Willy Hafner’s last attempt: do it better! The craftsman has a chance if he masters his craft; with his hands, mind and passion.

What can I write after 30 years? Good form as decency, as former German President Theodor Heuss put it back in 1956, still hasn’t won us over; neither in the stonemasonry trade nor in furniture stores. Quite the opposite! The shapes follow what is fun, the slabs are polished smooth on the surface and many new houses just pretend to be old castles; in Berlin and elsewhere.

Natural stone has become a trend product. Niche, that was once. The “everyday world of stone” is full of opportunities. Many want to profit from the boom in natural STEIN. Craftsmen beware that others will not be back in the business of beautiful STEIN tomorrow. It’s not what you do with it that counts. It depends on who makes something out of it.

Until a few years ago, craftsmanship was considered dusty and backward-looking. Today, craftsmanship always has a chance if it remains craftsmanship and the craftsman reflects the world in which his customers live. Customers today are looking for an application concept for their chosen material. The craftsman has a chance if he masters his craft; with his hand, with his mind and with passion. Master craftsman, that was once upon a time. The old master stands for reproducible, i.e. learnable knowledge. That is no longer enough! The master must become an expert. The expert sees the difference, the possible variations. Today, craftsmanship offers more opportunities than many people thought 30 years ago. Today, real craftsmanship often begins at the computer screen and ends in machine production. Technology makes the master. However, the demands on the products have remained the same. They have to convince your customers; in their form, in their function and in their price. Just as the Swabian Heuss once said. Communication and marketing are one thing, skills and their mastery are another.

By the way: This was a last attempt. Just do it better!

Willy Hafner on the craft and its potential in STEIN in January 2014.

Picture: Richard Watzke

Passages that meet the requirements for accessibility, escape routes and fire protection are a challenge for planners. The manufacturer Hörmann offers the “AS30-X/FR” for this purpose.

A particular challenge for architects and planners are passageways that meet the requirements for accessibility, escape routes and fire protection and must also support a bright and glazed design. The manufacturer Hörmann offers the “AS30-X/FR”, a combination of the “AD 100-X” automatic sliding door and the “HE 321” fire door with T30 aluminum tubular frame elements.

In normal or daytime operation, the tubular frame elements are open and the automatic sliding door acts as an escape route. In emergency and night mode, the sliding door opens automatically and remains open. The tubular frame elements close automatically and prevent the spread of fire, but can be opened using the lever handle so that the passage can be used as an escape route in an emergency. The system also has burglar-resistant RC 2 equipment and insulates sound in the building.