stone gate by lithos design

stone gate virtual tour: a man in vitruvian position

‘stone gate’ is a piece of work designed by raffaello galiotto and presented by italian lithos design for the 100% gravity exhibition in verona, where designers and manufacturers were asked to experiment on the field of natural stone gravity: the circle is amazingly made of dry-laid masonry, each one weighing 5 quintals, bound together in a self-supporting structure only through compression.

the public experience is a magnetic circle that raises the primitive human instinct before huge-sized works, that is, the impulse to measure oneself, to feel hopelessly small. these sensations are further increased by rock, the essence of natural elements, whose role is played in this case by the bardiglio vuvolato marble from carrara.

getting nearer: suspended stones seen from below

challenging the balances between mass, weight and gravity, the project measures 3,80 m high and 1,20 m deep. the circle is conceived with a system of 20 – 500kg modular hewn stones laid dry, combined in a 6.5 cubic meter structure that becomes self-supporting thanks to the state of compression given by the post-tensioning of the steel cables.

turning around it: the 3d texture