Macalloy | "Somethinging"- Sculpture

Products used : M20 Tension rod systems & Turnbuckles – 1030 post tensioning bars

Background:

The Architecture Biennale in Venice is one of the most prestigious international exhibitions dedicated to architecture. It is part of the larger Venice Biennale, an organization that also hosts similar events for art, cinema, music, theatre, and dance.

The Biennale explores contemporary architecture’s most urgent themes such as sustainability, housing, climate change, migration, and identity, through national pavilions, thematic exhibitions, and installations.

“Lithic Chords” is an installation featured at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Carlo Ratti , situated in the Arsenale, Venice.

This project is a collaboration between by creative architect Cristina Morbi, https://maetherea.com structural engineer Francesco Banchini and sound artist Andrea Granitzio. It uniquely combines repurposed stone materials with interactive sound elements to create an immersive experience.

This installation is also featured in an article by the UCL https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/cristina-morbi-exhibits-lithic-chords-2025-venice-architecture-biennale

One of the world’s most picturesque and distinctive towns, Venice, serves as a backdrop for this breathtaking architectural marvel. The installation centres on the transformation of salvaged stone into a striking architectural shape . By integrating sound, “Lithic Chords” invites visitors to engage with the materials not just visually but also audibly.

Macalloy Involement : The stone was supported by a combinations of tension rod systems and turnbuckles , then two large 1030 post-tensioning bars run through the centre of the stone to pull all the stone parts together.

Photographs courtesy of Maetherea -ph Gunther Galligioni