前 言

全球性专业石材展览会，第二十四届中国厦门国际石材展于2024年3月16-19日在厦门国际会展中心隆重举行。随着全球市场回归，国内外上下游产业链，设计行业、跨界平台、行业媒体齐聚厦门，以更广阔的视角，更多元的表达，探讨新业态之下的石材未来趋势，推动行业的共生与发展。

创新的设计是激活石材的关键，设计可以充分挖掘石材的特点，将其运用于不同领域中，成就新的可能。如何在人居设计中激活石材，提升石材的价值和吸引力，成为了当下行业关注的重要话题。

作为设计师和石材品牌，他们对于激活石材，有着哪些设计实践及创新思考？对于未来的石材应用趋势又有哪些观点？

2024年，人居空间发展论坛以“石材品牌与人居设计的共生实践”为主题，特邀策展设计师与石材行业品牌代表共同对话，通过设计师和石材品牌的讨论及对话，提供一个交流的平台，共同探索如何在人居空间中激活石材，赋予石材新的活力，创造理想人居环境。

3月17日，人居空间发展论坛（二）【石材品牌与人居设计的共生实践】再次展开，PAL Design Group设计董事何宗宪先生、德坚设计创办人陈德坚先生、柒筑空间设计创始人/创意总监黄小影女士、尼克设计事务所艺术总监尼克先生、空间进化（北京）建筑设计创始人/首席设计师关天颀先生就本次策展的空间设计进行了相关分享，并与参与策展的石材品牌代表斯通斯建材创始人吕斯特先生、联砾石业创始人李沛桐女士、金石源实业创始人林艺先生、冰石创始人/总经理阮贵冰女士、中环亚石业执行总经理蔡文俊先生及特邀主持人薄雾馆time新媒体平台仵文悦女士展开了相关的交流，他们以本次策展为出发点，讲述了对于主题“To Activate（激活）”的理解与创造，为石材与人居设计的结合提供了更多的想象与思考。

 

“我们身处在城市中，自然对我们来说，是稀缺而宝贵的。这次展览给我提供了一个反思的机会，让我重新审视我们所追求的绿色生活是否仅停留在表面。我们要去超越表象，以全新的视角来看待自然和我们所使用的原材料。

何宗宪先生

PAL Design Group设计董事

我的目标是从石头的肌理出发，挖掘其内在的可能性，展现给大家一个不一样的展馆。当人们走进展馆时，能感受到自然的原始之美，同时又能看到石头与青苔的共生，仿佛石头也变成了植物。虽然展馆空间有限，但我们希望突破常规，通过这一设计，让大家开始注意到身边的自然之美，并感受到它的动态变化。”

“在选择材料时，我特别钟情于名为‘极地森林’的地面材料，它仿佛一片草地，不仅美观，还带有一种温暖的触感。通过它，将整个展馆打造成一个梦幻般的空间，让每一朵花都绽放出独特的层次。当你踏入其中，或许只需几秒钟，便能感受到它的魅力。你会发现，原来最美的风景就在我们身边，只要我们用心去观察，就能感受到内心的盛放。

“关于‘激活’，我认为它更多是指我们大脑的思考过程，是对某一事物深入理解的启发。在这次展览中，我深入思考了石头的应用与意义。石头，常被视作冰冷、坚硬的物质，但我想尝试一种不同的表达，赋予它柔软与温暖的感觉。这就像妈妈或女友为你编织的毛衣，穿在身上，温暖而贴心。我设想，是否可以将这种温暖的感觉与石头相结合，打破人们对石头的固有印象，创造出一种全新的感官体验。”

陈德坚先生

德坚设计创办人

“我的设计初衷很简单，没有过多的概念堆砌，只是直觉的驱使。我希望通过我的作品，启发设计师们从另一种角度思考石头的可能性。同时，我也期待这种设计能够在生产上实现量产，不论使用何种石材，只要通过我们的设计和技术，都能提升其价值。所以，你可以看到我的展位，借助现代的雕刻技术，我们可以将优秀的图案设计转化为实际产品，实现量产化生产。

在我的展位现场，你还可以看其中一个特别的设计是摇椅，它仿佛一位老人在悠闲地编织毛衣，营造出一种宁静而温馨的氛围。这种直接而简单的表达方式，让人感受到石头不同寻常的一面。

此外，我还想探讨一下石头行业的激活与发展。作为全球最大的石头集散地，厦门、水头有着巨大的潜力。我们应该思考如何借助现代技术，将石头产业推向国际，提升竞争力。”

 

“在营造空间的过程中，我首先注重技法的运用。然而，技法的磨练需要时间，短期内追求极致的工艺细节并不现实。因此，我深入思考如何以迅速且精准的方式呈现空间，吸引人们前来感受。我希望这个空间能展现出宇宙的宏伟与壮观，让人仿佛置身于俯瞰人间的绝佳视角。”

黄小影女士

柒筑空间设计创始人/创意总监

“光是这个空间的灵魂。我精心设计了一束光，尽管现场角度稍大，但这只是微不足道的小瑕疵。这束光不仅为空间带来了明亮与生机，更赋予展厅的一种深刻寓意——它如同神圣之光，照进每个人的内心，为我们带来希望与力量。光与眼睛紧密相连，柔和的光线与刺眼的光芒所带来的感受截然不同，所以，这也是我本次作品的主题名称《瞳》。

最终，我坚信空间的核心在于人的体验与感受。无论是石材的质朴还是奢华，都取决于我们如何去诠释与表达。一块平凡的石头，通过设计的融入，便能展现出别样的美丽与韵味。人与空间的联系，源于我们对物质本质的理解与感知。”

“我此次展厅的主题名为‘矿缘之间’，寓意在于我们当前面临的矿藏资源日益稀缺的境地。过去，石材主要用于豪宅装饰，但如今，在设计师的引领下，石材已蜕变为富有灵魂与气质的物料，成为空间体验的重要载体。

面对冰冷的矿源，设计师们有责任引导石材在新的轨道上发展，探索新的突破，展现大自然的魅力。在我的展厅中，原本计划放置一块重达数吨的石头，但因实际条件限制而放弃，这使我意识到石材的体积和大小带来的冲击力和感觉有着巨大影响。最终我选择了几块铁板，切割成类似画作的形式，放置在入口处，效果也出乎意料的好。”

尼克先生

尼克设计事务所艺术总监

“接着，我们在石材与空间的关系上进行新的探索与理解。我们尝试在一个不完整的位置展示石材的魅力，或许不完整正是最好的完整。观众们对我们的设计表现出了极大的兴趣，纷纷前来打卡拍照。在设计过程中，我们也融入了哲学思考。通过一束光、一层台阶的引导，希望能够唤起人们对未来和希望的期待。空间中的镜子则让人反思自己的存在与归属，引发深层次的思考。

我们努力保留矿石原有的节奏和生命力，将其融入当代空间中。通过新元素与旧元素之间的融合，超越时间的界限，创造出既有传统韵味又具现代感的空间。”

 

“我的石材的合作品牌冰石，他们给我提供了两款差别非常大的材料——甲骨文与锦绣山河。甲骨文富含人文气息，肌理诗意盎然；锦绣山河则绚烂多彩，令人联想到大自然的壮丽风光。我的设计理念在于如何将光、空间与人融为一体。甲骨文象征着深厚的人文文化，锦绣山河则代表无限的自然之美。然而，自然与人文之外，艺术同样不可或缺。因此，我打造了一个光的盒子，旨在表达对自然的向往、对人文的继承与发展，以及对未来生活的无限想象。”

关天颀先生

空间进化（北京）建筑设计创始人/首席设计师

“在光的空间设计上，考虑了悬浮与沉稳的对比，以及视线的高度与跳跃变化。通过人的尺度对比与变化，最终呈现出一个‘光与石’的‘盒子空间’。入口处以甲骨文材料打造方形盒子，作为导入口的形象标识，远望则可见悬浮空中的锦绣山河，水面元素的加入，使得整个入口设计更显生动。我们通过不同视角，如夹缝、宽阔、仰望与低垂，来展现材质的独特状态。

同时，我们还巧妙运用了石材水波纹加工工艺，增添了几分韵味。为提升艺术感，我们特邀国内知名当代艺术家夏航老师创作雕塑，将其融入空间之中。整个设计旨在将自然、人文与艺术完美融合，为观众带来全新的视觉与心灵体验。”

主持人：何老师作为设计师，和一线的用户是最紧密的，从您的观察来看，他们对于石材的需求发生了哪些改变？对于设计师和企业来说，有什么影响？

何宗宪：从我的观察来看，人们对于天然石材的需求正在发生显著变化。随着自然物资的逐渐稀缺，人们开始寻找替代方案，我们目睹了众多替代品的出现。然而，正是这种资源紧张的现状，使得我们对天然矿物质和其他自然资源的重视程度提升，我们变得更加珍惜这些资源。 我认为，这个现象并非简单地划分好坏，而是我们进入了一个新时代，面临着全新的挑战。在这个行业中，我们如何更好地保护和利用我们的资源，运用技术和智慧，实现石材的可持续性，这是我们必须思考的问题，更是在设计实践中需要不断探索和实践的方向。

主持人：因为今年的主题是激活，吕总觉得何老师在创作和设计的过程中给企业带来了哪些激活，或者启发了企业可能没有打开的一些层面？

吕斯特：首先，我要感谢何老师为我们提供了这个主题。第一次与何老师交流时，我非常震撼。它是一个先有概念，然后逐步呈现的过程，而不是一开始就将全部重点放在材料上。在整个过程中，我们不断思考我们的材料能够呈现出怎样的效果，怎样才能更好契合主题，在这个过程中不断改变我们对石材的认知。所以，这不仅是对我们的挑战，也是对我们团队的一个激活。

 

主持人：通过编织的设计，陈老师让坚硬的石头变软了。在您看来，石材的可塑性是否远超人们的想象？石材实际上是很自由的材质？

陈德坚：当然我们要看，未来的科技能够为我们带来哪些可能性。多年前，我曾尝试使用石头制作柜门，当时的技术已经允许我们将石头切割至极薄的状态，大约只有一点多毫米。这令我深感震撼，意识到石头不仅可以用于传统的建筑和装饰，还可以拓展到更多领域。例如，利用蜂巢板等技术，我们可以将石头与其他材料结合，创造出柔软而富有弹性的产品。

因此，我们应该保持开放的心态，积极探索石头的新用途和新可能性。通过不断尝试和创新，我们可以将石头这种自然材料转化为更多富有创意和实用性的产品，为人们的生活带来更多美好和便利。

主材人：不同的选材、加工工艺可能会让石材表达出不一样的气质和面貌，就这个层面来说，李总有什么想表达的？

李沛桐：通过选材和加工工艺的升级，设计的巧妙融入，石材得以展现出更丰富的面貌，融入大众生活的点滴之中。设计师们的灵感激发，也促使我们供应商在工艺上不断精进。例如，陈老师此次的作品追求温暖的感觉，因此我们在‘四季如歌’的表面处理上采用温润面，摒弃了传统抛光带来的冰冷感。同时，在编织背景的技术上，我们运用画图还原、电脑编程以及手工打磨等多道工序，力求完美呈现。这一切都是对我们不断创新和提升工艺的推动。

展会虽是一个展示的平台，但设计对企业的驱动却是长久的，这对我们整个团队提出了持续精进学习的要求。

 

主持人：刚黄老师提到一句话是说石材无国界，作为设计师，您觉得什么样的设计是没有边界的，就是进到个空间里的任何身份，任何年龄的人都能去有共鸣和有思考？

黄小影：空间与人之间的互动与对话是不可或缺的。例如，在展厅墙面的装置艺术展示中，如果不向观众介绍原始的创作理念和所采用的材料，他们可能会感到困惑。此外，空间对于不同年龄层的人来说，也会有着不同的意义。昨天有小朋友来到现场，他们被烟雾和石材所吸引，觉得非常有趣。因此，不同的人在空间中的感受是多种多样的。

主持人：蔡总您作为专业的石材人士或者说对黄老师的设计，有没有给您对于石材一些新的认知，或者是打破了您以往的一些刻板印象？

蔡文俊：黄老师这个案例，与我们的主题“激活”紧密相连，不仅引人注目，更在视觉上带来了强烈的冲击力，让人不自主地想要深入探索。一旦进入其中，原本可能显得张扬的元素在设计师的巧妙安排下变得宁静而内敛，从而激活了材料的不同使用方式。所以，给我们带来了很多启发。它让我们意识到，每一款材料都蕴藏着无限的可能性和发挥空间。通过与设计师的互动，我们能学习到很多宝贵的经验，进而在后期的石材应用中进一步挖掘其潜力。

 

主持人：咱们之前也聊到过，其实石材正在发生转变，就是从过去的价格导向转向了现在的价值导向，您觉得背后的深层原因是什么？

尼克：经过三年的疫情，大家的观念逐渐觉醒，不再盲目追求产值和价格。过去，当我说出500元的价格，若对方觉得贵，就无法再谈下去。但现在，我们认识到石头的价值并非固定，而是由人赋予的。

未来的展厅设计，也不再仅仅展示石材的款式，而是希望通过空间的设计，让石材重新体现其情感价值、艺术价值。昨天，几位设计师朋友都赞叹某块石头的艺术气息，而不是仅仅询问价格，这证明了石材的艺术价值已经超越了简单的价格标签。我们正在探索，如何在未来的生活中，更深入地挖掘石材的价值。

主持人：作为企业来说，林总觉得通过什么样的方式让材料不只是材料，而是像刚才尼克老师说的有更多的其他维度价值？

林艺：通过这几年，行业内的技术革新层出不穷，如采用线锯技术、发展超薄板等，都展现了良好的发展态势。许多企业致力于研究新技术、提升表面处理能力，并探索新材料的应用，这些都使得石材得到更好的应用。但除却技术上的提升，更重要的是如何去深入生活，你才能更加理解消费者想要什么？我们能给予什么。

 

主持人：听完关老师的分享，我注意到自然元素在您的作品中频繁出现，大众和客户对自然的需求日益增强，在这种趋势下，石材作为一种来自自然界的材料，会不会也有更多的发展和机遇，或者被更广泛的应用？

关天颀：确实如此，正如前面几位老师所言，石材作为大自然的馈赠，在建筑领域中显得尤为珍贵。自然的鬼斧神工，其巧妙之处远非人工所能企及，它为人类生活带来了无数美好的想象。因此，作为设计师，我们倍加珍惜现有的自然资源。如今，我们有幸与众多有理想、有抱负、有情怀的石材供应商合作，他们不仅具备开阔的国际视野，更拥有精湛的技术手段，为我们提供了无限的可能性。

主持人：我们能够看到冰石在给产品的命名中都带有一些东方文化的气质，比如这次选用的甲骨文、锦绣山河。这里背后有什么可以分享的吗？

阮贵冰：在国外的展览中，我们是第一个提出中国石，选冰石的石材企业，作为公司的创始人，我感觉中国石材的卓越品质与巨大潜力。这15年来，我曾走访过30多个国家，并致力于在全球推广中国的大理石，我坚信我们的石材同样可以媲美意大利等国的优质石材。

还有，我可以很骄傲很肯定告诉大家，我曾多次前往意大利参观石材展览，但每次回来，我都更加坚定地认为，我们在人居展的设计水平上已经远远超越了意大利。我可以自豪地说，我们的设计不仅体现了高超的技艺，更融入了深厚的文化底蕴。

我热爱我的国家，也热爱我的职业。

厦门人居空间发展论坛，作为厦门人居设计生活节的重要组成部分，旨在通过设计师与石材企业代表间的深入对话与思想碰撞，为相关从业者带来更多独特且富有启发性的思考，从而推动行业的创新与进步。

Preface

The 24th China Xiamen International Stone Fair has been held in Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center on March 16-19, 2024. With the global economic recovery, the stone industry, design sector, cross-border platforms and media gathered in Xiamen to explore the trend of stone under the new business format as well as promote the symbiosis and development of the industry.

Innovative design is the key to activate the stone in that design can fully tap into the characteristics of stone to be applied in different fields. How to activate stone in residential design and enhance its value and attractiveness has become an important topic of concern.

In 2024, with the theme of "The Symbiotic Practice of Stone Brand and Habitat Design", the Forum invited curators and stone brand representatives to provide a platform for communication and jointly explore how to activate stone in habitat design.

On March 17, the Development Forum of Habitat Interior Design was held at Hall D1. Five curators, Mr. Joey Ho, Mr. Kinney Chan, Ms. Sunshine Wong, Mr. Nick and Mr. Sky Guan delivered keynote speeches on their design projects respectively. In addition, they had dialogue with stone brand representatives, Mr. Lyu Site from STONEWHITE, Ms. Li Peitong from Fujian Xiamen Stonelink, Mr. Kevin Lin from KINGS-WING STONE, Ms. Ice Ruan from Xiamen Ice Stone, Mr. Cai Wenjun from Stoneart, and the moderator, Ms. Wu Wenyue from BOWU. They talked about their understandings of “To Activate”, the inspiration of curating this exhibition, and shared the experiences in the cooperation process between designers and stone enterprises.

 

“The nature is precious to us who live in cities. This exhibition provides me with an opportunity to reflect whether we are pursuing a real healthy and green life. We need to probe into the relationship between the nature and the materials we use in a new way.”

Joey Ho

PAL Design Group, Design Partner

“I hope to explore the possibilities of stone application in terms of its texture. When the visitors walk into the space, they would feel the original beauty of the nature and find the symbiosis of stone and moss, as if the stone has become a plant. We hope to break through the convention and present the dynamic changes of the nature.”

“When selecting materials, I was impressed by the marble, Polar Rainforest, which looks like a meadow. By applying it on the floor, the entire space is built into a dreamlike forest, allowing flower to blossom. When you step into it, you may only need a few seconds to feel its charm. Then you will find that the most beautiful scenery is around us.”

“In terms of the theme 'To Activate’, I think it refers more to the process of thinking and the inspiration for a deeper understanding of something. This exhibition ‘activates’ me to think about the application and significance of stone. Stone is often seen as a cold and hard material, but I want to express its soft and warm feeling. Therefore, I wondered if it could be combined with the knitting techniques to create a sweater-like surface to break the stereotypes of stone and create a whole new sensory experience.”

Kinney Chan

Kinney Chan & Associates, Founder

“My design idea is simply to find the possibilities of stone application from a new perspective. Also, I hope this processing technique can be applied in different stone materials to be mass-produced, so as to enhance its value. Moreover, for the development in stone industry, as the world's largest stone distribution center, there is still great potential in Xiamen and the surrounding regions. We should think about how to use modern technology to promote the stone industry to the international market and increase competitiveness.”

“In the process of designing space, I focused on the use of techniques in the beginning. However, I realized that it is difficult to apply delicate techniques in stone processing in such short term. Therefore, I decided to present the space in a more precise way that would attract people to feel it. It is expected to show the magnificence of the universe.”

Sunshine Huang

Seven Construct Space Design, Founder/Creative Director

“Light is the soul of this space. The beam of light not only brings brightness and vitality to the space, but also gives a profound meaning to the exhibition hall - it is like a sacred light encouraging everyone. Light is associate with the eye that I named this space as ‘The Pupil’. I firmly believe that the core of space lies in human experience and feelings. Whether it is simple or luxurious stone, it depends on how we interpret and express. The connection between human and space stems from our understanding and perception of the essence of matter.”

“The name of my exhibition space is ‘From Quarry to Space’, trying to draw people’s attention to the dwindling quarry resources. Stone is used to be applied in mansions and villas as building material. Nowadays, it has become a significant factor in interior design. I intended to place a raw stone block that weighs several tons in the exhibition hall, but it failed due to the weight restriction. Then I decided to replace it with iron plates in the entrance to present a strong impact. It turns out fairly good.”

Nick

Nick Design Studio, Design Director

“We also tried to explore and understand the relationship between stone and space. The audience showed great interest in our design and stepped in to take pictures. In the design process, we also incorporate philosophical thinking. Through a beam of light and upward steps to arouse people's expectations for the future. We keep the original form of the rock and integrate it into the contemporary space to create a space that is traditional yet modern.”

 

“The stone brand, Xiamen Ice Stone provides two different stone varieties, Oracle and Ancient Times for my design space. Oracle is quarried from Guizhou province, China and Ancient Times from Liaoning province, China. The curving veins on Oracle look like the oracle bone inscriptions in Ancient China, showing a feeling of years of vicissitudes. Ancient Times is green and has distinct texture. Its uniqueness lies in its ancient appearance and elegant tones, which create a unique ambience in the scene. By using these two materials, I created a box of light to express my yearning for nature, the inheritance and development of humanity, and the infinite imagination of future life.”

Sky Guan

Evolution Design, LLC., Founder/Chief Designer

“With respect to the light, we adjusted the brightness and the location of the light sources to present a box of ‘light and stone’. The entrance is made of the marble, Oracle, to create a square box. Enter the space, you will firstly see the beautiful set made of Ancient Times up in the air. The materials show unique characteristics when people viewing through different angles, such as slit, wide, looking up and down. Also, we processed the surface of stone as water ripple. In order to enhance the sense of art, we specially invited the well-known contemporary artist Xia Hang to create sculptures and integrate them into the space. The whole design aims to perfectly integrate the nature, humanity and art, and bring new visual and spiritual experience to the audience.”

Moderator: As a designer, Mr. Ho has close contact with customers. Have the customers changed their demand requirements for stone? Do the changes affect the designers and the stone brands?

Joey Ho: Based on my observation, there has been a significant shift in people's demand for natural stone. With the depletion of natural resources, they are seeking out alternatives. There is an emergence of many substitutes. However, it is this current situation of resource shortage that compels us to value and cherish the natural resources.

In my perspective, this phenomenon is not simply positive and negative; rather, it marks a new era with challenges. Within this industry, it is imperative for us to contemplate how we can protect and utilize the natural resources by technology, so as to attain the sustainability of stone. This question is not only what we need to think about, but also drives us to have continuous exploration and implementation in design.

Moderator: Mr. Lyu, how was your company activated during the creation and design process by cooperating with Mr. Joey Ho?

Lyu Site: First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Ho for cooperating on this project. His process of design was coming up with a a concept first and then gradually presenting it, rather than solely focusing on the material from the outset. Throughout the process, we constantly think about how the stone materials can be well presented to match the concept. And we’ve been inspired to have new understanding of stone. So, it was not only a challenge for us, but also an activation for our team.

 

Moderator: You made stone softer by using knitting technique. Do you agree that stone has great potential which is far beyond our perception?

Kinney Chan: It depends on the potential of technology in the future. Several years ago, I tried to use stone for cabinet doors and found that advancements in technology have allowed us to cut the stone into an incredibly thin slate, just slightly over a millimeter. It sparked my interest in exploring unconventional applications of stone beyond traditional archcture and decoration. By leveraging innovative techniques like honeycomb panels, we can seamlessly integrate stones with other materials to create flexible and resilient products.

Hence, it is crucial for us to keep open-minded and explore new possibilities and applications for this versatile material. Through continuous innovation, we can use natural stone to craft more imaginative and practical products that enhance both aesthetics and convenience in daily life.

Moderator: In terms of material selection and processing technique, what would you like to share with us?

Li Peitong: Through the enhancement of material selection and processing technique, as well as the integration of design, stone can be well-presented. Mr. Kinney Chan’s work aims to evoke a warm ambiance, therefore, we employ a surface treatment for the marble, Pesca Venato, forsaking the cold sensation associated with traditional polishing methods. Also, in terms of weaving surface, we utilize various techniques such as drawing restoration, computer programming, and manual polishing to strive for flawless presentation. All these endeavors serve as catalysts for our ongoing innovation and process improvement efforts. Although the exhibition is a platform, it drives long-term enterprise development by imposing continuous learning requirements on our entire team.

 

Moderator: As a designer, what kind of design can create an immersive experience that evokes a strong sense of identity and introspection upon entering a designed space?

Sunshine Huang: The interaction between space and individuals are indispensable. For instance, if there is no introduction to the original creative concept and materials employed of the art installation in the exhibition hall, the audience may get confused. Furthermore, space holds diverse connotations for individuals of varying age groups. Yesterday, when some children visited the site, they were captivated by the smoke and stones, finding it immensely intriguing. Hence, people's perceptions within a given space differ significantly.

Moderator: Mr. Cai is the specialist of the stone industry. Did Ms. Sunshine Huang’s design provide you with a fresh perspective on stone, or challenge any preconceived notions you may have had?

Cai Wenjun: This case, closely linked to the theme “To Activate”, is not only impressive, but also delivering a powerful visual impact that stimulates further exploration. Once in there, the marble that might have seemed to be extravagant become restraint through design, thereby activating diverse possibilities for material utilization. So, it brings us a lot of inspiration that every material possesses infinite potential for creativity. By cooperating with the designer, we acquired invaluable experiences, and further unlocked the potential in stone applications.

 

Moderator: The stone industry is changing, from the price orientation to the value orientation. What do you think is the reason behind it?

Nick: After the pandemic, people are no longer pursuing the value of output and prices. We realize that the value of stones is not fixed, but given by people. Future exhibition halls will not simply show stone styles, but express its emotional, artistic value through space design. Yesterday, several designers admired the artistic breath of a stone, rather than just asking for the price, which proves that the artistic value of stone has gone beyond the price. We're exploring the value of stone in our daily life.

Moderator: How to explore and reveal the value of stone materials?

Kevin Lin: Over the years, technological innovations in the industry, such as the use of wire saw and the development of ultra-thin slates, have shown an upward trend. Many companies are dedicated to researching new technologies, improving surface treatment, and expanding material applications. But apart from technological advancements, the more important is to understand what consumers want and what we can provide.

 

Moderator: I have noticed that natural elements appear frequently in your works, and the public and customers have an increasing interests in the nature. Considering this, will stone, as a material from the nature, be developed and widely used?

Sky Guan: Indeed, stone as a gift of the nature is valuable in the field of architecture. The natural sculpture, whose ingenuity is far from artificial, brings countless wonderful imaginations to human life. So, as designers, we value the existing natural resources. Today, we are honored to work with many professional, ambitious, and excellent stone suppliers, who not only have an open international vision, but also outstanding in technical advancement, providing us with unlimited possibilities.

Moderator: You named the two stone material, Oracle and Ancient Times with oriental elements. Are there any stories you would like to share with us?

Ice Ruan: As the founder of ICE STONE, I am confident in the excellent quality of Chinese stone and great potential. In the past 15 years, I have visited more than 30 countries and dedicated myself to the global promotion of Chinese marble. And I am convinced that our stone is equally comparable to quality stone in Italy and elsewhere. Moreover, I believe firmly that both the processing techniques and the cultural heritage blended in Habitat Interior Design Exhibition will make it outstanding around the world.

The Development Forum of Habitat Interior Design is a section of Xiamen Habitat Design & Life Festival, aiming to inspire the practitioners of stone and design industries through the in-depth dialogue and ideological collision between designers and stone enterprise representatives, so as to promote the innovation and progress of the industry.