In italy, where the world’s finest marble has been quarried for millennia, a unique project aims to transform marble industry’s "remains" – its waste – into objects of enduring beauty and innovative design. An exploratory project by Payam Askari in collaboration with Omniaworks and unveiling first at Matter & Shape 2025, transcends the simple act of recycling; it’s a poetic reclamation of discarded fragments, a metamorphosis of the past into the future. These ‘remains’ collected from zones in queries knows as 'cimitero' or marble cemeteries , aptly describe the desolate landscapes where mountains of discarded marble shards, slabs, and offcuts accumulate. These remnants, once deemed worthless, bear silent witness to the ageold industry of of marble extraction, a testament to time’s passage and the inevitable cycle of creation and decay.

The first series of the REMAINS project features three main pieces along with several small objects. Presented as initial prototypes at MATTER & SHAPE 2025, this collection is crafted from found marble scraps. Each piece stands out with customizable dimensions and colors, allowing it to be tailored to the unique characteristics of the materials discovered and special requests. The collection includes a range of designs that not only highlight the beauty of reclaimed marble but also emphasize individuality and creativity in each piece.”

MATTER and SHAPE
7 - 10 March 2025
Jardin de Tuileries
Paris