Matières
29 avril 2022
Par Goodmoods et Plendi par Vinci Construction.
The Materials Library – Every month, Goodmoods investigates the materials of the moment with Plendi by Vinci Construction, a general contractor specialising in exceptional projects that juggle rare materials and unique know-how.
For some years now, onyx-marble – not to be confused with the black agate of the same name – has been available in all its forms and veins in contemporary material libraries. The stone, which is formed by successive layers of aragonite and calcite, differs from marble in its translucent ribbon-like grain, but is similar in its malleable and polishable limestone formation.
Noble et majestueuse, la pierre froide ne laisse pas de marbre. Récemment, elle devient même le matériau privilégié des nouveaux créatifs. Rose, jade, turquoise, bleu, ivoire… Ses tonalités luxueuses et ses veines contrastées sont utilisées avec goût et opulence dans l’architecture d’intérieur, le design, le retail et même la mode en trompe-l’œil. Onyx is the new mabre !
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Composition
Aragonite + calcite
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Grain
Gradation
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Specificity
Translucid
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Tones
Sweetened
Onyx from floor to ceiling
Paved with onyx from floor to ceiling, modern kitchens and bathrooms are transformed into architectural gems. On counters, washbasins, bathtubs and paving, the precious stone establishes its delicacy with a unique and refined veining.
The latest example: the kitchen of a Bavarian house designed by the Liaigre studio. The green Italian onyx is used in rigorous monolithic blocks that contrast with the smoothness of the colours.
Objects engraved in onyx
Contemporary designers are leaving behind the classic black and white marble and turning to the fascinating shades of onyx. They explore the natural sensuality and beauty of translucent limestone in luminous and stunningly sumptuous creations.
Among them, the Singaporean designer Nathan Yong signs stools, benches, chairs, tables and shelves inspired by brutalism that counteract the rigidity of the material by bending it to the surface to avoid the waste of sculpture.
Then there’s Milanese metal sculptor Gianluca Pacchioni, who fuses his favourite materials – steel, bronze, brass and aluminium – with more sophisticated onyx than ever before.
In the work of Mexican artist Adrian Cruz, onyx meets coloured resin and displays the material’s luminescent capabilities in a series of lamps inspired by the calcified waterfalls of Mexico. Translucent properties can also be seen in the singular creations of Erik Olovsson, this time through another mineral: quartz.
Retail adds its stone to the building
As brands try to distinguish themselves with ever more Instagrammable shops, retail spaces are adorned with carefully machined and polished onyx. At Glossier in a boudoir pink, at Céline and Ozlana in an ice blue, at Forte Forte in an acid emerald version… Onyx and coloured marble compose poetically minimalist settings that convey a luxurious brand image.
When fashion gets involved
The fashion sphere never misses an opportunity to appropriate aesthetics or imitate nature. In their latest collections, fashion designers are embracing the captivating properties of onyx. The result: at Fendi, Mame Kurogouchi, Louis Gabriel Nouchi and Ozlana, the marbling and veining of the stone are being used with originality in men’s and women’s wardrobes.
A deciphering imagined with the complicity of Plendi by Vinci Construction, which juggles with rare materials and singular know-how for its exceptional achievements.
