CarraraMarmotec 2008 kicks off

The 29th CarraraMarmotec (29 May - 1 June), the international exhibition of marble, technologies and design, opened its doors yesterday in Carrara. While maintaining its main focus as a technical and commercial event, this year the show is also exploring the appeal of marble for designers and architects.

For this purpose it has launched Natural Stone Vision, a project involving the setting up of a trend and creativity area in hall E. This space will alternately host debates on the characteristics and usage of marble and keynote addresses given by prestigious speakers from the worlds of business, architecture and design.

Two exhibitions will also be set up in a special area of the show. The first features the winning projects in the 24th Marble Architectural Awards reserved for designers who created projects in South Africa, Australia and Central and South America (award ceremony held on 31 May).
The second exhibition displays the winning projects in the "Dressed Stone Design Award", the international competition for design solutions exploiting the quality and most modern uses of natural stone in collective and private spaces.
Carrara Marmotec hosts more than 400 exhibitors (direct and represented companies, including foreign firms from 18 different countries).