Surface Energy
DEFINED BY ITS POCKED BEAUTY AND INNATE VERSATILITY, TRAVERTINE IS HAVING A RENAISSANCE
FLOOR SHOW
Inspired by terrazzo, DO Architects turned to travertine slabs (along with marble and granite) to craft the artful patchwork floor in this Lithuanian apartment. “We wanted to use a different kind of stone material in this project, and to give it a variety of textures and colours,” says architect Marija Steponavičiūtė, who was drawn to the rock’s yellowish tones to complete the project’s overall palette. The slabs are connected with concrete binder, ensuring the end result will stand the test of time. “It’s durable and will wear naturally,” Steponavičiūtė says. “It will act like the skin of the apartment and become part of the residents’ lives.” doarchitects.lt
STAR ATTRACTION
The pitted surface and organic striations of travertine can resemble moon rock, which is fitting for David/nicolas’s Constellation series of space-inspired tables. “We knew we wanted something made from stone, but at the same time we wanted something alive, different in every kind of scenario,” the Beirut-based design duo says. “Travertine had the textures we were hoping to find, and we thought it would be quite challenging to sculpt these blocks into furniture.” The resulting pieces (C080 is pictured below) are dynamic expressions of the stone’s key attributes: earthiness and elegance in equal measure. davidandnicolas.com
ON A PEDESTAL
Travertine might not instantly come to mind as a surface choice for a busy retail space, but London’s O’sullivan Skoufoglou Architects, which had worked with the delicate material before, didn’t hesitate to use it for the sink counter at RÖ Skin, a beauty salon in the English city of Stamford. “We were attracted to the stone because of its holes and troughs, which suggest wear and tear,” says architect Amalia Skoufoglou. “It will age gracefully.” To highlight the stone’s porous nature, the firm used the unfilled side of the slab, but had it semi-honed and sealed for the high-traffic area. osullivanskoufoglou.com