Natural stone will form the focus of a dedicated programme of talks, films and case studies at the Stone & Surfaces Show, taking place at ExCeL London from 12–14 May. As the UK’s only trade exhibition with a section devoted entirely to natural stone, this year’s edition expands its educational offer across three venues. The Main Stage, Surfaces Cinema and Architects’ Theatre will examine stone’s role in contemporary construction, specification and low-carbon design.

Proceedings open with two Main Stage panel discussions moderated by George Clarke, exploring the growing interest in stone as a structural material. The first centres on the Stone Demonstrator at Earls Court, with contributions from Justin McGuirk of the Design Museum’s Future Observatory, Marcus Paine from Hutton Stone; engineer Eleonora Regni from Webb Yates; and Pierre Bidaud from the Stonemasonry Company. A second session examines the barriers to specifying structural stone at scale, bringing together architects, developers and researchers to discuss challenges around regulation, cost and industry knowledge.

Interior specification is also addressed through a panel led by Athena Stonecare, highlighting common issues around stone selection and maintenance in residential interiors. Case-study discussions then turn to recent projects advancing structural stone construction, including Trehus in Maidenhead, a timber-framed office building clad in natural stone and targeting a 40% reduction in embodied carbon compared with conventional steel construction. Amin Taha will also discuss Groupwork’s Finchley Road development, along with Steve Webb from engineers Webb Yates, and Ben Ayling from stone supplier Lundhs.

Trehus

The newly introduced Surfaces Cinema presents architectural photography and documentary film exploring the cultural and environmental narratives of stone. Photographer Chris Hopkinson will open the programme with a curated projection and short film documenting Portland stone quarrying. 

Milestone

Feature documentaries Milestone and Unlocking Indigenous Stone continue the theme, tracing the journey of stone from quarry to contemporary architecture while examining craftsmanship, material heritage and the potential for locally sourced stone in low-carbon construction.

Tideway, Hawkins\Brown

Architect-led presentations further demonstrate stone’s versatility across scales. Fieldwork Architects will discuss Wishing Well in Jersey, where locally quarried granite and limestone define a contemporary domestic interior, while Studio Folk founder Edward Powe and Hawkins\Brown partner Marko Neskovic present recent projects exploring stone detailing, materiality and urban landscape design.

Klaas De Rycke

At the Architects’ Theatre, engineers and designers focus on technical innovation and reuse. Speakers from Webb Yates present lightweight stone grid structures, while Bollinger+Grohmann partner Klaas De Rycke examines expanding structural applications for stone. CSK Architects will discuss projects centred on stone reuse, challenging conventional assumptions about lifecycle and permanence in construction.

Wishing Well

The expanded programme reflects a wider shift in how natural stone is understood within the built environment. “The programme highlights how this ancient material is increasingly vital to the future of low-carbon construction,” says Sam Patel, Divisional Director of the Built Environment Super Event, which brings together the Stone & Surfaces Show alongside UK Construction Week and Futurebuild at ExCeL London. 

Together, the co-located events aim to position natural stone not only as a traditional craft material, but as an active contributor to contemporary sustainable architecture.

To register for The Stone & Surfaces Show for free, visit https://forms.reg.buzz/ukcw-london-and-stone-show-2026/pr