After unveiling an all-marble room, costing $3 million, at Chin Bee Avenue in Singapore on January 26, MM Galleri is exploring myriad ways to further tap on its patented “bended marble” technology, which opens up vast possibilities for commercial collaborations encompassing various spaces. “We are in collaboration with an interior designer to dress up a premium fashion store at Changi Airport which will be unveiled in a couple of months,” said Peter Tjioe, MM Galleri’s Creative Director.
The Indonesian has connections with architects, product developers, interior designers and furniture dealers all over the world and he is looking at the possibilities of tie-ups with them. “Now they can harness the usage of marble without the limitations of heavy, rigid and high cost,” said the 57-year-old. “They can now enjoy the beauty of marble as a light, flexible and cost-effective material.”
The advantage for MM Galleri is that it possesses “bended marble” technology – the process of slicing marble to thin dimensions and then curving it to any desired shape and attaching it to any material including metal, wood, epoxy-based surfaces or a combination of materials. This process can be applied on any sort of surface, curved or straight, from walls to furniture, lighting and even clothing.
“This revolutionary technology heralds a new world of possibilities on the shape and applications of marble – the only limitation is our imagination,” said Surabaya-born Peter, who has a Master of Science degree from Wayne State University in the United States.
MM Galleri has been a pioneer in the marble, furniture design and manufacturing sectors for the past 25 years. The “bended marble” technology is the result of its in-house innovation. Usually a piece of marble is heavy and rigid and can be fragile, breaking into pieces if not handled properly. “With our new technology, we have conquered these obstacles,” said Peter. “We can make almost everything from marble without it breaking and the more important thing is we promote a culture of ecologically sustainable marble quarrying.”
According to Peter, this technology helps reduce costs drastically. “It produces authentic, beautiful and refined marble fixtures and furniture at a fraction of the cost that is spent on traditional marble cutting and chiselling a mammoth solid block of stone,” he said. “It reduces the usage of marble by up to 90 per cent in its applications and production process. It totally minimises wastage as the technology only ‘extracts’ what is needed to clad the surface of fixtures or furniture.”
Bearing testament to the technology, every inch of the “bended marble” showroom in Singapore is curved – marble is used to clad over wooden structures and frames to form curved walls and ceilings. The showroom also showcases the world’s first furniture collection made with the same technology. The collection comprises sophisticated statement pieces, including a reception counter, curved benches, tables, chairs and even a bathtub. These pieces have been enhanced with lights from within – to create a glowing aura.
“Application of bended marble is limitless,” said Peter. “With this technology, we are stamping our authority and reinforcing our position as the trailblazer and leader of the industry, not only in Asia Pacific but the world.”
