The New Stone Age
From Journal of Biophilic Design by Vanessa Champion, editor, Journal of Biophilic Design
March 26, 2026 · 41 min
About this episode
The episode explores the significance of natural stone in biophilic design and its potential to enhance architecture and sustainability.
Imagine furniture, cities and buildings that tell stories rooted in local geology, where the materials and forms echo the unique landscapes of their region. Imagine a design language spoken with local stones and traditions, elevating cultural identity. Beyond its primal beauty and ancient aura, STONE is a material that embodies sustainability, resilience, and storytelling. If you’ve ever danced barefoot on marble floors or admired the stone facades adorning historic cities, you’ve felt that deep, almost breathing connection to the earth’s history. But how often do we truly understand this miracle of nature and see its potential to transform our built environment? Today, we dive into the heart of biophilic design and explore how embracing natural stone could upscale our approach to architecture, sustainability, and beauty with Matt Robb, Marketing and Media Manager for the Stone Federation of Great Britain. I think you’ll enjoy this interview where we celebrate our relationship with one of the earth’s oldest, most remarkable gifts. Matt shares with us how the story starts deep beneath our feet, formed over millions of years by geological forces, sedimentary layers, thermal…
People in this episode
Host: Vanessa Champion
Guest: Matt Robb
Topics covered
- biophilic design
- sustainability
- natural stone
- architecture
- cultural identity
Keywords
- biophilic design
- natural stone
- sustainability
- architecture
- cultural identity
- geology
- design language
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Stone Federation of Great Britain
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