THE OPEN BRIEF

1 of 5 · Who you are

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Who you are

So we know whose answer this is. We won't publish it.

Your name NEEDED

Where do you work?OPTIONALPractice, firm or company name.

Your work email NEEDEDOnly so we can come back to you. We won't share it.

Which city do you work from? NEEDED

Where are your projects, mostly?OPTIONALHelps us work out delivery range from Vijayapura.

Vijayapura & North KarnatakaHubballi–DharwadBelagaviKalaburagi / BidarBengaluruCoastal KarnatakaMaharashtraGoaTelangana / AndhraElsewhere in India

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What kind of work do you do? NEEDED

ArchitectureLandscapeUrban designConsultancyDeveloperGovernmentContractorSomething else

Your work today

What you use now, and where it lets you down.

How many jobs a year involve paving or kerbs? NEEDED

1–45–910–1920 or more

How much paving does a typical job need?OPTIONALRough is fine. This is how we size batches and plan stock.

Under 500 sq m500 – 2,000 sq m2,000 – 10,000 sq mOver 10,000 sq mVaries far too much to say

Who actually places the order?OPTIONALWe need to know whether to sell through dealers or direct.

I specify, the contractor buysThe client buys directMy practice buysA dealer or stockist supplies itChanges every project

Have you specified premium architectural paving before?OPTIONAL

Premium / architectural pavingColour-shaded, blasted or textured units with a pigmented face layer — specified for how they look, not just what they cost. Usually two to four times the price of a plain block.

Combination pavingSeveral sizes or shapes from one family laid together as a designed pattern, rather than a single repeating unit.

Yes — regularlyYes — once or twiceNo, but I would if it were available locallyNo — my projects don't call for itI'm not sure what counts as premium

What do you usually specify?OPTIONALPick all that apply.

Interlocking paversLarge slabsCobblesPermeable pavingGrass paversKerbs & channelsTactile pavingRetaining wall blocksConcrete blocksDrainage units

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What matters most when you pick one?OPTIONALPick up to 3.

Look & colourFeel of the surfaceConsistent sizesStrengthGrip when wetCan get it quicklyPriceSupplier you trustGood technical infoSample qualityRange of sizes

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What goes wrong most often?OPTIONALPick up to 3.

Colour fadesColour differs between batchesSizes are inconsistentWhite marks (efflorescence)Surface wears outEdges chipGround sinks or rutsWeeds in the jointsPieces don't lock togetherDelivered lateSwapped for something cheaperNo matching kerb or tactile

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Does what you specify actually get built?OPTIONAL

Almost alwaysAbout half the timeLess than halfRarely

Who do you buy paving from now?OPTIONALOptional. Brand or supplier names — it tells us what we are actually competing against.

The gap

This is the part we care about most. One written answer, then you're through the hardest bit.

What should we make? NEEDED

Permeable pavingWater drains through the joints or the block itself, instead of running off.

Matching paving + kerb + tactile setsOne family where the kerb, the tactile warning strip and the paving all share colour and texture.

Textured or blasted finishesSurface treated after casting, rather than left plain.

Deep, stable coloursPigment carried in a dedicated face layer so it holds colour for years instead of fading.

Custom shapesA mould cut for your geometry rather than a catalogue size.

Thin facing unitsSlim units for cladding walls and risers, not for walking on.

Pick up to 3 you'd actually use if the quality was right.

Large architectural slabsPermeable pavingMatching paving + kerb + tactile setsTextured or blasted finishesDeep, stable coloursHeavy-duty industrial pavingCustom shapesDrainage & street piecesThin facing unitsGreen / grass paving

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When would you need it? NEEDED

I have a job right nowIn 3–6 monthsIn 6–12 monthsLater than thatNo fixed date

How often would this come up in your work?OPTIONAL

Every jobMost jobsFairly oftenNow and thenJust this once

Tell us about one job that gave you trouble NEEDEDThe only long answer we ask for. What did you need, what couldn't you get, what did you settle for? A few sentences is plenty. Real examples help us far more than general ones.0 words

Shape, colour, finish

The part that decides which moulds we buy and which machines we commission. Skip anything you don't have a view on — a guess here is worse than a blank.

Which of these would you actually specify?OPTIONAL

Keyblock 200×100The everyday rectangle. Herringbone or stretcher bond. 60 mm for footpaths, 100 mm for heavy traffic.

Uni / Ecoloc 225×112.5The zigzag interlock. Locks tighter under turning traffic than a plain rectangle.

Cobble 100×100Small square sett. Reads as traditional; slower to lay.

Hexagon 238×238Six-sided. No continuous joint line, so it resists creep.

Beganit 400×200Long plank format for contemporary linear layouts.

Grass paver 300×300 / 330×330Open cells planted with grass. Counts toward permeable area.

Large format 900×750Large slab format for plazas and civic spaces.

Sizes in millimetres. Pick the ones you would genuinely use.

Keyblock 200×100Uni / Ecoloc 225×112.5Cobble 100×100Square 200×200Hexagon 238×238Beganit plank 400×200Grass paver 300×300 / 330×330Pebble grass 550×330Large format 900×750None of these fit my work

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What thickness?OPTIONAL

60 mmFootpaths, plazas, pedestrian areas.

80 mmCar parks, driveways, light commercial traffic.

100 mmHeavy commercial and industrial — container yards, bus terminals.

60 mm80 mm100 mm120 mmNo strong view

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Would you use a multi-size set laid as one pattern?OPTIONAL

Multi-size setThree to five sizes cast in the same colour and finish, laid to a set pattern. We want to know whether the demand for these is real before committing to them.

Several sizes from one family, laid together as a designed layout rather than one repeating unit.

Yes — I design in these alreadyYes, if the pattern was worked out for meOnly for premium projectsNo — I prefer a single repeating unitNot sure

Flat colour, or shaded?OPTIONAL

Flat / solid colourOne even tone across every unit. Cleaner, more predictable, easier to match later.

Shaded / multi-toneTwo or more pigments blended as the unit is pressed, so each piece varies slightly. Looks more like natural stone. Each piece varies slightly, the way natural stone does.

Helps us plan the colour range. Skip it if you have no strong view.

Shaded — the variation is the pointMostly shaded, sometimes flatMostly flat, sometimes shadedFlat only — I want it uniformNo view

Which colours would you use?OPTIONALSwatches are indicative only — screen colour never matches cast concrete.

Warm greyCool greyCharcoal / blackRed oxideSandstone / buffBrown / earthOff-whiteMixed tonesNo strong view

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What should the surface feel like?OPTIONAL

BlastedSteel shot fired at the surface. Takes off the cement skin and shows the stone inside. Our usual premium finish.

Ground smoothGround flat like polished stone. Sleek, but slippery when wet.

Textured / roughCast against a patterned mould. Grippy, hides wear.

Tumbled / agedTumbled so the edges round off. Looks settled from day one.

Plain as-castStraight out of the mould, untreated. The standard commodity block.

Exposed stoneTop layer washed off while green so the aggregate shows.

Anti-slip ridgedMoulded grooves for ramps, wet areas and slopes.

BlastedGround smoothTextured / roughTumbled / agedPlain as-castExposed stoneAnti-slip ridgedNo strong view

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If blasted — how far should it go?OPTIONAL

Light etchJust takes the shine off. Colour stays close to as-cast.

MediumThe usual architectural finish. Fine aggregate visible, colour deepens.

DeepStone clearly exposed, strong texture. Reads almost like natural granite.

Depth of finish is something we can set, so it helps to know where you would want it.

Light etchMedium — the usual architectural lookDeep, strongly exposedI'd want to see samples of all threeNo view

Do your clients ask for green certification?OPTIONALIGBC, LEED or GRIHA credits. Tells us whether to pursue certification.

Often — it drives the specSometimesRarelyNever come across it

What would actually help you specify it?OPTIONALWe cannot build all of these well. Tell us which few would actually get used.

Sample boxesCAD drawingsBIM / Revit filesPDF datasheetsLaying pattern drawingsSpec wording you can pasteInstallation guidesOnline visualiserMock-up on site

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You and us

Last five. Then you're done.

If we made it properly, would you use it?OPTIONAL

Yes — I'd use it on a job nowProbably, within a yearMaybe, once it's provenI'd need to see it firstUnlikely

What would better quality be worth?OPTIONALAgainst ordinary local pavers. Honest answers here stop us pricing ourselves out.

Same price or nothingUp to 10% more10 – 25% moreOver 25% for the right productDepends entirely on the project

What would make you trust a new supplier?OPTIONAL

Independent test reportsBIS / IS 15658 certificateA factory visitProjects already builtA sample panel on siteBatch traceabilityWritten warrantyA named person to callPublished data

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What would hold you back?OPTIONALPick up to 2.

New supplier, unprovenNo projects to point atToo far from sitePrice uncertaintyDelivery riskClient won't accept a new nameNot enough technical infoNothing much

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Want to stay involved? NEEDED

Yes — send me prototypes and samples earlyHappy to try it on a real job when you startJust send me the findingsNo thanks — keep me anonymous

Phone numberOPTIONALOptional. Only asked because you said you'd like to stay involved.

I understand this doesn't commit me to anything, and that Stoniq won't publish my name or quote me without asking first.

Optional — separate from the aboveAlso send me Stoniq updates: when production starts, when samples are available, and when the ranges are released. A few emails a year, nothing else. You can unsubscribe any time.

Sending…

Thanks — that's genuinely useful.

Your answers go straight to the people deciding what this factory makes. We read every one.

If you said you'd like to stay involved, we'll be in touch when there's something real to show you. Nothing you wrote gets published with your name on it unless you say so.

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