STONE IN POLISH DESIGN 1

At this year’s 4 Design Days Fair in Katowice, attention was drawn to the offer of the MGK Marmur Granit Kisielewski stone company. The company’s proposals perfectly the environment of design and presented to architects – as well as private individuals – stone in an advanced form of processing. They were stone heaters and tables in which stone was combined with resin.

In an interview, we asked Robert Kisielewski about his ideas and the way to implement such advanced forms as well as perspectives for these products.

Darek Wawrzynkiewicz : What is the history of the company?
My father started the company in 1992. From the very beginning, it dealt almost exclusively with building masonry. Tombstones were – and still are – single projects, maybe three or four a year. Our projects can be seen in churches and Orthodox churches – both new and renovated. In practice, we have worked in many temples in our region. We have also worked in other regions all over Poland. Of course, we have performed and still do the typical jobs: bathrooms, floors, kitchen worktops and fireplaces.

DW: Where did the idea for the products presented at this event come from?
RK: Just about two years ago, we came up with the idea to enrich the offer with some less typical products. It was then that the idea of making heaters arose. Such heaters had been on the market before, but we owned the machinery and we wanted to use its capabilities.

My wife, my brother and me – the three of us responsible for the projects – are trained architects, so we wanted to give these heaters a more sophisticated form. We have seen advanced design forms of heaters made of other materials on the market. These were very interesting propositions, and knowing that we had both the possibilities and the will, we decided to give the topic a go.

Last year, we started to cooperate with the Faculty of Architecture at the Białystok University of Technology. A group of young designers came to see our factory and learned about the processing possibilities offered by modern machinery and the limitations of stone. After such training, students set out to design heaters. The best project was realized (it’s the one made of white marble) and included in our offer. The great advantage of these meetings is also the fact that young designers got to know the possibilities of using stone – in the future they won’t be afraid to use it in their projects. We hope for the cooperation to continue.

We had some technical difficulties when constructing prototypes. But now we have heaters ready for both the electric and water heating systems. After many attempts, we made the mount based on the Keep-Nut system. We also had some problems with finding good co-operators who would be able to make the heating part in appropriate quality. It isn´t a cheap product, so the customer must receive it in its most professional and maintenance-free design.

The first prototypes were made almost a year ago. And it was immediately decided that this product should be widely advertised and displayed. Only in this way will it reach a wide range of potential customers. Hence the idea to put them on display here in Katowice.

DW: How do you assess the impacts?
RK: We are really impressed. We´ve had a lot of contacts here at the fair. They like the products and a few conversations give good sales prospects. Among those interested were owners of stores selling heaters. But there were many architects and private persons willing to see them in their projects to boot.

Source: Kurier kamieniarski

Author: Dariusz Wawrzynkiewicz | Published: 21 March 2019