Translating Tradition: The Enduring Role of Natural Stone in Portugal
- Daniel Picco
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
June 2025 – by Daniel Picco
Portugal has long been a country shaped by stone. From the iconic black-and-white calçada sidewalks to the granite curbs, fountains, and historic facades found in cities like Lisbon and Porto, natural stone has always been more than just a material; it’s the cultural fabric.
What’s remarkable is how this age-old tradition continues to thrive in a modern context. During a recent visit to Portugal, we had the opportunity to tour some of the country’s leading stone fabricators, Polimagra, ALS, LSI, and Solancis. We saw firsthand how the legacy of stone craft lives on. These companies combine generations of local knowledge with state-of-the-art technology to produce refined, high-performance stone elements for today’s architecture.
While the methods and tools have evolved, the underlying value remains the same: stone is durable, sustainable, unique and expressive. Where once it framed church windows or paved narrow streets, now it finds new life as rainscreen façades, precision-cut panels, and intricate CNC-milled elements used in both traditional and contemporary buildings around the world.
Stone continues to be used for everyday infrastructure. Sidewalks, curbs, and public steps, just as it always has been. What has changed is our ability to adapt it to a wider variety of design goals. With thoughtful design, proper detailing, and engineering, natural stone can complement both historic and modern architecture alike.
Portugal’s use of stone, both traditional and contemporary, serves as a reminder - no matter how it’s used, there’s always a right place for natural stone when it’s engineered and designed with intention.
For more information contact: daniel.picco@piccogroup.com Project Manager at PICCO Engineering
Daniel has proudly been with PICCO Engineering since 2016. In addition to connection and anchorage design, Daniel works directly with clients ensuring all preferences, site conditions and best practices are met. His keen attention to detail provides our clients with the confidence and comfort to successfully deliver projects. Daniel holds a diploma in Architectural Technology from Sheridan College.