It is one thing to have so many different types of beautiful marble in stock. Still, only when seen ‘in action’, i.e. in a real project, its full beauty will be brought out, the way nature and architecture form a symbiosis that is more than its individual parts.
Below you will read a little bit about a real-life, hands-on example of how three types of different marbles have been used to beautify a small area in front of the entrance of a family home in Vienna – the blog picture on top shows the top view from the first floor.
This area is about 8m2 in size facing NE with sunlight coming during the sunrise/morning hours and then again in the late afternoon and during sunset. A lot of trees from the surrounding garden provide cool and shadow during hot summer months. The terrace serves a dual purpose: beautifying the entrance area of the house, and providing a small relaxation area during the summer heat.
The marble tiles are laid out in a Greek pattern on top of a concrete foundation and screed, mixing Damasta and Argureios Helios and Olympos. These marbles survive typical Viennese winters without harm and stains, and without any special treatment. The specific tiles are polished ones, sized 30x30x2cm or cut to size to create a small step to the entrance door. Being polished, slip resistance is being reduced, however, not to the point of making them dangerous to step on when they are wet. A polished finishing in this environment creates the effect of nature being reflected in the shine of the stones as is visible in the picture on top: the trees of the garden are clearly visible.
With the follow-up project, the enclosing pathway of paving stones will be replaced to match the new look.
While these marbles are very forgiving in terms of maintenance, it is still recommended to clean them regularly to avoid long term effects of extended exposure to stain-causing substances. A bit more about marble maintenance can be read here: Marble Maintenance.
