Natural stone is one of the most durable building materials. However, quarries leave many stone blocks unused because of their size or shape. Fluid Stone, created by architect and researcher Vlad Tenu in collaboration with Italian stone producer Cereser Marmi, gives this material a new purpose. The project combines quarry waste, computational design and robotic fabrication to create a modular stone system for architecture and design.

The installation debuted during Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 at the EH Smith Design Centre in London. It showed how reclaimed limestone can become furniture, interior partitions, façades and structural elements through a single modular system.

Strength Through Intelligent Geometry

Vlad Tenu began the research behind Fluid Stone at the Bartlett School of Architecture in 2009. Since then, he has explored computational geometry, advanced fabrication and material innovation. Early prototypes used paper, Perspex, aluminium and timber before the research expanded to natural stone.

Instead of relying on thick, heavy blocks, Fluid Stone gains strength through its geometry. The design places material only where it is structurally needed. As a result, relatively thin stone elements form strong, self-supporting structures while using less material.

The modules follow the concept of Minimal Porosity. Their form takes inspiration from the Schwarz P surface, a mathematical geometry that also appears in the microscopic structure of sea urchin skeletons. This porous design distributes structural loads efficiently while allowing light and air to pass through.

Robotic Fabrication Gives Quarry Waste New Value

Cereser Marmi manufactured the installation in Verona using reclaimed blocks of San Sebastian limestone from Croatia. The company selected stone that would normally remain underused during the quarrying process.

A CNC robotic arm carved each module directly from digital design files. This manufacturing method produces complex forms with high precision. It also allows designers to explore stone geometries that traditional fabrication methods cannot easily achieve.

A Circular Stone System for Multiple Applications

Fluid Stone applies circular design principles beyond material reuse. The interlocking modules fit together without creating a fixed composition. Designers can disassemble, relocate and reconfigure them for future projects, extending the life of the material.

Rather than creating a single installation, Tenu developed a flexible design system. The same modules can form lighting, furniture, room dividers, interior features, architectural screens and building envelopes.

The porous geometry adds practical benefits as well. It filters daylight, supports natural ventilation, creates privacy and gives surfaces visual depth. At the same time, the project reconnects structure and ornament in contemporary stone architecture. Each module combines structural performance with sculptural expression.

Fluid Stone demonstrates how reclaimed natural stone, computational design and robotic fabrication can reduce material waste while expanding the design possibilities of one of the world’s oldest construction materials.

Source & images: Vlad Tenu