Another edition of “Sustainable Education Projects within the natural Stone Sector”, which are being organized by Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association with an aim to bring architecture and interior architecture students together with the natural stone sector and to offer an in-depth look at natural stones, was held on December 25, at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Faculty of Architecture, Department of Interior Architecture. In the scope of the programme, natural stone was introduced to future interior architects. They were informed of choosing natural stones, of which we hold a wide spectrum of colors and patterns. Delivered by Zeynep Dilara Meşe in order to introduce the activities of Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association, the first presentation featured information on the sector and further emphasized the importance of natural stones both for Turkey and the world economy. The presentation delivered by Ahmet Bilal Uzkuç on the other hand gave place to detailed explanations on natural stones and their productions. Afterwards, Assoc. Prof. Nimet Öztank delivered a speech for students entitled “Natural Stone and Marble Use and Trends in Interior Design”. Following the presentations, a workshop study has been carried out with an aim to teach students the design and implementation of natural stone and marble flooring and wall cladding. The students were assigned a hotel project and asked to determine their concepts and accordingly design the entrance, reception and lobby spaces by using natural stones. The workshop gave place to more detailed information on whether the stone/stones that the students chose according to their design concepts were suited to the space, which surface treatment techniques they could use, what other coating materials they could use together with natural stones, along with color and pattern alternatives of stones of Turkey. In the light of these pieces of information, students have visualized their designs through hand-drawing and drawing softwares.
