Celebrate “Marmoreal” Day With 7 White-Marble Marvels

Marble has long been a staple of art and architecture alike, and its popularity has scarcely waned despite the availability of alternatives and approximations. David Chipperfield, for one, is known for his masterful use of the material, which is at once luxurious and understated, not to mention classical and beautiful. Meanwhile the Taj Mahal is among the most famous white-marble building in the world, as are many of Washington, D.C.’s landmarks: the Washington Monument (the world’s tallest stone structure), the Lincoln Memorial and Supreme Court Building.

Indeed, marble abides as a reliably robust yet elegant material in contemporary applications, especially in those regions where the building material is quarried, around the Mediterranean. Here are seven examples of buildings that are tastefully clad in white marble.

Groenlândia by Triptyque Architecture, São Paulo, Brazil

The cubic volume of this office stands out among its wooded surroundings. A concrete slab is cantilevered over the wraparound deck on the second story.

The Cleveland Museum of Art by Rafael Viñoly Architects, Cleveland

Rafael Viñoly was tapped for the second addition to Hubbell and Benes’ original 1916 Beaux-Arts design, following an expansion by Marcel Breuer in 1971. The Uruguayan architect splits the difference between the two aesthetics with broad bands of white marble alternating with thin black stripes, a nod to the rather darker Breuer wing. Effectively doubling the size of the museum, to 592,000 square feet, the project opened in three phases from 2009 to 2013.

Argul Weave by BINAA | Building Innovation Arts Architecture, Bursa Province, Turkey

This office building invites a second look, as its “woven” exterior is actually made from white Patara marble, from Burdur, Turkey. The red marble at the foundation comes from the Turkish Aegean region.

School Center Paredes Alenquer by Andre Espinho Arquitectura, Alenquer, Portugal

This school is characterized by a long white volume that sits atop four darker wings perpendicular to the second story below. The marble makes a striking contrast with the slate, both of which are sourced in Estremoz.

Metal and Marble by MG2 Architetture, Turin, Italy

In addition to the two titular materials, the exterior also features wood paneling, which complements the grayish-white Carrara marble and the dark gray titanium-zinc panels.