BUFALINI AND THE FUTURE OF LAVA STONE: DESIGN AND REUSABILITY

Images courtesy of Bufalini

Arcaica and Vulcanico by Paolo Ulian

Bufalini’s presentations of ARCAICA and VULCANICO during Milano Design Week 2025 changed the conversation about material and shape.  Paolo Ulian’s experimental designs investigate marble’s unique properties and transformative possibilities, while also highlighting the material’s innate beauty.  The Thinking in Marble 2025 series was shown in Galleria Rossana Orlandi, a well-known meeting place for design and art, which provided an ideal setting for this novel research into materiality.

ARCAICA: THE BOOKCASE THAT REDEFINES RAW MATERIAL
To reduce production time and interventions, Paolo Ulian’s Arcaica bookcase uses an efficient manufacturing process to split a single block of lava stone into two modules.  To increase stone efficiency and decrease material waste, the cylindrical offcuts created during this technique are gathered and used in the Pixel vase series.  This circular approach demonstrates Ulian’s commitment to natural resource conservation and sustainable design principles.

Presented by Magran Living

VULCANICO: CENTERPIECES THAT TURN WASTE INTO ART
The first piece of marble, called the buccia or crost, is used by designer Paolo Ulian to create useful items for his Vulcanico centerpieces. The project only uses waterjet technology for perimeter cutting, which is a minimal but significant intervention. The centerpiece’s upper surface still has the stone’s natural split, but its outer shape is defined by a delicate striped design. By serving as functional features that hold bread, fruit, or other foods, the hollows establish a clear link between the material and its daily application. The project restores marble’s inherent beauty and its capacity for environmentally friendly manufacturing.