The Best Communicator Award 2026 celebrated creativity, innovation and communication excellence at the 60th edition of Marmomac, recognising companies, designers and creative practitioners exploring new ways of presenting and interpreting natural stone.
The awards ceremony took place at The Bedrock in Hall 10 during Marmomac in Verona, bringing together distinctions covering exhibition design, technology, natural stone and contemporary creative practices.
The Exhibitor Awards
The Exhibitor Award – Visions was presented to Antolini, recognising its exhibition concept and approach to presenting natural stone.
The Exhibitor Award – Technology went to Biesse and GMM, highlighting their approach to technology and innovation within the stone sector.
The Exhibitor Award – Natural Stone was awarded to Sezgin Marble, recognising its presentation centred on the material itself.
These awards focus on the ways exhibitors communicate their identity, products and relationship with natural stone through their presence at Marmomac.
Stone Gamechangers
The Stone Gamechanger category recognises creative practices that explore new relationships between natural stone and contemporary culture, design and artistic research.
Three distinctions were presented in the 2026 edition:
- Elmgreen & Dragset Studio – Stone Gamechanger
- Objects of Common Interest – Stone Gamechanger
- Parasite 2.0 – Stone Gamechanger
The three recognitions reflect different approaches to expanding the role of natural stone beyond its traditional applications and bringing the material into contemporary creative and cultural contexts.
Special mentions
The Special Mention IUSVE was awarded to STR, while Paolo Ulian received the Special Mention Mentorship.
Together, the awards recognise different ways of bringing natural stone into contemporary culture, from exhibition design and technological innovation to artistic research, design and new approaches to the material.
The 2026 jury was composed of Maddalena Padovani, Silvia Nani, Ilenia Carlesimo and Aurelio Chinellato.
The ceremony was hosted by Paolo Stella and attended by Giovanni Sacripante, General Manager of Veronafiere, and Francesca Zivelonghi, Event Manager of Marmomac.
Through the Best Communicator Award 2026, Marmomac highlights how natural stone continues to be explored not only as a material for architecture and construction, but also as a medium for new ideas, contemporary design and cultural expression.
