Beyond Trends: Terrazzo and the Art of Timeless Design

Such longevity shifts responsibility to the designer. The impact of terrazzo is determined by how it’s used. It remains one of the few flooring systems that can be fully customized at any scale, making each installation one of a kind.

With sustainability a growing priority, it’s tough to justify removing a low-maintenance floor that’s still going strong after a century. The greenest floor is generally the one already in place, especially when it can be repaired and restored indefinitely. Because terrazzo outlasts most materials, the design demands staying power, too.

A Journey at Ft.Lauderdale Airport

“It’s the flexibility that draws us to terrazzo—we see it as a canvas,” said architect Daniel Justiniano of Justin Architects in Fort Lauderdale. “But we know that 40 years later it will still be in great shape—that’s the driving force.” Mr. Justiniano directed the installation of a terrazzo public art project in a high-traffic walkway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport that earned the 2025 NTMA Judges’ Choice Art Award.

Today’s terrazzo is more adaptable than ever. It can keep pace with any architectural style, from art deco to contemporary minimalist, and across building types. In airports, schools, hospitals, and high-end retail, architects continue to specify terrazzo because it works: for the project, for the client, and for the long term. In the right hands, it becomes a lasting canvas for branding, school spirit, wayfinding, maps, or large-scale public art.