Beneath the Surface Blog

A photo update of our installation progress on-site in Norfolk, Virginia (see the Wells Fargo project rendering for the final vision). Most of the steel has been installed and a few FLAT-Lite™ LED panels were tested.  Everything fit together perfectly and it looks like the columns will be installed tomorrow.


The reception wall (above) had some framing adjustments, which pushed back the column installation.  Steel and LED panels for reception wall will be going up today, translucent stone panels tomorrow.


All of the DURA-Lite™ panels are prepped, mechanical fasteners are aligned and secured, ready for installation.


Framing out the square lobby columns (above) in preparation for hanging our stone panels. 


All of Terry's precise work and attention to detail in the framing systems and it's soon going to be covered up with the stunning Mercury onyx panels! Check back soon for even more progress on the finish surfaces and lighting systems.

Think Beinecke Library at Yale University by Gordon Bunshaft of SOM: set architectural precedent by exploiting the possibilities of translucent natural stone.

Translucent stone products possess unique depth and character. In addition to lit bartops and interior feature walls, backlit natural stone can be used in a variety of commercial interior and exterior applications. Whether translucent stone is already a part of your standard design palette or you’re just beginning to explore its capabilities, consider the following design ideas:

GPI International's DURA-Lite™ translucent glass-backed natural stone product is now featured on the Materialicious website.

Materialicious is a useful, design-driven database of design surfaces, objects, and spaces. We're having a blast exploring other materials on here, as well.

See DURA-Lite™ featured on Materialicious and check out all of the other innovative posts.

Did you know that semi-precious stones are rated like diamonds as the rough blocks are pulled out of the ground? The variances found in natural stone can affect the maximum panel sizes, structural properties, degree of light transmission, and aesthetic elements of your design visions. GPI president Thomas Lawrence discusses how to best utilize the design process to shape your natural stone selections.

In predicting the variances found in natural stone, one can only predict common background colors, or overall color shades. As a product of nature, it is these variances that identify natural stone from manmade stones; it is what sets natural stone apart from other design surfaces. Inherently, this can make for daunting approval processes & procedures found within the designer / client relationship. Quarries, suppliers and natural stone processors should use caution when supplying samples swatches of natural stones. .

Variances from one slab to the other can vary greatly in semi-precious natural stones such as:

• Quartz
• Onyx
• Alabaster

These stones produce dramatic and quite unique variances that can provide challenges to the quarry or supplier as predicting these variances can prove to be unreliable. It is suggested that overall tones be depicted through a general identifying name or color shade, ie, HONEY ONYX, MULTI-BROWN ONYX, VOLCANO ONYX, BLUE ONYX.

1. Once a general shade has been identified, clients should be made aware of the stones typical and most recognizable characteristics, i.e., striated veining, cloud type appearance, cross cut characteristics and vein cut characteristics alike. It is only by identifying the general color tone and then recognizing the stones typical characteristics can a semi-precious stone be identified more clearly.
2. The client should consider obtaining ACTUAL photographs of current stones being quarried at the time of approval, for approval.
3. Samples can then be obtained after a “hold” has been placed on the stone in question.
4. If then, it is approved; the stone then can be processed from the stock being held.

In many cases natural stones are given names. Beware; these generalizations are far too encompassing to provide any accuracy when attempting to select a stone for processing. For example, HONEY ONYX should only communicate the overall tone and base color for the stone. Among HONEY ONYX itself, we know of over 30 varieties with many different characteristics and tones. Selecting such a variety can only come from a recent digital image from a trusted and knowledgeable supplier or via personal visit to the quarry yard itself.

-By Thomas Lawrence, GPI President

FROM THE MARBLE INSTITUTE OF AMERICA:

"Onyx is often confused with marbles, yet it is a significantly different rock type. Onyx is a sedimentary rock, formed as stalactites and stalagmites in cave interiors. This formation method results in the cryptocrystalline construction of the rock fabric, and it is the size and uniformity of these crystals that contribute to the classic translucent property of most onyx varieties. Characteristics of quarried stone are dependent upon the attributes of the deposit from which the stone was extracted; each quarry is able to offer a range of products unique in dimensions, color, and structural properties to its deposit. Therefore, it is preferable that the designer and stone supplier collaborate closely prior to and throughout the design process since planning a project around readily available stone reduces the environmental impact of raw material extraction."

http://www.marble-institute.com/