Verona, Italy: Just a Stone’s Throw Away
The annual Continuing Education Course for Architects Designing with Natural Stone will be held in Verona Italy from October 4 – 7, 2006. VeronaFiere is the organizer and host of MARMOMACC, the International Exhibition of Marble, Stone and Technology, the world's biggest and oldest specialized trade fair for the stone industry. Last year I was sponsored to participate in the 2005 show which attracted 1,450 exhibiting companies from 51 countries and was attended by over 64,000 trade professionals from 117 countries. This event is open to the public. For more information see: http://www.marmomacc.com/
MARMOMACC is an AIA/CES provider for a Continuing Education Course for Architects. This accredited course is held over 4 days and is divided into about 12 seminars, including: a visit to a quarry, factories and education centers demonstrating cutting and installation, stone sourcing, stone selection, new materials and new applications in architecture. In addition, there is a tour of Carlo Scarpa's Banca Popolare, and other landmark buildings and an architectural tour of Verona. For more information on this Continuing Education Course see: http://www.marmomacc.it/corsi_en.asp.
The course is led by Vince Marazita, who is a member of the CSI (Construction Specifications Institute - USA) and the MIA (Marble Institute of America). Marazita graduated from Harvard University in 1981 and has lived and taught in Italy in the Architectural Department at the University of Genoa. He is currently the President of Marazita & Associates, an international consulting firm specializing in market research and in the organization of seminars on the natural stone industry. Marazita & Associates, 22048 Sherman Way, Suite 107, Canoga Park, California 91303 Phone: 818/887-9298 vmarazita@mindspring.com).
Through the sponsorship of MARMOMACC, each year 32 architects from the US, Canada Great Britain, Australia, South Africa and India are selected to attend the conference and participate in this informative Continuing Education Program. Recipients pay a minimal fee to secure registration and must arrive in Verona on the designated date for an educational experience in grand style. For details in the US and Canada, contact Sebastiano Brancoli at The Consultants International Group, Washington, D.C., phone (202) 783-7000 sbrancoli@cig-dc.com . Awardees are not entirely limited to architects, since I was selected, yet I am not an architect, but sculptor who works in stone and teaches a course on Materials in the Yale School of Architecture.
We kicked off the event with an evening of introductions at Ristorante Re Teodorico in Palazzo Castel S. Pietro (Verona) led by our energetic and effervescent course leader, Professor Marazita. Our first tour the following morning was to the Cave Bonaldi in Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella which quarries Rosso Verona, which is a mottled red marble containing ribbed spiral-form shells of the ammonite fossils. Each year a different quarry is featured. This year the group will tour a Porphyry quarry. After a late morning treat by Bonaldi of prosecco, salami and cheese we headed off to Videomarmoteca in Volargne which is an Information Center where we learned about sourcing Materials, International Quarries and Identifying Commercially Available Stone.
Each day we attended two or three seminars about Stone Processing. Topics included: Sawing, Resin Process, Finishing, Cut to Size Projects, Surface Finishes, Exterior Cladding, Stone Sourcing, Selection and Testing and Engineered Stone. We received an extraordinary presentation given by engineer Maurizio Milan of Favero & Milan on the Structural Use of Stone, with A Case Study on Renzo Piano’s Padre Pio Cathedral (San Giovanni Rotondo). Another memorable presentation was on the topic of Architecture & Wine where author Vincenzo Pavan showed images and talked about wineries designed by signature architects such as: Cantina Petra by Mario Botta, Bodegas Chivite by Rafael Moneo, the Dominus winery by Herzog and de Meuron, Ysios Winery by Santiago Calatrava, Riscal Winery by Frank Gehry and the Clos Pegase by Michael Graves.
We visited the stone processing facility of the Testi Group in Sant Ambrogio Valpolicella, the engineered stone factory Santa Margherita SpA in Volargne and immersed ourselves in a lavish display of stone at the Gallery of Antolini Luigi SpA in Sega di Cavaion. At the VeronaFiere, Professor Marazita guided us through the Trade Show for an overview of the exhibitors stopping frequently to greet old acquaintances. After that, we were left to our own devices to explore and meet stone vendors from all over the world and suppliers of all types of stone equipment. When asked where in the United States I live? I need only mention Stony Creek to invoke a wide- eyed response and exclamation “Ah, Stony Creek Granite!”
Back in Verona we had a very special tour of Carlo Scarpa’s Banca Popolare given by Architect Arrigo Rudi, an associate of Scarpa’s who continued to complete Scarpa’s unfinished projects after his tragic death in 1978. We also visited Museo Castelvecchio a restoration of a castle by Scarpa, which is now a museum. We continued into the evening with fascinating historical tour of Verona given by the jovial Professor (and licensed tour guide) Mauro Albrigi, email: albrimau@iol.it.
Once a Roman colony, ancient Roman structures are still visible throughout the city. Verona has the third largest amphitheater in Italy, built around 30 B.C., which continues to accommodate up to 25,000 spectators for operas and concerts. The Arco di Gavi, built in the 1st century AD still stands strong alongside the Adige River, and Porta dei Borsari with an inscription dating 245 A.D. is one of the more outstanding remnants of the ancient Roman wall that once encircled the city. Verona is the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Even though Shakespeare never visited the city, he must have heard the story of the legendary lovers. We did visit the balcony of Juliet Capuleti.
The restaurants in Verona were fabulous. Some noteworthy ones are Ristorante Maffei in Piazza delle Erbe 38, and the Hostaria La Vecchia Fontanina in P.tta Chiavica, and outside Verona, Trattoria Dalla Rosa Alda in San Giorgio di Valpolicella. All of our meals were generously hosted by the Veronafiere and Italian companies as well as various Stone Associations.
We finished up the event with a gala held in Verona at Palazzo Giusti, a Renaissance estate (currently for sale through Christie’s at 12.5 million EUR), with a magnificent labyrinth-garden, belvedere and countless rooms including a theater where Mozart performed. Approximately 150 guests assembled in the grand hall for an extravagant dinner with each course artistically presented on a fifty foot buffet table. Those of us participating in the Continuing Education Course received diplomas.
We kept to a rigorous schedule, starting early in the morning with usually only an hour or so to relax before our evening activities. I did manage to squeeze in a test drive of an Ape (ape, pronounced AH-pay means “Bee”), which is a 3 wheel pickup truck made by Piaggio that gets 60 miles to the gallon. It was a great group and we became fast friends, often carrying on after dinner at the local grappa bar. It was an educational experience I will always remember.
MARMOMACC is an AIA/CES provider for a Continuing Education Course for Architects. This accredited course is held over 4 days and is divided into about 12 seminars, including: a visit to a quarry, factories and education centers demonstrating cutting and installation, stone sourcing, stone selection, new materials and new applications in architecture. In addition, there is a tour of Carlo Scarpa's Banca Popolare, and other landmark buildings and an architectural tour of Verona. For more information on this Continuing Education Course see: http://www.marmomacc.it/corsi_en.asp.
The course is led by Vince Marazita, who is a member of the CSI (Construction Specifications Institute - USA) and the MIA (Marble Institute of America). Marazita graduated from Harvard University in 1981 and has lived and taught in Italy in the Architectural Department at the University of Genoa. He is currently the President of Marazita & Associates, an international consulting firm specializing in market research and in the organization of seminars on the natural stone industry. Marazita & Associates, 22048 Sherman Way, Suite 107, Canoga Park, California 91303 Phone: 818/887-9298 vmarazita@mindspring.com).
Through the sponsorship of MARMOMACC, each year 32 architects from the US, Canada Great Britain, Australia, South Africa and India are selected to attend the conference and participate in this informative Continuing Education Program. Recipients pay a minimal fee to secure registration and must arrive in Verona on the designated date for an educational experience in grand style. For details in the US and Canada, contact Sebastiano Brancoli at The Consultants International Group, Washington, D.C., phone (202) 783-7000 sbrancoli@cig-dc.com . Awardees are not entirely limited to architects, since I was selected, yet I am not an architect, but sculptor who works in stone and teaches a course on Materials in the Yale School of Architecture.
We kicked off the event with an evening of introductions at Ristorante Re Teodorico in Palazzo Castel S. Pietro (Verona) led by our energetic and effervescent course leader, Professor Marazita. Our first tour the following morning was to the Cave Bonaldi in Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella which quarries Rosso Verona, which is a mottled red marble containing ribbed spiral-form shells of the ammonite fossils. Each year a different quarry is featured. This year the group will tour a Porphyry quarry. After a late morning treat by Bonaldi of prosecco, salami and cheese we headed off to Videomarmoteca in Volargne which is an Information Center where we learned about sourcing Materials, International Quarries and Identifying Commercially Available Stone.
Each day we attended two or three seminars about Stone Processing. Topics included: Sawing, Resin Process, Finishing, Cut to Size Projects, Surface Finishes, Exterior Cladding, Stone Sourcing, Selection and Testing and Engineered Stone. We received an extraordinary presentation given by engineer Maurizio Milan of Favero & Milan on the Structural Use of Stone, with A Case Study on Renzo Piano’s Padre Pio Cathedral (San Giovanni Rotondo). Another memorable presentation was on the topic of Architecture & Wine where author Vincenzo Pavan showed images and talked about wineries designed by signature architects such as: Cantina Petra by Mario Botta, Bodegas Chivite by Rafael Moneo, the Dominus winery by Herzog and de Meuron, Ysios Winery by Santiago Calatrava, Riscal Winery by Frank Gehry and the Clos Pegase by Michael Graves.
We visited the stone processing facility of the Testi Group in Sant Ambrogio Valpolicella, the engineered stone factory Santa Margherita SpA in Volargne and immersed ourselves in a lavish display of stone at the Gallery of Antolini Luigi SpA in Sega di Cavaion. At the VeronaFiere, Professor Marazita guided us through the Trade Show for an overview of the exhibitors stopping frequently to greet old acquaintances. After that, we were left to our own devices to explore and meet stone vendors from all over the world and suppliers of all types of stone equipment. When asked where in the United States I live? I need only mention Stony Creek to invoke a wide- eyed response and exclamation “Ah, Stony Creek Granite!”
Back in Verona we had a very special tour of Carlo Scarpa’s Banca Popolare given by Architect Arrigo Rudi, an associate of Scarpa’s who continued to complete Scarpa’s unfinished projects after his tragic death in 1978. We also visited Museo Castelvecchio a restoration of a castle by Scarpa, which is now a museum. We continued into the evening with fascinating historical tour of Verona given by the jovial Professor (and licensed tour guide) Mauro Albrigi, email: albrimau@iol.it.
Once a Roman colony, ancient Roman structures are still visible throughout the city. Verona has the third largest amphitheater in Italy, built around 30 B.C., which continues to accommodate up to 25,000 spectators for operas and concerts. The Arco di Gavi, built in the 1st century AD still stands strong alongside the Adige River, and Porta dei Borsari with an inscription dating 245 A.D. is one of the more outstanding remnants of the ancient Roman wall that once encircled the city. Verona is the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Even though Shakespeare never visited the city, he must have heard the story of the legendary lovers. We did visit the balcony of Juliet Capuleti.
The restaurants in Verona were fabulous. Some noteworthy ones are Ristorante Maffei in Piazza delle Erbe 38, and the Hostaria La Vecchia Fontanina in P.tta Chiavica, and outside Verona, Trattoria Dalla Rosa Alda in San Giorgio di Valpolicella. All of our meals were generously hosted by the Veronafiere and Italian companies as well as various Stone Associations.
We finished up the event with a gala held in Verona at Palazzo Giusti, a Renaissance estate (currently for sale through Christie’s at 12.5 million EUR), with a magnificent labyrinth-garden, belvedere and countless rooms including a theater where Mozart performed. Approximately 150 guests assembled in the grand hall for an extravagant dinner with each course artistically presented on a fifty foot buffet table. Those of us participating in the Continuing Education Course received diplomas.
We kept to a rigorous schedule, starting early in the morning with usually only an hour or so to relax before our evening activities. I did manage to squeeze in a test drive of an Ape (ape, pronounced AH-pay means “Bee”), which is a 3 wheel pickup truck made by Piaggio that gets 60 miles to the gallon. It was a great group and we became fast friends, often carrying on after dinner at the local grappa bar. It was an educational experience I will always remember.
posted by Susan Farricielli at 10:51 PM
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