Terrazzo’s Sustainable Design Strategy: Integrating Tradition, Reuse, and Innovation
In a context where sustainability and material identity are becoming priorities in architecture, some ancient materials are finding new life. Terrazzo, with origins dating back to the 15th century, stands out as an example of how tradition can fuel innovation. The modern form, as we know it today, emerged in 15th-century Venice, Italy, when Venetian mosaic workers, seeking to make use of marble scraps, began incorporating these irregular fragments into mortar to create durable and visually appealing surfaces for terraces around their homes. This approach not only minimized raw material waste but also led to the development of new surface-finishing techniques, evolving from manual stone rubbing to the use of a heavy, long-handled grinding stone known as a galera.
Cortesia de Foresso
In a context where sustainability and material identity are becoming priorities in architecture, some ancient materials are finding new life. Terrazzo, with origins dating back to the 15th century, stands out as an example of how tradition can fuel innovation. The modern form, as we know it today, emerged in 15th-century Venice, Italy, when Venetian mosaic workers, seeking to make use of marble scraps, began incorporating these irregular fragments into mortar to create durable and visually appealing surfaces for terraces around their homes. This approach not only minimized raw material waste but also led to the development of new surface-finishing techniques, evolving from manual stone rubbing to the use of a heavy, long-handled grinding stone known as a galera.
