Sofia Marchetti reads buildings the way other people read books — slowly, from the foundation up. Since graduating in 2014 she has carved replacement stone for five listed buildings, including the White Hall portico the alumni cross every December without looking up. She looks up.
Stone remembers
“A carved block outlives everyone who touches it,” Sofia says. “That is terrifying until it becomes a comfort. My master made me carve my initials into practice stone and bury it behind the training hall. Somewhere under that lawn is a very lopsided rose with my name on it.” Her White Hall exhibition piece — a teaching capital showing six centuries of carving — drew the longest crowd last year.
Teaching the slow craft
Sofia leads the federation's heritage masterclass each autumn and takes one apprentice at a time — “stone deserves undivided attention.” Her waiting list for commissions runs to next spring, and she would not have it any other way.
