Entramado de Piedra

A collaboration between Webb Yates, Lanik, and Rosal Stones, the installation challenges long-held assumptions about stone in construction.

Traditionally used for massive compression forms like arches and vaults, Entramado de Piedra reimagines the material as a lightweight, prestressed structural solution. Building on over a decade of stone research and development by Webb Yates, it makes a compelling case for stone as a forward-looking, structurally expressive material.

The pavilion’s doubly curved gridshell spans 8.5 by 7.2 metres, rising to a height of 3.6 metres at its peak. Its form is made up of 82 unique stone pieces of Abadía stone. This dolomitic limestone, quarried from the highlands of the Granada plateau, is characterized by its high mechanical strength, with compressive strength values reaching similar to those of structural steel, making it a high-quality material with strong potential for use in construction and civil engineering.

These pieces, crafted by Rosal Stones from recycled remnants originally intended for the Ama Petra project, have been cut with a tolerance of less than 2mm and assembled using Lanik’s Single Layer System nodes. Shaped to work primarily in compression, the stone itself carries the bulk of the load. To manage any tension forces that arise, a 10mm bar is grouted into the centre of each element. Every component has been precisely modelled and scheduled to meet the tight tolerances needed between nodes. Webb Yates and Lanik collaborated closely on the nodal connection details, adapting the existing system with minimal changes. Parametric modelling played a key role in developing a practical and buildable structure, helping the team fine-tune the interfaces between elements.

The pavilion demonstrates how stone can play a meaningful role in a low-carbon future. It shows that efficiency, durability, and beauty don’t need to be at odds. Prestressed stone provides strength and stiffness without relying on volume or mass, while steel is used only in tension. This hybrid approach significantly reduces material use and embodied carbon. Stone requires little processing, especially when reclaimed from offcuts or visually inconsistent stock.

ACHE’s International Congress of Structures is a triennial event that serves as a platform to showcase recent advancements and studies in structural engineering. The construction industry should treat stone less as a relic and more like a sensible alternative to concrete. With Spain’s rich stone resources and skilled industry, the country is uniquely placed to lead a revival in the contemporary use of natural stone in construction.

“In recent years as an industry we seem to have forgotten how to utilise form and structural stone. This structure is the perfect marriage of the two and shows what a world where flat concrete slabs are left behind could look like.”

— Dan Cole, Associate Engineer at Webb Yates.