The future of concrete reimagined!
The "Pierre Liquide" (liquid stone) project, initiated by Cookies, explores sustainable possibilities for concrete beyond traditional cement-based forms. "Amer Géologique," a piece of art and part of this project, innovatively uses discarded Rose de la Clarté quarry material to create granite concrete. Amer Géologique, intentionally placed in the heart of the Rose de la Clarté quarry at Perros-Guirec near the Pink Granite Coast in Bretagne (FR).
Amer Géologique, Cookies 2023
Quarries of Rose de la Clarté Granite, Superficial layer of detrital granite, locally called perré.
Project site, on the granite massif of La Clarté, overlooking the disused quarries, active quarries, and in the distance, the pink granite coast.
Placement of "the perré" in the formwork
By utilizing rammed earth techniques, Rose de la Clarté ‘perré’ material – a blend of granite pebbles and clay – is transformed into a durable construction substance, potentially reshaping our approach to building with stone. The project aims to redefine our relationship with stone extraction and construction using mineral matter.
Its exploration of novel potentials for granite as a construction material could revolutionize the industry. Importantly, the project highlights that if granite extraction were to halt, granite concrete would remain readily available in vast quantities, requiring minimal technological resources for harvesting and implementation.
"Amer Géologique" stands as a testament to the architectural promise held within this local manifestation of Pierre Liquide. Overall, this innovative approach signifies a potential shift towards more sustainable and versatile forms of concrete in the future.
The base and the top of the artwork Amer Géologique are crafted from Rose de la Clarté granite material, as this granite material also forms the foundation of the granite concrete.
Headpiece of Amer Géologique in granite Rose de la Clarté
Amer Géologique, Cookies 2023
This project is developed with the support of Mondes Nouveaux / French Ministry of Culture
Concept: Cookies (Alice Grégoire, Clément Périssé, Federico Martelli)
Engineering: Frédéric Bourgeon - Horizons Transition
Masonry: Grégory Bosy - Maison en Terre and Stéphanie Brindel - Terre 2 mains
Material characterization: Vincent Corbard
Formworks: Camille Cervera
Stone Carving: Atelier St Thomas, Pierre Malissin
Download article about the project, published in 'Les Cahiers Techniques du Bâtiment'
About Rose de la Clarté
Paving in Rose de la Clarté - Perpignan (FR)
The aesthetic value of Rose de la Clarté
The coarse-grained, pink-red Rose de la Clarté granite is extracted from our own quarries in Brittany (Perros-Guirec) This beautiful stone is processed into tiles, kerbstones, and other products. This unique and distinctive French natural stone lends public paving projects a unique look and feel.
Granit de Bretagne
All our quarries of Rose de la Clarté have received regional recognition from the accredited certification body Certipaq and now proudly bear the certificate IG (Indication Géographique) Granit de Bretagne.
The quarry
Since 1976, the quarry has been extracting Rose de la Clarté natural stone from the Ploumanac’h granite basin. Although this basin has had a rich history of extraction for centuries, there are only two companies still active there today, including SAG, which is owned by Brachot.
The material
Rose de la Clarté is a coarse-grained pink-red granite with a homogeneous appearance. Our range includes standard blocks and slabs in Rose de la Clarté.