Between History and Innovation with Terrazzo

Stones hold time. Some are formed by the sudden solidification of magma, like basalt, whose dense structure and dark color result from rapid cooling at the surface. Others, such as granite, are born slowly in deep magmatic chambers, where gradual cooling allows the growth of visible crystals, creating unique patterns and colors. There are also sedimentary rocks, formed by the compaction of mineral and organic debris over millions of years, with tones that reflect their chemical composition and the environment in which they were deposited. Transforming this geological diversity into a single continuous surface, terrazzo is a cementitious or mineral composite in which fragments of marble, granite, quartz, basalt, and other lithologies are embedded in a binding matrix, then polished to reveal the structure and luster of each particle. Unlike a homogeneous surface, terrazzo acts as a mineralogical showcase, where each aggregate retains its identity while contributing to a coherent whole, which can become a floor, wall cladding, or even furnitures.

The international design competition to select the architect for Finland's new Museum of Architecture and Design in Helsinki has concluded with the announcement that JKMM Architects has been awarded first prize. The Helsinki-based practice's proposal, known during the competition as Kumma, was chosen from 624 entries submitted from around the world. The open and anonymous competition, launched in April 2024, sought conceptual designs for a new 10,050-square-meter cultural institution to be built on the city's South Harbor waterfront. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion and public opening planned for 2030.

History of the Kraffer Garden - The Kraffer Garden complex is a place with a story reaching back to the 18th century. Originally a Baroque palace garden, it was later separated from the palace after a major fire and sold. For more than a hundred years, the renowned Kraffer family horticultural nursery operated here, until nationalisation in the 1950s brought insensitive alterations. The nursery and its buildings gradually declined into a brownfield, partly cleared at the turn of the millennium. A full-scale renewal began in 2021, when the abandoned nursery was taken over by a group of landscape architects from Ateliér Za Mák. Their energy has given the garden a new life, transforming it into a community space in the heart of Jindřichův Hradec. On the foundations of the Baroque garden and the First Republic–era nursery, a brownfield is being transformed into a place where horticultural craft meets culture and human stories.

The European Cultural Center Italy has organized the ECC Awards since 2010 to recognize artists, architects, designers, and academics in their respective fields. The Awards highlight projects featured in the Time Space Existence exhibition, which runs in parallel with the Venice Architecture Biennale and showcases tangible approaches to building more sustainably, aiming to position architecture as a force for environmental and social repair. The seventh edition of Time Space Existence is a group exhibition spanning three Venetian venues: Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Mora, and the Marinaressa Gardens. This year, the exhibition focuses on the themes of Repair, Regenerate, and Reuse, emphasizing the essential role of architects and designers as agents of positive change in shaping sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative ways of living.