Close

Marmomac moment: Aldo Cibic

The “Happy Tower” landmark was created with Errebi Marm at this year’s fair.

An imposing six-metre-high, square tower with white and grey marble stripes, a cascade of water and grass on top – this is the installation created by Aldo Cibic for “Architetture per l’acqua”, the exhibition curated by Vincenzo Pavan and hosted in The Italian Stone Theatre, a pavilion dedicated to Italian stone expertise at this year’s Marmomac 2018, which wrapped up just a few days ago.

The exhibition, whose aim is to create a relationship between marble and water in architecture, represents a veritable tribute to this primary element, able to enhance stone materials by emphasising their textural and perceptual aspects.

Aldo Cibic is one of the three architects called upon to develop the concept of the exhibition. Each of them was given the task of designing a tower that, like a real stone landmark, overlooks a stretch of water.

In designing his tower, Cibic had in mind a vital structure, a space linked with man and nature. A grassy mantle covers the top, ivy tumbles from a small window and water pours into the pond from a waterfall, while a teetering sculpture evoking the figure of a man admires the spectacle.

 White and grey marble alternates on the surfaces that take on a whole new dynamism.

‘The work represents an aesthetic of vitality, in which architecture is injected with natural elements, and this is what brings it closer to the human dimension. That’s how we thought of our happy tower,’ says Aldo Cibic.

Equipped with a metal frame to support the stone cladding, the towers are 6 m tall and have a square plan of 3×3. Three of the sides were designed by the architects, while the side facing the ground is reserved for descriptive graphics and a video interview with the author.

The project is curated by Cibicworkshop – Aldo Cibic and Chuck Felton.

Vincenzo Latina and A.c.M.e. studio are also participating in the exhibition “Architetture per l’acqua” and they have created the other two towers on display, in collaboration with the firms Grassi Pietre and Nikolaus Bagnara.

All the partners have made their skills and productive know-how available so as to give material form to the experiments of the designers, creating new formal languages with their marbles and stones.

www.marmomac.com / www.cibicworkshop.com

The Latest

identity Design Awards 2025 shortlist: All Categories

Shortlist revealed for all the categories for identity Design Awards 2025

identity Design Awards 2025 shortlist: Innovations in Design

Shortlist revealed for the Innovations in Design categories for identity Design Awards 2025

Brimming with Warmth

Atlas Concorde’s porcelain tiles enhance the contemporary design of this villa in Bodrum, Turkey

The Lighthouse

Carrie Das has completed a beachfront home that bridges Asia-inspired minimalism and touches of British heritage

Frieze Abu Dhabi

Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Frieze announce launch of Frieze Abu Dhabi

The move marks a new chapter in the emirate’s role on the global art calendar.

For Those Who Know

Gaggenau’s new Expressive series draws inspiration from Bauhaus principles and the minimalism of modernist architecture

Eternal Flow

Inspired by the open seas and its five-star location on the Palm Jumeirah, this nature-inspired home by Katrin & Muse Design brims with inspiration

Where Faith, Knowledge and Community Converge

Conceived by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women in Qatar is the first purpose-built contemporary women’s mosque in the Muslim world

An Ethereal Stay

A bespoke, cultural and spiritual adventure awaits in the remote, magical Kingdom of Mustang with the all-inclusive Shinta Mani Mustang – A Bensley Collection hotel

Celebrating artistry, heritage, and community

Casamia & Mustard & Linen host a cultural exchange celebrating Emirati Women’s Day

Skyline Serenity

A family home in Almaty, Kazakhstan blends modern architecture, bespoke craftsmanship and global design icons

Trend Group supplies to the Red Sea’s most prestigious projects

Mohamad Chehab, the general manager of Trend Group Middle East talks about the group's involvement in the Red Sea Projects