Jonathan Foote & Ula Kozminska - Case of the Quarried Stone

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week, we will bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We, as designers, have an opportunity to do better.

The architectural endeavour yields two distinctive outcomes, the addition of a building and the subtraction of a void. As construction takes shape -a curated assembly of materials, a corresponding void emerges in a location where these materials originally sourced, generally from elsewhere in the world. For years, designers have only been asked to consider result one: the building. But we've entered an age where architecture can no longer look over the impact of where and how materials are exploited.

In this episode, we speak with Architects and academics, Jon Foote & Ula Kozminska from Aarhus University in Denmark. Our conversation centres around a fascinating paradigm shift in construction—what they term as 'The New Stone Age.' where architects are again considering the ancient benefits of stone, fuelled by a contemporary sustainability agenda. Jonathan and Ula share recent projects exploring the reintroduction of load-bearing stone, questioning the possibility of creating modern stone buildings without steel, structure, and cladding, hearkening back to traditional methods.

Their research prompts critical questions about transitioning to a more custodial form of extraction, aiming to reduce reliance on materials like steel, concrete, and wood—industries often grounded in extractivist principles. For example, they highlight the paradoxical process of concrete: limestone is crushed and burnt, losing 60% of structural strength and therefore requiring steel reinforcement. In contrast, stone, relatively abundant, and with its lower carbon footprint, emerges as a more sustainable option. Yet, the current focus of the stone industry is on decoration—benchtops, basins, facades, and finishes— We have forgotten how to use stone in a way it performs best.

Jonathan and Ula stress the need to scrutinize extraction practices, not just to reduce material consumption but also to reimagine responsible approaches to altered landscapes. They emphasize visualizing the connection between buildings and the landscapes where materials are sourced. Together, we explore the potential of natural stone in architecture as an ecology—caring for both what is taken and what is left behind. 

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, and made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association in Copenhagen.  Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guests Jon and Ula for challenging extractivism, and envisioning a future where our buildings not only stand the test of time, but also stand in harmony with the landscapes they emerge from. Let’s watch this space and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find ‘The Art of Living’, ‘Architects Abroad, and ‘The Power of Two’, at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you’d like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the   Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore and Hilary Duff. Music by Blue Dot Sessions released under Creative Commons Licencing.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.