The Cutting Edge Feature: StonExpo 2025 Transformed My Perspective as an Architecture Student
- Martina khella
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
This year, I had the incredible opportunity to attend StonExpo 2025 through the Natural Stone Institute’s A&D Program, an experience that genuinely reshaped the way I understand natural stone and its role in architecture. Seeing the program featured in The Cutting Edge magazine made the whole experience even more meaningful.
A Transformative Look Into Stone
Walking through the Las Vegas Rock quarry was nothing short of unforgettable. Standing inside an active quarry, watching extraction happen in real time, and tracing the stone’s journey into finished architectural elements helped me grasp natural stone as a living, geological material, not just something that shows up in studio assignments. The visit grounded my design thinking in the realities of material origin, sustainability, and craft. It shifted the way I look at texture, structure, and even the emotional weight that natural materials carry in a space.
Learning Through Hands-On Exploration
At the expo, I met fabricators, quarry representatives, and innovators from across the world. The advanced machinery, especially the Italian fabrication technology, completely expanded my understanding of what stone can do. The sketching assignment and life-cycle illustration pushed me to slow down, observe, and analyze stone in a way that deepened my appreciation for detail and process. Those exercises taught me that material literacy is as essential as design literacy.
Grateful for the Opportunity
I’m truly thankful to the Natural Stone Foundation, the Natural Stone Institute, and program leader Earl Jackson for making this experience possible. Their commitment to supporting emerging designers gave me access to a world of knowledge I couldn’t have gained in a classroom alone.
Being included in The Cutting Edge’s coverage of the program is an honor, and I’m excited to carry what I learned into my future work as a designer.
If you’re curious, you can read the full feature in the March/April 2025 issue of The Cutting Edge (page 38), which highlights the student experience and the impact of natural stone education.
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