Stone Architecture: Stone between Construction and Cover

In different periods of history of architecture, stone was used in many different ways. At first it was a building and constructional element, nowadays it is first of all a material for covering orizontal and vertical surfaces. Always, today and in the past it was clear that one should respect simple and logical tectonic rules in the case of composing more complicated forms, usually called connections. This composition can be very simple, for example drywalling system, where weight and friction assure stability, or more complicated, where a new material, so called »mediator« keeps tight contact between two elements (tones). These mediators are: malter, sealer, washer... Detailing in stone is thus simple and logical tectonic method. It is developed from phisical and chemical characteristics of stone but also from tools which enable treating of these stones. At stone architecture and its exsistence in the sense of changing its original characteristics one should consider and prevent rottenness of the stones because of phisical and chemical influences. This rottenness is because of aggressiveness of the air and because of different weather influences the most dangereous enemy of using stone as architectural or building material. This is the most important reason that using stone in todays architecture becomes more and more risky but with modern methods and measures of protection not impossible.