamure-Sur-Azergues market taken by Georges Fessy
Launched in January, The Stone Collective is a group of stone professionals "pioneering stone as the 21st-century's low carbon, load-bearing material". Its six founding members are specialist stone companies, including Albion Stone, Hutton Stone and The Stonemasonry Company, which is led by Bidaud. The others are Lundhs Real Stone, Paye Stonework and Polycor Inc.
"Stone has exactly the same potential as wood"
Stone is strong, plentiful and fireproof and, as a natural material and carbon store, its embodied energy ? emissions associated with bringing buildings into being ? is inherently low.
Because of this, the collective wants to reposition it as a viable alternative to concrete and steel, which are energy-intensive, man-made ...