Brazilian natural stones inspire architects at CASACOR Ceará
Drawing on his experience with projects across 14 countries, Junior Andrade chatted with architecture and design professionals at an event hosted by Centrorochas and ApexBrasil.
Brazilian natural stones took center stage during a cocktail party that brought together over 30 architects and designers at CASACOR Ceará, in the city of Fortaleza on October 27.
The initiative was part of It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, a sectoral promotion project developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). The initiative is part of a strategy to engage with professionals who influence the selection of materials used in architecture and interior design projects, aiming to expand the presence of Brazilian stones in both domestic and international markets.
The cocktail party was held at Bar do Fonte, a space within the exhibition designed by architect Rodrigo Maia, who reinterpreted Belle Époque influences in a contemporary setting. The quartzite Patagônia, supplied by Granos, features prominently on the counter and on other elements throughout the space, with veins and contrasts that contribute to the visual identity of the project. During the chat, Junior Andrade, the CEO of JR Andrade Arquitetura, shared insights from his work on projects across 14 countries.
With over 1,200 cataloged varieties and the greatest geodiversity in the world, Brazil offers a wide range of colors, patterns, and textures to suit different architectural concepts. Introducing this repertoire to specifiers is one of the key areas of It's Natural, aimed at creating new opportunities for Brazilian materials.
Centrorochas was represented by its superintendent, Giovanni Francischetto, and by sectoral analyst Júlia Mueller. Also in attendance were Flávia Milaneze and Nathália Neves, from Milanez & Milaneze (a company within the VeronaFiere Group), and Renata and David Silveira, from Granos. Both companies provided support for the event.
About It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone
It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone is an export promotion program developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). The program aims to encourage and increase exports of Brazilian natural stones, through a set of strategic internationalization actions with initiatives geared towards promotion, strengthening of the image and development of the industry in the global market. Companies interested in being part of the project must visit https://podio.com/webforms/26378838/1995038 to register for free.
About Centrorochas
Founded in 2004, the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) is the national representative body for the Brazilian natural stone industry. Operating in 17 states, with a network of over 470 member and supported companies, it represents and coordinates one of the leading natural stone producing and exporting sectors in the world. The organization works to defend the interests and strengthen the competitiveness of the production chain, promoting dialogue with government authorities, institutions, and strategic partners. Its initiatives encompass sector development, sustainability, innovation, market intelligence and knowledge, training, trade promotion, and internationalization, contributing to enhancing the competitiveness and expanding the presence of Brazilian natural stones in Brazil and abroad.
About ApexBrasil
The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and to attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. To achieve these objectives, the Agency carries out several trade promotion activities aimed at promoting exports and valuing Brazilian products and services abroad. They include prospective and trade missions, rounds of negotiations, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, and visits of foreign buyers and opinion formers to learn about the Brazilian production structure, among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the Brazil brand. The Agency also works in coordination with public and private actors to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil, focusing on strategic sectors, aiming at the development of competitiveness of Brazilian companies and of the country.