Building Stone Magazine – Spring 2019

MM Galleri’s new marble showroom in Singapore is far from typical. The Indonesian-based company, which is a stone producer/ quarrier, distributor, fabricator, and manufacturer of high-end stone furniture for clients like Janus Et Cie. De Don and Kajima, partnered with designer Budi Kurniawan to create the whimsical design that is reminiscent of the underworld of the Great Barrier Reef located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The design demonstrates how MM Galleri’s groundbreaking technology of bending marble has the capabilities of transforming an empty space into a sophisticated fantasy world influenced by Disney’s animated movie “Finding Nemo.”
The design concept was fueled by the desire to dispel the perceptions that marble is unyielding and heavy. Designer Budi Kurniawan explained that the showroom design was inspired by the story of “Finding Nemo” and intended to
reflect underwater life. “Along with the emergence of technology, we created a design concept to realize the dream.

Taken from sequences where Merlin (Nemo’s father) and Dory (his father’s friend) are looking for missing Nemo, we created an organic cocoon to imitate the underwater experiences inside the showroom. We also take moments, starting from when Nemo goes to school with friends, gurgling and exploring the underwater world surrounded with corals and other sea creatures. There’s also a garden which represents corals, sea creatures and underwater life. Those are parts of our inspiration for this ‘Bent and Light’ project.”