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SEPTEMBER 2014
Cersaie 2014 Not to be missed Products preview What the experts say
more than lamps pure emotions Twiggy, design: Marc Sadler
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# Instant is part of the editorial system of
SEptember 2014
Editorial text by Silvia Botti
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Architecture Freedom of Expression
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text by Luca Molinari
Editor in chief Silvia Botti
Head Curator Luca Molinari
Art director Eugenio Schinelli
Cersaie 2014 In the Heart of the Fair
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text by Mia Pizzi
Protagonists Master Classes
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text by Marco Sammicheli
Progetto grafico Fabio Grazioli
Central office Chiara Maranzana Managing editor
Monica Guala Editorial secretary Editorial staff
Mia Pizzi Managing editor design Fabio Grazioli Graphic digital senior editor
Design New Frontiers
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text by Mia Pizzi
/ 1 Fake / 2 Innovazion / 3 Minimalism / 4 Memory
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Industry / 1 Advanced Ceramics
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text by Marco Sammicheli
/ 2 An Organic Approach to Design
text by Chiara Maranzana Elena Liberatore Graphic senior editor / 3 A Global Idea of Made paper
in Italy
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text by Chiara Maranzana Roberto Ricci curator Landscape
Marco Sammicheli Design curator
Itinerary Inside and Outside the City
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text by Marco Sammicheli
Translations John Foot Proof-reader Shanti Evans David Lowry
Cover Lars Larsen (Kilo Design), Jonas Hartz (HZ) Jakob Lange e Bjarke Ingels (Big) Llama Restaurant, Copenhagen, 2014
Advertising manager Andrea Schiavon
RCS MediaGroup SpA Proprietario ed editore Sede sociale: via Angelo Rizzoli 8 20132 Milano
The Publisher has made every possible effort to identify and trace copyright holders for photographs and documents. If any images or texts owned by other, unacknowledged individuals should appear in this issue, the Publisher is more than willing to take steps to obtain permission from those owners who could not previously be contacted.
more than lamps pure emotions Tuareg, design: F. Laviani
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Ed i to r i a l
The most recent statistical returns indicate the existence of 236 companies that, when taken together, employ some 27,000 people and have a turnover of 5.5 billion euros, 75% of which comes from exports. These figures are enough in themselves to explain why the Italian ceramics industry has long been a reference point for the rest of the world. But we have not yet said anything of a history that goes back a very long way, of a wealth of industrial culture and of the strength provided by a unique part of the world, i.e. of all the things that give substance to those figures and that today imply quality, design, innovation and technology. Any discussion of tiles and sanitary goods appears wholly anachronistic. The ceramics industry is scientific research, it is creative inspiration, it is a way of living. This is why it is worth paying a visit to Bologna, where Cersaie, the most important fair in this sector, will be held from 22 to 26 September; a place for the display of histories, products and companies (not just Italian ones); an opportunity to reflect on the great changes that are under way, to listen to the voice of master craftsmen, of architects and designers and of experts in the sector and to respond to the challenges of technology, the green economy and ideas of wellbeing. We’ll tell you about everything that the world of Cersaie stands for in these pages, offering you a taste of all that will be going on at the fair, in the city and in its environs during the event. The appointment is in Bologna, where you will also find Abitare, a new and completely rethought and redesigned magazine, which will come out right on the eve of the fair. Silvia Botti
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more than lamps pure emotions Aplomb, design: Lucidi+Pevere
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Rituals, design: L+R Palomba
Architecture Freedom of Expression From the monuments of the masters of the 20th century to the experiments of contemporary architects, the vibrant colours and technical properties of ceramics have enhanced creativity and innovation
Lars Larsen (Kilo Design), Jonas Hartz (HZ), Jakob Lange e #02
e Bjarke Ingels (Big), Llama Restaurant, Copenhagen, 2014 8|9
TEXT By Luca Molinari photographic research by Monica Guala
Although it is often considered a material that plays a complementary role in design, it suffices to take a closer look at many of the great works of contemporary architecture to find, instead, that ceramics have been used for a series of experiments and lines of research that have given an original character to the works constructed. Forgetting for a moment the sophisticated and skilled use of glazed tiles between the Renaissance and the Rococo in Europe, or in the great mosques and residences of Turkey and Persia between the 15th and 18th centuries, we can look at the 20th century as an extraordinary material and formal laboratory in which the vibrant and translucent quality of ceramics has been utilized by the majority of modern masters. From Gaudí and Otto Wagner, by way of Gio Ponti, Ignazio Gardella, Luigi Caccia Dominioni, Oscar Niemeyer, Athos Bulcão, Alvaro Siza and Renzo Piano, to the latest #02
generations of international architects, we can identify a thread that links modern design to this ancient material, capable of renewing itself and offering technical, chromatic and material characteristics that have enhanced even its more unconventional currents. Tiled façades able to vibrate with the atmosphere of the city and the nature in which the buildings are immersed, unexpected structural and decorative details, interiors that range from the radical monochromaticity of Nanda Vigo to the material elation of Cherubino Gambardella and Kilo Design-HZ-Big, walls that play with the memory of modern art and colonial decorations in the works of Bulcão, roofs that turn into unexpected landmarks like Enric Miralles’s Santa Caterina Market: all demonstrate the versatility and universality of this material that great architecture has now adopted for its freest and most successful research.
photo by Pol Esteve
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
David Kohn Architects, Carrer Avinyó, Barcelona, 2013 10 | 11
photo by Tuca Reinés _ Fundação Athos Bulcão
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Athos Bulcão, Painel de azulejos, interior gardens of Palácio do Planalto, Brasilia, 1982 (demolished in 2009) #02
Cherubino Gambardella and Simona Ottieri, Casa di Ola e Piera, Capri, 2001 12 | 13
Oscar Tusquets, Underground s #02
photo by Daniele Puglia
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
station “Toledo”, Naples, 2012 14 | 15
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Álvaro Siza, Eduardo Souto de Moura, Ove Arup, AFA, Portuguese pavilion, Expo 2000, Hannover
Luigi Caccia Dominioni, Housing, Milan, 1957 #02
© Maxwell MacKenzie
Giulio Minoletti, Grand Hotel del Mare, Bordighera, 1953-1957
Michael Graves, St. Coletta School, Washington, 2001-2006 16 | 17
Cherubino Gambardella, Lorenzo Capobianco, Simona Ottie #02
photo by Cherubino Gambardella
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
eri, Social housing in Piscinola district, Naples, 2002-2012 18 | 19
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Arquitectura-G (Jonathan Arnabat, Jordi Ayala-Bril, Aitor F #02
photo by José Hevia
Fuentes, Igor Urdampilleta), Casa Luz, Cilleros (Spain), 2011 20 | 21
Nanda Vigo, Private house (from a theorem by Vincenzo Agnetti), Milan, 1972 #02
© Gio Ponti Archives, Milano
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Gio Ponti, Parco dei Principi, hotel (work by Fausto Melotti), Sorrento, 1960 22 | 23
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Ce #02
photo by Michel Denancé
entral St. Giles, London 2002-2010 24 | 25
Enric Miralles-Benedetta Tagliabue | EMBT, Santa Caterina Market renovation, Barcelona, 1997-2005 #02
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Alessandro Mendini, Interno di un interno (Interior of an interior), Dilmos, Milan, 1990 26 | 27
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Oscar Niemeyer, Church of Saint Francis o #02
of Assisi, Belo Horizonte (Brazil) 1940-1943 28 | 29
Nanda Vigo, Museum Remo Brindisi, Lido di Spina (Ferrara), 1967-1971 #02
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Nanda Vigo, Casa Meneguzzo, Malo (Vicenza), 1965-1968 30 | 31
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Athos Bulcão, Painel de azulejo #02
os, Sambódromo, Rio de Janeiro, 1983
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photo by Tuca Reinés _ Fundação Athos Bulcão
Otto Wagner, Majolika Haus, Wien, 1898-1899
Cino Zucchi Architetti, La Corte Verde (housing), Milan, 2006-2013 #02
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Max Fabiani, Portois & Fix Store, Wien, 1899-1900
Ignazio Gardella, Case Borsalino (housing), Alessandria, 1949-52 34 | 35
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
#02
Olavo Redig de Campos, Casa Walther
Moreira Salles, Rio de Janeiro, 1948-51
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Manuel Herz Architects, Centre for the Jewish Community, Mainz (Germany), 2010 #02
photo by Radek Brunecky
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Pedro Campos Costa, Oceanário, Lisbon, 2011 38 | 39
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Amanda Levete, Victoria & A #02
Albert Museum, London, 2014 40 | 41
Bernard Tschumi, School of Architecture, FIU, Miami, 1999-2003 #02
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Archea Associati, Library, Nembro (Bergamo), 2002-2007 42 | 43
AR C H I T E C T URE | F r e e d o m o f E x p r e s s i o n
Antoni Gaudí, Casa Batll #02
@ Casa Batlló – Gaudí Barcelona
ló, Barcelona, 1904-1906 44 | 45
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The design by Valentina Algeri — of the Visual Design course at Milan’s Civica Scuola Arte & Messaggio — was chosen from among the many projects submitted to the Beautiful Ideas competition run by Confindustria Ceramica, organised by Edi.Cer e and aimed at students from Italy’s university faculties and design institutes, who were set the task of creating a poster for Cersaie 2014.
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Cersaie 2014 In the Heart of the Fair From 22 September, in Bologna, five intense days where you can discover everything about the world of ceramics. Cersaie 2014 is looking to the future and will give space to ideas, visions and the young 48 | 49
C e r s a i e 2 0 1 4 | In t h e H e a r t o f t h e Fa i r
TEXT BY MIA PIZZI
No architect or designer’s engagement book can ignore the key appointment at the end of September with Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishing. The Bologna Exhibition Centre will host the event for the 32nd time this year, from 22 to 26 September, where it will provide a showcase for the ceramics industry, and especially the Italian one, with its inventions, created through careful and persistent experimentation. In the pavilions, wandering around the stands, visitors will be able to see the results of constant technical and formal innovation, stemming from the initiative of sophisticated entrepreneurs who love the regions in which they operate, invest, carry out research and who increasingly work in partnership with the world of the universities and of design. Organized by Confindustria Ceramica, the federation of manufacturers in the sector that celebrates its 50th birthday this year, Cersaie is also the culture of ceramics, promoting knowledge of its products and their use in architecture. For this reason the fair’s programme #02
covers a much longer span of time than the five official days in Bologna. Things get going much earlier, for example, with the thematic competitions. La Ceramica e il progetto (Ceramics and Design) is the title of the main annual one. The prizes were awarded in June this year at the Casa dell’Architettura in Rome, and the results will be on display at the fair in Galleria 21/2. There are awards for three categories of architecture: Residential, Commercial/Hospitality and Institutional/Street furniture. In the residential category, the award has gone to Diverserighestudio for acupunture#2, realized at Altedo di Malalbergo (Bologna), “a geometric solid that holds a dialogue with itself, as if it were self-sufficient with respect to the context, an original linguistic invention that recalls some of the design exercises of Marcel Breuer, especially in museums, but where ceramic materials take the place of stone”. Davor Popovic and Zoran Popovic were the winners in the Commercial-Hospitality category with the Golden Ray Luxury Villas project at Primošten, in Croatia, “for the respectful dialogue between nature and artifice”.
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Photo di Davide Menis
La Ceramica e il progetto (Ceramics and Design), Residential category, winner: acupunture#2, Altedo di Malalbergo, Bologna, Italy, Diverserighestudio design (Simona Gheduzzi, Nicola Rimondi, Gabriele Sorichetti). 50 | 51
photo by faustomazza/Studio Cristiano Bonassera
© faustomazza/Studio Cristiano Bonassera
Residential Category, mention: project on Palazzo Bellotti, Fidenza (Parma), Italy, Studio Rossi design (Paola Faroldi, Giovanni Rossi, Simona Rossi and Valentina Mancin).
The jury was impressed by the design of the structure, the layout of the spaces and the functions and the way that exterior and interior complement one another, which were all “handled without problems or excess in a unique setting” — that of the seaside. Victory in the Institutional category went to the Isolarchitetti studio for the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Turin. Here the judges praised “the materials #02
used, and the presence of a particular kind of industrial ceramic material able to present the exhibits in a ‘theatrical’ manner, with great emotional impact, the light, the layout, the point of view of the observer, which is put back at the centre in order to approach understanding through a series of informative and rigorously scientific journeys: all this has completely transformed a space of memory
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photo by Mario Jelavic
C e r s a i e 2 0 1 4 | In t h e H e a r t o f t h e Fa i r
Commercial-Hospitality category, winner: Golden Ray Luxury Villas, Primošten, Croatia, Davor Popovic and Zoran Popovic design. 52 | 53
photo by Luciano Busani
C e r s a i e 2 0 1 4 | In t h e H e a r t o f t h e Fa i r
Commercial category, mention: Pizzeria Pupetta’s retrain, Vercelli, Italy, Studio di Architettura Rosso Fornaro design (Emanuela Fornaro, Luca Grignola e Carlo Rosso).
photo by Paolo Stroppa
Commercial category, mention: Nuovo Centro Benessere Pietre Gemelle Resort, Riva Valdobbia (Vercelli), Italy, Gavinelli Architettura design (Davide Gavinelli with Claudia Colla). #02
photo by Matteo Cattabriga
Institutional Category, mention: Cornice Contemporanea, Castelmassa (Rovigo), Italy, Studio dare-architettura design (Rudy Davi and Stefano Bizzarri).
into a grand piece of ‘architectural’ scenery in the service of knowledge”. Devoted to design, and conceived specifically to appeal to younger members of the public, is Ceramic Futures: from Poetry to Science Fiction, the social project/competition born last year out of an idea of Stefano Mirti’s, and promoted by Confindustria Ceramica and organized by Edi.Cer in collaboration with IdLab. Four groups of students from the same
number of international schools — Politecnico di Milano, Accademia delle Belle Arti di Bologna, EnsAD in Paris and ELISAVA in Barcelona — have thought about the future of ceramics in terms of the competition’s theme: To Walk, to Eat, to Love, to Sleep. From the outset this project has been shared on a web platform (www.ceramicfutures.com). On the 22 September, in the Galleria dell’Architettura, the prototypes
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photo by Luciano Busani
Institutional Category, winner: Museo delle Antichità Egizie (Museum of Egiptyan Antiquities), Turin, Italy, Studio Isolarchitetti design.
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C e r s a i e 2 0 1 4 | In t h e H e a r t o f t h e Fa i r
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C e r s a i e 2 0 1 4 | In t h e H e a r t o f t h e Fa i r
These pages and the two following, the selected projects of Ceramic Futures: from poetry to science fiction competition. AbaBO (Accademia delle Belle Arti di Bologna): 1. To Walk, Urban Tiles, design Lena Plaschke. 2. To Sleep, Fragmentis design Alice Forestan.
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will be presented, the winners announced and a concluding symposium held. The same space, but on 24 September, will see another appointment around the theme of what is up-and-coming: at the forum Young Italian Architects Abroad, Simona Malvezzi of the Berlin studio Kuehn Malvezzi and Nadir Bonaccorso of the Portuguese studio nbAA (nadir bonaccorso Arquitectos Associados) will hold a debate with Sergio Nava #02
and Fulvio Irace on the subject of the emigration of talented young Italians. At an event like Cersaie space is reserved for the technical sector. At Città della Posa (Tiling City), which is staged for the third time this year (every day in pavilion 34), the stars are the young apprentices of the Schlanders Vocational School (Bolzano), who will be carrying out complex installations, and showing off their manual skills.
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Elisava (Escola Superior de Disseny i Enginyeria de Barcelona): 1. To Love, Time Will Break Us Apart, design Luis De Sousa. 2. To eat, Break to concrete, design Kitiara Ferran.
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Polimi (Politecnico di Milano): 1. To Eat, Hoop, design Francesco Pacelli. 2. To Walk, Anomàlia, design Luca Acito.
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C e r s a i e 2 0 1 4 | In t h e H e a r t o f t h e Fa i r
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ENSAD (École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris): 1. To Love, Kamazulejos, design Emilie Ricada. 2. To Walk, Blue Lantern, design Lionel Salazar.
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C e r s a i e 2 0 1 4 | In t h e H e a r t o f t h e Fa i r
The space will be used to illustrate the most innovative techniques developed by manufacturers of adhesives and equipment. In addition, an annual conference entitled Qualification of Tilers and Future Trade on the 24 September, promoted by Confindustria Ceramica and organized by Edi.Cer in collaboration with IdLab, will bring together, as it has been doing for the last three years, operators #02
and experts from all over the world. Finally, the main event dedicated to ceramics and its culture cannot fail to look to the future. The exhibition CER_ SEA Italian Style Beach Concept (Pavilion 33) focuses on feasible projects. Starting out from the European Union directive on permits to trade in public areas and the consequent need to re-examine the management of bathing establishments,
Layout of the exhibition CER–SEA Italian Style Beach Concept. Dalla Città alla spiaggia: estate e inverno sui litorali italiani (From the City to the Beach: Summer and Winter on the Italian Coasts), Davide Vercelli and Angelo Dall’Aglio design.
it will present Davide Vercelli and Angelo Dall’Aglio’s original proposal, summed up by its subtitle, From the City to the Beach: Summer and Winter on the Italian Coasts. This project is nothing less than a reappraisal of our beaches, from an economic/environmental perspective. This is something that can be turned into a driving force for the economy, an international showcase for Italian
design and Italian lifestyles, so that companies and architects will be called on to design sustainable facilities that do not have an impact on the landscape, treating “the sea as a natural backdrop, as in the theatres of ancient Rome”. The exhibition will use lightweight constructions, which aim to blend into natural habitats, built out of materials resistant to salt spray, mounted on floating floors and easily removable. 62 | 63
Protagonists Master Classes From Riccardo Blumer’s performance to Toyo Ito’s lectio magistralis, reflections on the present and future of architecture are all central to events in Bologna for the Cersaie fair
by MARCO SAMMICHELI
Fairs are places for exchange, research and analysis. For some time now the commercial opportunities at these events have been flanked by occasions at which professionals can meet and swap ideas, an addition that has now become an integral part of every fair. The format in this sense which marks Cersaie is that of the lecture. This year, however, there will be no shortage of surprises, on the last day at least September 26). Riccardo Blumer, the Italo-Swiss architect and designer known for his ability to turn scientific, mechanical and chemical experiments into design ideas, has been invited to speak at the Europauditorium #02
of the Palazzo dei Congressi. A skilled performer, his lessons have often emerged from the lecture halls where he usually teaches and have become semi-happenings at festivals and the openings of exhibitions. Blumer teaches architectural and industrial design at the Academy of Architecture-USI in Mendrisio, design at the IUAV-RSM in San Marino and at the NABA in Milan and interior design at the ISAID in Vicenza. His Back-to-Front Lecture will have a singular straight man, with whom he’ll probably embark on a dialogue through a use of contrast: alongside Blumer will be Fulvio Irace, professor of history of architecture at Milan Polytechnic.
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Riccardo Blumer
friday 26/09
Exercises at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio-USI between 2012 and 2014: from on high, 70 sagome con ruote, experiment on measures and bodies; La città di ghiaccio made by 200,000 Bic’s straws (Bic sponsored the work); training in classroom on the relationship between speed and curved shapes; Macchina sonora da spalla, a machine emitting vocalizations carried by 70 students through the historic core of the town of Mendrisio; Geometria di rivoluzione: 70 students in Riforma square in Lugano with structures they designed, built and wore. Video of the performance on blumerandfriends.it.
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P r ota gon i s t s | M a s t e r Cl a s s e s
Paolo Portoghesi thursday 25/09
Above, from left, two images of San Francesco and Santa Chiara church in Castellaneta, Italy (2001-2013) and, right, the Torre dell’Angelo in Padua (2008-2012).
A “shuffling of cards” and interest in cross-fertilizing experiences would seem to be the characteristics of another lecture-seminar entitled WELLfare: People and Projects for Development. The protagonists of this event (September 25) will be one of the doyens of Italian architecture, Paolo Portoghesi, and two young professionals working in the areas of the social and welfare services: Marco Franchini, psychologist, founder of the Bologna Psychology Festival and author of the essay Psicanalisi dell’architettura. Lo spazio come dimensione dell’anima (Psychoanalysis of Architecture. Space #02
Opposite, Ripples for Horm (2003); the Tama Art University Library in Hachioji City, Tokyo (2007); Kaeru (Tea & Coffee Towers) for Alessi (2003); the Sendai Mediatheque in Sendai City, Japan (2001).
as a dimension of the soul), and Paola Matino, who has a background in business administration and today works in the field of integrated urban water management. Since the publication of Architettura e natura in 1999 (Nature and Architecture, 2000), Portoghesi has promoted a vision of the discipline that is aimed at persuading architects to respect nature and practice “sustainable negative growth”. This approach, which is often called geo-architecture, intersects with the studies of Matino and Franchini. In a more classic sense lies one of most eagerly awaited appointments of the fair —
Toyo Ito
thursday 25/09 the lectio magistralis to be given by Toyo Ito (September 25), with an introduction by Francesco Dal Co. Toyo Ito, who has at last received the Pritzker Prize (in 2013, three years after his famous pupil Kazuyo Sejima), will look back over a career studded with seminal designs like the Sendai Mediathèque in Japan. He has not yet built anything in this country and Ito’s architectural ties with Italy have largely been confined to the Venice Architecture Biennale, where in 2002 he was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement and in 2012 the prize for Best National Participation for the Japanese Pavilion. His links with the world of design are more fertile. He has worked for Alessi and Horm, with which he won a Compasso d’Oro in 2004. Controversy, however, still surrounds the public monument he constructed in Pescara that split in two a few months after its installation owing to a structural fault for which the company that erected it was blamed.
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Javier Corvalán
wednesday 24/09
Left, three images of the Caja Obscura in Asunción, Paraguay (2012) and other two of Casa Hamaca in Luque, Paraguay (2009-2010). Opposite, from left, Enric Miralles & Carme Pinós, the Igualada Cemetery, in Spain (1985-1994); the Torre Cube I in Guadalajara, Mexico (2005) and the pedestrian bridge in Petrer, Spain (1999).
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P r ota gon i s t s | M a s t e r Cl a s s e s
Carme Pinós tuesday 23/09
The sculpture has now been removed. Another lecture introduced by Francesco Dal Co is scheduled for Wednesday 24 and has as its protagonist Javier Corvalán, an architect from Paraguay who received his training in Italy after studying for his doctorate in Rome. A much discussed and widely published project of his has been the 2013 Caja Oscura. This is a conceptual house standing in open countryside that consists of a windowless parallelepiped whose upper part can be tilted by means of a manual winch. Opening up to permit the entry of light and air, the house plays on the breakdown of boundaries between the inside and the outside. Carme Pinós, who is also a guest of Cersaie for a lecture at the gallery
of architecture (September 23), is another speaker with a Roman connection: in the academic year 2007/08 she taught at Roma Tre University. Her talk will touch on the fundamental points of her career, including the development of the project of the Igualada Cemetery with Enric Miralles. In 1991 she set up her own studio, and has since created a number of important projects, including the Pedestrian Bridge in Petrer (Spain), the Juan Aparicio waterfront in Torrevieja and Cube Tower I in Guadalajara, Mexico. One of her more recent projects is the scheme for the restoration and renewal of the historic city centre of Saint-Dizier in France, where the architect is overseeing various projects located in public spaces. 68 | 69
Design New Frontiers New ceramic manufacturing processes and the very latest products
TEXT BY MIA PIZZI
Digital technology is approaching perfection in its ability to imitate wood, marble and stone. Ceramic manufacturing, we might say, has come of age. We can carry out an almost philological reading of materials in terms of their continuing evolution in these ways. Last year Marazzi presented “Blend”, a forerunner of these “hyper-materials” that represent invention, the new frontier, a major trend to get to grips with, one that crosses over with those which are purely imitative. Stoneware is being stratified both #02
graphically and structurally, with the inclusion of different materials — wood, cement, granules — to produce surfaces which (somewhat unsettlingly) do not exist in nature, and can become estranged, reorganised and reinvented with great creativity. The corpus of material is essentially the same — stoneware imitating stone – but there are many different, independent and often unconventional expressions of this basic idea, with each firm giving its own personal interpretation of the material.
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MARAZZI Blend Through-coloured fine porcelain stoneware has evolved into a hyper-material, structurally layered with varying amounts of cement, wood, marble, volcanic ash and recycled material (23%), made using a closed-cycle production process. Sawn-effect cut and satin finish. www.marazzi.it
LEA CERAMICHE Type 32 This hyper-material designed by Diego Grandi has two superimposed layers: a screenprinted upper layer reproducing a wood effect and a decoration based on repeated oblique lines, available in four patterns, and combinable to create a surface of unlimited size. The new formats are based on the long, 5.5 mm-thick Slimtech slat (20x200cm). www.ceramichelea.com
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d e s i gn | N e w F r o n t i e r s
There are, after all, no models to imitate, and no specific objectives to be reached. The uniqueness of the design is determined in each case by the physical properties of the material and the ways in which it can be worked using a combination of manufacturing processes, including digital techniques (an infinite number of patterns and colours are now possible in graphic detail) and rotocolor (where the product takes on a three-dimensional quality according to how the light hits it). Parallel to this, research is being done into shapes and sizes. Different forms are now
possible, not just squares and rectangles, although these will continue to be produced. Experiments are being made with large hexagonal formats and other interlocking geometric forms. This clearly opens up endless possibilities, especially for the outer skins of buildings, ventilated walls, cladding and lagging, for which large-sized panels are now generally used (even measuring more than 300x100 cm). This is essentially about creative freedom, the kind of freedom found in architectural design. It’s a ceramic project which has opened up in a radical way. 72 | 73
d e s i gn | N e w F r o n t i e r s | 1 . Fa k e
1 / Fake It would be more appropriate to call this a re-enactment rather than a fake, because it is not just a simple reproduction of textures, but a reworking of the ceramic material, which starts from in-depth research that continues in terms of the reality of the industrial process, made up of photographic and morphological samples, trials and adjustments to brightness and dullness. Marble proved to be a versatile, lightweight and fun material which offers endless performance possibilities. Woodeffect boiserie, meshwork or capitonné pay testimony to a liberated design approach, a sense of a change of direction, and to interpretations that involve new craft-based processes.
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CERAMICHE REFIN Teatro In the reworking of the stage floorboards in Modena’s Municipal Theatre “well trodden” wood was used or even wood worn away where the performing singers stood. The intricate production process, which takes 4-5 months, starts with studies of the original hue and ends with the final (as perfectly as possible) desired colour. www.refin.it
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RAGNO Woodstyle This new series — four colours, four rectified formats — adds to the already extensive wood-effect collection. An excellent example of how stoneware can be used to beautiful effect in the replacement of wood on boiserie panels. The company has always adopted a sustainabilitypromoting strategy, and as a result has been awarded numerous certifications and earned LEED® credits. www.ragno.it
GranitiFiandre Core Shade In keeping with current ceramic trends, “Core Shade” is a stoneware product with a highly textural appearance, an effect heightened by a ribbed motif that deepens the surface finish. It comes in six colours (from the light Plain Core to other subtle or earthier shades), five formats (150x75, 75x75, 120x60, 60x60, 60x30 cm) and two thicknesses (8 or 11 mm), offering plenty of scope for variously personalised applications. www.granitifiandre.it #02
Ceramiche Caesar One A porcelain stoneware product with a particularly tactile quality, revisiting earthenware traditions and contemporary cement finishes for floors and walls. Colours: Gesso, Cement, Ground, Rope, Mud and Indigo; thickness: 10 mm, sizes: 60x120, 30x120,75x75, 25x75, 60x60, 30x60 cm. www.caesar.it
Ceramica Del Conca Rover / Collezione Da Vinci This rectified porcelain stoneware collection reproduces the subtle shades and surface texture of aged wood. It can be installed indoors or outdoors, is laid using traditional methods (preferably a combination of the different methods) and can be laid dry even in the case of heavily-used floors — in which case the extra-thick version is used — or of raised flooring, thanks to the supports that allow cables and pipes to pass underneath. www.delconca.com 76 | 77
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2 / Innovation Innovation manifests itself through form, material, typologies and technological applications. It is the fruit of intuition, experimentation and the free association of ideas. And once a concept has been established, it’s up to industry to transform the idea into a product — using sophisticated manufacturing processes. Only then does a new idea start to make sense and become part of our everyday lives.
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Antoniolupi Affreschi drawing by Riccardo Fattori The technology used on this design is that of the fresco, and can be applied onto any base in this new attractive edition, including shower cabins and saunas. A special transfer paper is used to ensure that the pigments of the computer-generated design penetrate seep into the pores of the plasterwork. A clinging primer is then applied, followed by the actual decoration. The materials are water-based, making this an eco-sustainable technique. www.antoniolupi.it
Azzurra Uniko design Azzurra Lab Two things make this ceramic shower tray special: not only is it much thinner — 3 cm — than any other model on the market (yet can be produced in any size), but it also features the intriguing non-slip “treebark” finish with “Nobacter 05” treatment. www.azzurraceramica.it
Geberit Monolith Plus WC design Daniel Irànyi and Tom Staubli / studio Tribecraft This module is designed for the installation of bathroom fittings to existing walls, including plasterboard, without complex masonrywork. The most recent version also includes ambient lighting — “Comfort Light” — activated with motion sensor in seven colours: magenta, warm or cold white, turquoise, blue, orange and yellow. There is a honeycomb ceramic odour extraction filter and a motion detector with illuminated indicator (day/night). www.geberit.com #02
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Axor Hansgrohe Axor Starck V design Philippe Starck A new category of mixer tap not just because it is made of a special clear crystal glass (eco-friendly, sturdy and dishwasher safe) that dematerialises the object, but more significantly because it creates the unique vortex of water inside. Water swirls up from the body of the tap (just 4 litres a minute) onto the removable, swivel spout — more a water chute, actually — and tumbles out in free fall. www.hansgrohe.it
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Zucchetti.Kos Closer design Diego Grandi «Water in the bathroom is always “static”, enclosed within its own precise space. I wanted to create a dynamic, versatile shower that the user could interact with. Then, while I was observing an angle-poise lamp I thought: what if it had a shower rose instead of a light bulb», says Grandi. And that is exactly what he has done. The pivoting shower variously directs the flow of water as the head is rotated and slides along the vertical and horizontal bars. Only one hand is needed to set it to the desired position. www.zucchettikos.com #02
Fir Synergy design Francesco Lucchese The three tapware and shower head collections, designed last year, feature four new tones of black on the handle — in the versions with short, cover and pebble-style handle — made using DuPont™ Corian® and innovative DeepColour™ Technology, a manufacturing system that produces rich colour effects and improves performance. The bodies of the mixers and the surrounds of the shower heads have a matt black or chrome finish. www.fir-italia.it
Duravit Sensowash® design Philippe Starck The range of electronic toilet seats, with pull-out handshower, is revamped in the version devoted to the European market with fully-integrated safety devices. The instant heating system raises the temperature of the running water as required. An energy-saving feature de-activates the seat warmer. www.duravit.com 82 | 83
Megius Icona This shower cabin (protected by an application for industrial patent registration) fits perfectly together thanks to the way the glass is cut to form a special combination of slots that intersect without a support structure. Available as an island, recess, corner or wall version, with wall profile, with two possible fixture methods and available with polished steel or linum finish. www.megius.com
Casalgrande Padana ArsRatio Dry-laying indoor flooring. Each panel is made from a slab of 10.5 mm-thick porcelainised stoneware bonded to a steel support and with a special perimeter featuring a tongueand-groove anchoring system for laying the finished floor, with 3 mm gaps between tiles, of variable colour. The simplified laying process can also be installed over old floors, with a minimal weight load on the building. It is also insulating, fireproof, and ideal in renovation projects or interiors where floors are frequently replaced. www.casalgrandepadana.it #02
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Zazzeri Pop design Fabrizio Batoni A design project based on contrasting features: straight lines and curves, metal (chrome-plated brass, brushed steel, black and white painted) and coloured silicon, tradition and pop design. The neck can be twisted, is transparent, interchangeable and glows in the dark. The tap has a water intensity limiting device that keeps the flow to within 4 lt/min. A special device indicates when half the maximum flow intensity has been reached, keeping water wastage to a minimum. www.zazzeri.it
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Mapei Keraflex Maxi S1 It is a cement-based adhesive with no vertical slip, particularly recommended for the laying of porcelainised stoneware and other natural stone materials, including on disconnected floors that have not been previously been levelled. The innovative “Low Dust” technology helps to ensure that less dust is produced than on traditional cement-based adhesives. wwww.mapei.it
Sicis Structura Collection These mosaic panels are made with square tiles of different thicknesses, textures and sizes, producing what appears to be a random effect, but which is in fact carefully designed to highlight its luminosity. There are two versions: “Uneven”, which as its name suggests uses tiles of different thicknesses (from 4 to 8 mm) and “Even”, with tiles the same thickness but of random colours and sizes. www.sicis.it
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Piemme Urban Inspired by metropolitan style, this through-coloured porcelain stoneware collection reproduces the effect of cement in all its possible variations. In addition to the smooth-surfaced “Natural” version, there are others with 3D digital decorations, including the attractive “Sculpture” version. The generous 80x80-cm format makes the collection ideal for covering large areas. www.ceramichepiemme.it
REFIN Filo design Alessandro and Francesco Mendini Create your Tile is an out-of competition design collection created in conjunction with the international contest launched by Refin Design Tale Studio. The work is based on the traditional orthogonal grid redesigned in a deformed, distorted and resized version. The thin line weaves and runs through the neutral base to form a chequerboard that is almost a 3D optical illusion, recalling the graphic and artistic principles of the Op Art movement. The aim is to give the product more visibility so that the floor becomes a key element of the spatial design. www.refin.it
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Makro Wave Makro Design An under-mount bath consisting of a rectangular tub incorporated into an expanded polystyrene structure — offering plenty of scope for different shapes — which is then clad in traditional materials. It also features a new Ecocement finish (fine-grain cement with an acrylic binder), coloured with oxides and earths applied by spatula. www.makro.it
Fiora Silexpool® Nanotechnology was used to create Silexpool®, a new patented material made from an even mixture of silica and quartz combined with a polymer. The result is a collection of non-slip moulded shower trays that are particularly resistant to warping and can easily be repaired if damaged. www.fiora.es #02
Ceramica Sant’agostino Flexible Architecture design Philippe Starck «This is just the beginning of a new creativity to serve architecture. Finally I discovered that I can exaggerate the joint and enhance it on one, two or four sides to create an innovative architectural effect», Starck declares. The flat colours are combined with a matt and a gloss finish. The new integration of “Flexi Technic” completes the system’s mission, extending it to outdoor spaces and heavily-used floors. www.ceramicasantagostino.it
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Falper Controstampo This collection, which takes its inspiration from industrial objects, comprises a freestanding bathtub and washbasin, made of Cristalplant and available also with liquid Corten finishes sprayed onto the outer surfaces to accentuate the signs of an aesthetic that hides nothing. www.falper.it
Cerim Material Stone A collection full of old-fashioned atmosphere, blending the unique, subtle qualities of natural materials with the perfection that can now be achieved through the very latest industrial technologies. The numerous formats, which can be combined together, including the largersized elements — from 30x60 to 60x120 cm — are ideal elements for architectural design schemes. The 2 cm-thick version, suitable for outdoor use, further extends the various application options. www.cerim.it #02
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Listone Giordano Heritage/Alberobello Not fake wood this time, but the real thing: Listone Giordano is one of the wooden floor brands exhibiting for the first time at Cersaie. The technological (and thus aesthetic) innovation on “Heritage” is the special heat treatment the wood undergoes, resulting in an endless array of subtle shades. “Alberobello” has an Invisible Touch finish and is protected by new antibacterial Crystalcare technology. www.listonegiordano.com
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Heat Extensive formal and technological research work has turned the humble “radiator” into a design item in its own right. Aesthetically it can be compared to a work of sculpture or of architecture, above and beyond which it also offers very interesting, increasingly complex performance features designed to provide an ever higher level of comfort while also giving good energy savings. .
Brem Cross-R3 design Luigi Brembilla The radiator takes the form of a series of interwoven and overlapping rectangles of various sizes, giving rise to a decorative structural element with shapes that can be multiplied at will to suit the space to be heated. In two versions: “Cross R3 168”, height 71 cm, 1105 W ; “Cross R2 144”, height 83 cm, 877 W. www.brem.it
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Cordivari Iris A decorative radiator with a baroque or damask pattern, available in three colours. The satin-finish steel bar makes it particularly functional in bathrooms, where it can double as a towel warmer. www.cordivaridesign.it
Caleido TriArc design Paul Priestman Currently a member of the Royal College of Art Council and founder of Priestmangoode, the designer has created a sculptural radiator in carbon steel that has a conical “triangular tower” shape and comes in a water or electric version. Available in the Caleido colour range, 50 cm in length and in four heights (79 to 181 cm). www.caleido.it
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Vasco Carré Plus This new steel radiator has a remarkable heat output (+30%), achieved thanks to the addition of a pipe positioned out of sight at the back, on both sides. The interesting semicircular model (29,8x180/200 cm) — ideal for small spaces — can also be connected up to lowtemperature heating systems. www.vasco.eu
Ridea Piano Collection design Meneghello Paolelli Associati The collection comprises three models of aluminium radiator — “Plain”, “Move” and “Shift” — which combine simplicity of design with maximum energy efficiency. The aesthetically attractive “Move” alternates protruding and recessed elements and comes in a vertical and horizontal version, in a choice of sizes. www.ridea.it
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Antrax IT Tavola e Tavoletta design Andrea Crosetta This seemingly straightforward design project is in fact a remarkably innovative programme, aimed in particular at the contract trade because of the way it elegantly adapts to pre-established layouts. The system comprises a series of flat aluminium panels, 4 mm in thickness, which work in an individual and contemporary way, and is multi-functional (robe hook, mirror, towel storage). “Tavoletta” also comes in a low-energy electrical version. www.antrax.it
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3 / Minimalism The difference between one product and another is achieved through perfect aesthetic definition: each and every detail must be justified and there must be a deeper reason for it. As a result the industrial process needs to be equally precise, so that appearance and function coincide. The material is treated in an extreme way, in order to obtain ever more subtle effects that enhance this minimalist aesthetic, augmenting its charm by a process of subtraction, and thus giving design a sense of movement.
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Laufen design Konstantin Grcic First there was “Saphir Keramik”, the revolutionary material presented last year which is remarkably thin but still sturdy — and allows curvatures of 1-2 mm to be made. Grcic, with his customary consistency, adds functional details, like the drip catcher that is also a decorative feature of the washbasin itself. www.laufen.com
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Globo Animus design Thukral & Tagra The work of the Indian duo involves the application of intricate patterns (of pop inspiration) to four washbasins chosen from among those in production, demonstrating the fusion between artisanal activity and the hi-tech component that has always been behind Globo’s work. An innovative approach to the bathroom — alongside the classic collections — in the ongoing pursuit of aesthetic enrichment. www.ceramicheglobo.com 98 | 99
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Provex X-Line Frameless shower cabin with panels made of tempered safety glass (8 mm), available in various widths and heights (up to 220 cm). One new feature is the chrome-plated hinge, which fits flush with the glass on the inside (this makes making cleaning easier) with pendulumswing opening movement. The concealed rise-and-fall hinge mechanism allows the door to be closed gradually. www.provex.eu
Rexa Esperanto design Monica Graffeo This collection is inspired by the activities carried out every day in the washbasin area of the bathroom, which Graffeo has designed with various different compositions combining lacquered or resin-coated modular units that are either wall hung or stand on solid wood trestles with DuPont™ Corian® tops basins, mirrors and accessories. Now also available in the decidedly feminine lilac and plum finishes. www.rexadesign.it #02
FIMA Carlo Frattini Texture Collection design Meneghello Paolelli Associati This system of taps for washbasins, bathtubs and showers is aesthetically flexible thanks to the interchangeable knobs, which have three-dimensional surface finishes: the elegantly-faceted “Cross” (a 19-sided polygon), “Vertical” and “Horizontal”. Even more personalisation is made possible by the choice of four different tops: chrome, white, black, or black and white marble. www.fimacf.com
Pozzi Ginori Rimfree® The rim-free w.c. design is the result of an innovative water supply and distribution system with powerful flush jets with both a circular and a downward motion, for improved hygiene. The fact that the toilet flushes with just 4.5 litres of water required (as opposed to the traditional six) means that a household can save 12,000 litres of water every year. www.pozzi-ginori.com 100 | 101
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Olympia Beauty design Gianluca Paludi A single element creates an entire bathroom, complete with mirror, LivingTec® washbasin and wheeled ashwood storage unit that can double as a seat. www.olympiaceramica.it
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Scarabeo Fuji Emo design The design is an interpretation of the idea of ever-flowing water, rendered through a series of convex lines creating soft surfaces. The form of the washbasin is echoed in the system’s complements, such as the mirrors and iron console. www.scarabeosrl.com
Hatria Le Fiabe design Nilo Gioacchini Each new design from Hatria displays new formal or technological content. Designer Nilo Gioacchini, who has created extensively for the firm over the years, has now come up with “Le Fiabe”, a ceramic bathroom collection comprising an 80-cm washbasin, and wall- or floor-mounted w.c.s and bidets. The wall-mounted washbasin also includes a vanity unit the same size, wengé with wengé drawer or white with walnut and white drawer. www.hatria.com 102 | 103
Effegibi Topkapi design Rodolfo Dordoni with Michele Angelini A self-supporting Hammam (190x90 cm). The digital controls are contained inside the compact monolithic column in Carrara white or Marquina marble, with details such as a copper bowl and fountain that hark back to the traditional features of Turkish baths. The structure is steel and aluminium, two walls are made of tempered white glass, two are 25-mm hollow glass, available with “Rain” decoration. www.effegibi.it
Kos Wazebo design Ludovica +Roberto Palomba Wazebo (Water, Wellness and Gazebo) is an open shower for the outdoor environment, and can be installed on any surface or directly onto grass. It is made of tubular metal and comes complete with a wooden slatted footboard; the large shower head (40 cm) provides a soft needle jet, consuming a limited, controlled amount of water. Absolute black or white. 120 or 235.5x120x236 cm. www.zucchettikos.com #02
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Duka Pura 5000 Aesthetic simplicity aside — there are two versions, with or without wall profiles — the special feature here is the hinge, which is made up of over 50 components and is covered in a thin layer of glass, glazed black or white, which allows the door to open outwards and inwards perfectly safely. Thanks to the up/down mechanism, the door is lifted slightly off the ground, preventing the seal from becoming worn. The soft-close system — another innovation — automatically pulls the door closed in the final centimetres. www.duka.it
Ceramica Flaminia Bonola design Jasper Morrison The first elements — pedestal and freestanding washbasins — were presented last year, as the beginning of an open project (additional finishes are expected), and “Bonola” now also includes a w.c. and bidet, designed in Morrison’s rigorously precise style. www.ceramicaflaminia.it 104 | 105
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4 / Memory Numerous design projects display a deep knowledge of the vocabulary of the past and lead us to make a mental shift and relate anew with the object in terms of a new interpretation, which nevertheless remains as a familiar archetype. Formal solutions are brought out that tend towards the present in their details, and longneglected materials from the past have been updated thanks to technology. Craft techniques from way back — some of them deriving from related sectors — are now featuring in industrial production processes.
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Bisazza Cementine design Paola Navone In recent years Bisazza has surprised us with unexpected typological variations, offering an exclusive product range. In 2011 for the bathroom with designs by nendo, Hayon and Wanders. In 2013 in ceramics with Wanders’
elaborate black and white bas-reliefs and Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel’s ceramic carpets with the barest of patterns (and a fringe). 2014 is the year of “Cementine”, a North African craft culture reinterpreted by Paola Navone and Jaime Hayon. The horizons have widened but the signature is recognisable: production
remains in the Tunisian factory owned by the firm, benefiting from local savoir faire, but under the supervision of the Italian style division. This is followed by the much more demanding business of product industrialisation, carried out by Bisazza. www.bisazza.it
Appiani Memorie Luce e Ombre The product is a more modern reworking of the old marble-chip floor tile, but produced using a more hi-tech material that makes it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The two patterns — “Light” and “Shadows” — are made up of twelve 30x30-cm modules using 1.2x1.2 cm ceramic mosaic tiles, in different colours. www.appiani.it
Bardelli Blue&Red Willow design Robert Dawson The latest Dawson’s tricks of perspective begins (in both the fragmented and complete pattern) with a decorative motif created in the late 18th century by a ceramicist with a penchant for chinoiserie. The Bardelli workshop manually adds red or blue motifs onto the shiny base of the 20x20 cm tiles. www.bardelli.it #02
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Ceramica Mutina Tierras design Patricia Urquiola The colouring is the result of a layering process: pigments are added to a black recycled ceramic base and then rise to the surface. But the most craft-oriented part of the collection is kiln fired using traditional methods. Six rich colours inspired by earth, eight formats with wide joints and contrasting colours. www.mutina.it 108 | 109
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Burlington technology Edwardian, Londra, Claremont Distributed in Italy by Regia, the brand presents Old England style at its most traditional, with advanced technologies and materials. The Nanoglaze® finish reduces the formation of porosity on the ceramic surface, while the SCI® Stone Spray-N-Seal system protects the marble or granite tops from seepage and staining. 324 tapware solutions with water saving regulators. www.regia.it
Kaldewei Meisterstück Centro duo Oval Conoflat design Sottsass Associati One of very few firms that can boast historical continuity and perfect know-how in the production of steel bathtubs. The unique feature of this model — made from a single piece of enamelled steel with vertical walls and no joins — lies in the well-established craft technique used to make it. It comes in Alpine white and measures 180x80 cm. www.kaldewei.com #02
Simas Lante Collection design Terri Pecora In order to cater to a macro market trend, the firm commissioned the Californian designer to create a “new-age” classic. “Lante”, which carries the “Ceramics of Italy” label, is a complete collection of absolute white bathroom fixtures, with customised furnishings to match. www.simas.it
Victoria + Albert Amiata design Meneghello Paolelli Associati The bathtub is a blend of Italian creativity, neo-Classicism and industrial know-how, demonstrated in the ability to work Quarrycast®, the special material made of volcanic limestone rock finely mixed with resin. This sturdy stone product can be painted over, is heat insulating, and is guaranteed for 25 years (in the white version). As for the form, there is an interesting curve in the design of the tub because “every small deviation heavily influences the final form”. www.vandabaths.com 110 | 111
Artceram Cow design Meneghello Paolelli Associati Inspired by the world of neoClassical design. The most distinctive feature of the design are the feet, which create a hybrid effect midway between wall-mounted and free-standing. The soft contouring creates an outline suggesting that of a cow, hence the name. The centreroom washbasin is made of LivingTec®; the other elements in the collection are ceramic. www.artceram.it
Valdama Trace design Gianni Veneziano and Luciana Di Virgilio, studio V+T Valdama has transferred the know-how it has built up in many years of hand-crafting tableware to the bathroom furnishings sector, which began in 2005 under the art direction of Prospero Rasulo. «On “Trace” the flow of time and water has created sculptures in substance, the transition of elements has gently smoothed the forms, modelling them». The collection multiplies in three dimensions from a rectangular, square or round base, with matt or shiny finish, in black or white. www.valdama.it #02
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Tagina Déco D’Antan The 2013 concept becomes the 2014 collection. Traditional by name and by nature, it is decorated with relief patterns produced using enamels and granules in five motifs — “Fleur”, “Filet”, “Étoile”, “Petite Mosaique” and “Tressage” — and colours. A tailor-made service that can be used to create a personalised combination of colours and patterns. www.tagina.it 112 | 113
Caves of the Modena area (courtesy Provincia di Modena, Ufficio Attività Estrattive). #02
Industry/1 Advanced Ceramics A material with extraordinary properties is the heart of one of the most vibrant and globally significant chains of industrial production in Italy; it has always been a familiar presence in our daily lives and yet it is still the focus of futuristic research projects 114 | 115
Ind u s t r y | 1 . A d va n c e d C e r a m i c s
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TEXT BY MARCO SAMMICHELI
Sassuolo, Scandiano, Rubiera, Casalgrande, Castellarano, Formigine, Fiorano, Maranello and Castelvetro are all towns within the district to the south of Modena in which some of the most important manufacturers of Italian ceramics can be found. The captains of industry who are now diversifying the family business into the fields of finance and real estate were once entrepreneurs who started out by digging clay out of the hills around the villages and towns where they were born. The legendary meetings at the Bar delle Vergini in the centre of Sassuolo have evolved and discussion of strategies such as competition over new products takes place today in settings such as the Confederation of Industry or foreign stock exchanges. The setting of international markets is the field of action to be tackled #02
and so Spain, Brazil and Russia have now become lands of extraction, production and sale. Turkey and the United States are the contexts in which partnership agreements are made, based on a range of proposals that are competitive on a global market. While China continues to dominate in terms of quantity, it is still disadvantaged in this sector by its lack of technical skills and knowhow. Design, quality, technology, pressing, drying, choice, transport, warehousing, packaging and laying are the areas of excellence of the companies that produce ceramics in Emilia and Italy. But the changes underway in this sector are also surprising since they are linked to development in research. Thanks to it ceramics have found applications in the chemical, aerospace, mechanical and car industries, in medicine and in electronics by virtue
1. and 2. Ultra water-repellent ceramic surfaces. 3. Clear ceramic surfaces for laser application. 4. and 5. Biomorphous ceramic and wood composite for bone replacement. 6. Ceramic nano-ink for ink-jet printing. 7. Porous structure for gas nano-filtration.
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of this material’s resistance to heat and to wear and tear and the ease with which it can be combined with other materials. Faenza, for example, is the home of the Institute of Science and Technology for Ceramics (ISTEC-CNR), which is the only research facility of the National Research Council focusing specifically on the study of ceramic materials. Under the direction of Alida Bellosi, the institute carries out research of great value to international bodies and companies operating in the fields of energy and the environment, as well as in those of nanotechnology, biomaterials and others linked to cultural heritage. These elements include items such as a knife or a frying pan, a bone prosthesis or a dental crown, the bearings of a grinder, a spark plug or pistons of an engine and a battery for the storage
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of energy, the superconductors of electronic devices, the lining of a bulletproof vest and the surfaces of a space shuttle — making up a kind of exotic catalogue which has been made possible by research into advanced ceramics. The unusual character of this material is reflected in the word “ceramic”, which can be both an adjective and a noun and at whose root lies the meaning of “burning”. It has become a kind of symbol for a dynamic generation, for use as a means of attaining a subsequent stage of development, and an accelerator of change. Ceramics are made by firing and are changed in turn into thermal shields. The material’s ability to handle the element that has generated it is a constituent characteristic. The scientific research applied to ceramics has its roots in the identity of the material itself. 116 | 117
Industry/2 An Organic Approach to Design Kerakoll introduces a brand-new, all-round domestic regeneration system that is both simple and inexpensive. It’s the brainchild of Piero Lissoni
TEXT BY CHIARA MARANZANA
There was a specific reason for coming back to Cersaie after 14 years had: to establish contact with the world that revolves around the development of surface finishes. Gian Luca Sghedoni wants to meet architects and distributors in order to present them, after seven years of research work, the new Kerakoll Design House interior design project, which diversifies the established range of Green Building products and services offered by this Italian firm, 40% of whose revenues are generated abroad. And in the future it is branching out into surface claddings. Art director Piero Lissoni’s Kerakoll Design House introduces a whole new approach to domestic regeneration, #02
taking a coordinated approach not just to floor and wall coverings, but also to windows, doors and lighting systems. A total look, as the ceo of the Emiliabased company described it, when he previewed the project for Abitare. «We have created a range of new surfaces from scratch, using authentic materials (cements, resins, hand-worked wood, micro-claddings and paints) that are highperformance and easy to apply. Drawing on our wide production range (from ready-mixed cements to glazes), and helped by new technologies in our efforts to recreate an old-fashioned crafted effect, we are now in a position to offer the market a comprehensive
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Each Slavonia oak floorboard (in the photo they are laid herring-bone fashion) is handworked using a slicing, sawing and planing process. Here it is combined with a wall that has a mineral finish with pure potassium silicate base that recalls marmorino and Venetian stuccowork.
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Ind u s t r y | An O r g a n i c App r o a c h t o D e s i gn
The wood floor is combined — in accordance with the palette created by Piero Lissoni — with a wall clad in a way that recalls traditional Moroccan tadelakt plastering, a process that uses cement, lime, natural earths and waxes.
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Other surfaces in the system Kerakoll Design House. 1. Slavonia wood can also be used to create boiserie panelling. 2. A cladding made using an innovative microresin that recalls the texture of cement. 3. A floor produced using a mixture of minerals selected from cement, white Carrara marble, quartz and natural coloured earths. 3
interior design scheme, to be created on site using simplified installation processes, and reasonably priced». What Kerakoll now offers is a series of continuous surfaces, three millimetres thick and with three layers: the backing, a decorative layer and an upper protective coating. The lower layer is permanent, while the top two can easily be replaced, which means that walls and floors can be revamped whenever a new look is required. Lissoni devised the Warm collection, with a series of textures, finishes and colours in a range of neutral, natural colours, as well as
in black and white, all of which can be combined to suit personal preference. Lissoni has also paid great attention to textural effects, producing surfaces that can be silky smooth or have an irregular, rough granular feel. Other versions include mineral marbling and possible imperfections enhance the hand-crafted work. The Cersaie stand — a domestic environment in all its variety — embodies the philosophy behind the project, which makes organic harmony its distinctive feature. And that can claim to be truly unique. 120 | 121
Industry/3 A Global Idea of Made in Italy Less than two years after its takeover by an American company, Marazzi makes a positive assessment and looks to the future with new investments in the heart of the Modenese ceramic district
TEXT BY CHIARA MARANZANA
Pride and training: these are the keywords for Marazzi’s near future. With almost 80 years of activity under its belt (it was founded in 1935), the manufacturer is now present in over 140 countries. A year and a half after the acquisition of the group by the American Mohawk Industries (whose ceramic sector was worth 2.7 billion dollars in 2013, an increase of 40 per cent partly due to the contribution of Marazzi), we have interviewed its managing director Mauro Vandini. Among the things we wanted to ask him about were the investments planned in Italy, with a doubling of production capacity at the Fiorano plant, the first phase of which has just been concluded, and further investment in the upgrading #02
of technology at the other manufacturing facilities in Italy. How is integration with the new ownership going? The result has been very positive, the logic of the operation has been confirmed: Marazzi has been able to demonstrate its value, marrying Italian know-how with American logistic capacity and methodology. The osmosis between the two realities has been favoured on the one hand by the experience our management has gained in the United States and, on the other, by Mohawk’s ability to respect the talents of the companies it has acquired. The investments being made in Italy confirm the recognition of our group’s excellence.
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photo by Giuliano Koren
View of the Marazzi plant in Casiglie (Sassuolo). As well doubling the size of the Fiorano site, the firm is planning investment programmes to upgrade its production activities elsewhere in Italy. 122 | 123
Manufacturing and quality control lines in a Marazzi plant. #02
photo by Giuliano Koren
photo by Giuliano Koren
photo by Giuliano Koren
photo by Giuliano Koren
Ind u s t r y | 3 . A G l o b a l I d e a o f M a d e i n I ta ly
photo by Valentina Galleri
Mauro Vandini, Marazzi Group Ceo.
Thirty million euros have been allocated for doubling production capacity at the Fiorano site, which will rise from the current 4 million square meters of porcelain tiles to 9 million. The work will be finished in six months. What are the characteristics of the new plant, whose construction has not interrupted production? The factory has been designed with great attention to its environmental impact (co-generation, cutting-edge heat-recovery and safety systems) and with a high degree of automation (presses, kilns and a range of advanced digital technologies for the decoration, colouring, grinding and squaring of the ceramic tiles). This investment is accompanied by a programme for training of the staff: the objective, in addition of course to bringing workers up to speed with the new technologies and safety systems, is to stimulate individuals to aim for higher quality levels in order to meet the challenge of combining flexibility and efficiency. In fact the future
of high-quality Italian industry lies in customization, and to achieve this it will be necessary to rely not only on our creativity, but also on our ability to solve problems, appealing to our passion and to our need not to fall short of expectations. After some controversial and perhaps rash moves, ceramics today are gaining a foothold in areas that would have been unthinkable up until a short time ago. How are you dealing with these developments? The relationship with architects is getting ever closer, in a process of shared growth. The fields of application are expanding (to things like outdoor uses and surfaces suitable for vehicles, as well as different functions indoors): ceramic materials are environmentally sustainable and have reasonable maintenance costs. The realization of the ability of porcelain stoneware to re-create effects typical of other materials is opening up new scenarios today. 124 | 125
Itinerary Inside and Outside the City Between Bologna, Sassuolo and Faenza, there are many opportunities to visit unexpected architectural jewels of architecture, see cutting-edge designs and discover hidden treasures, and not just in the world of ceramics TEXT BY MARCO SAMMICHELI
The International Ceramics Exhibition is also an opportunity to visit the city of Bologna. A number of possibilities have been suggested by the organizers of Cersaie themselves, who have chosen venues outside the Exhibition Centre for certain events. To start with, there is the opening. The international press conference and the opening night for operators and institutions will in fact be held at a special space that has only recently been opened (via Speranza 42) the home of the Fondazione Mast, an international cultural and philanthropic
Interior of the Mast cultural centre by Studio Labics in its location in the Bologna-based company GD. #02
institution. Among the objectives of Mast, an acronym of Manifattura di Arti, Sperimentazione e Tecnologia (Factory of Arts, Experimentation and Technology), is the fostering of creativity and entrepreneurship in younger generations in order to promote economic growth and social development. This is an interesting multifunctional building designed by the Roman Labics studio for the GD company of Bologna, a world leader in the design and construction of packaging machinery. It is located on the site of the company’s plant and is divided up into a series of public spaces — a training centre, auditorium and museum — and areas for staff use like the canteen, day-care centre and gym. Thus the centre creates a bridge between the company and the community in which it is located. A visit to the Mast at the time of Cersaie is also an opportunity to see the Photo Gallery, an exhibition space devoted to industrial photography that from 17 September to 31 December will host David Lynch’s
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A selection of shots taken by David Lynch for The Factory Photographs, curated by Petra Giloy-Hirtz, opening on 17 September at Mast. 126 | 127
I T I N ERARY | In s i d e a n d O u t s i d e t h e C i t y
Rooms in Palazzo Pepoli, worked on by Mario Bellini and Italo Lupi. #02
Alvar Aalto, the church of Riola di Vergato.
Exterior of Palazzo Pepoli.
The Factory Photographs, curated by Petra Giloy-Hirtz, in collaboration with the Mast and the Photographers’ Gallery of London (www.mast.org). This exhibition is made up of 124 pictures, some of them never shown before, taken between 1980 and 2000 in the factories of Berlin and its surroundings as well as in Poland, England, New York City, New Jersey and Los Angeles. These black-and-white photographs bear witness to Lynch’s fascination with industry, and his almost obsessive passion for chimneys, smokestacks and machinery as well as for obscurity and mystery. Just as in his films, the atmosphere and subjects of his pictures evoke arcane and surreal worlds, dream-like and enigmatic sequences. The exhibition also features a sound installation created by the artist and a selection of his early short films, some of which are less well known to the general public. Bologna, the city of students, young artists and good food, is also full of iconic buildings and places where you can meet various kinds of design culture. One of the least-known of these is the Fondazione Lercaro (via Riva di Reno 57, www.fondazionelercaro.it), a museum and study centre named after the Cardinal who brought figures of the calibre of Kenzo Tange, Alvar Aalto
and Le Corbusier to Bologna. There are documents, sketches and drawings in the collection, but only the Finnish architect was able to see his design for a place of worship realized. The church at Riola di Vergato, just outside the city and on the Strada Porrettana through the Apennines, is Aalto’s only work in Italy. Although completed after the architect’s death, the church is faithful to the ideas and aesthetics of its designer. Tange on the other hand has left a strong mark on the city. He was responsible for the design of the Exhibition Centre and the seven white towers of the Trade Fair District have been a Bolognese landmark since the end of the 1970s. The history of the city’s penchant for towers is told in the museum of Palazzo Pepoli (via Castiglione 8). Renovated with an intervention by Mario Bellini and embellished by Italo Lupi’s display design, the past is presented here as a story filled with fascinating events and anecdotes, as with the story of Le Corbusier’s pavilion for the Esprit Nouveau. The building was designed in 1924 for the Exhibition of the Decorative Arts in Paris but destroyed two years later. A copy of it was built in 1977 in Bologna (piazza Costituzione 11) after a debate that
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began in the pages of the magazine Parametro. The Fondation Le Corbusier agreed to the plan and two of his former pupils supervised the construction under the direction of Giuliano Gresleri, a prominent figure in the academic world of Bologna. Then there is another important public space devoted to contemporary art, and as fate would have it this museum too has ended up with an eloquent acronym and location. The Mambo is located in the building of the Forno del Pane (via Don Giovanni Minzoni 14), literally the “Bread Oven”. The transformation and conversion of the former bakery got under way in the second half of the 1990s. The restoration was
carried out following a design by Aldo Rossi in collaboration with the Arassociati studio of Milan. The museum today is directed by Gianfranco Maraniello and during the period of the fair will open a retrospective devoted to the designer Massimo Iosa Ghini. As well as at the fair, the coupling of water and design is also to be found in the city centre. The Ospedale dei Bastardini (via D’Azeglio) is again hosting Bologna Water Design with site-specific installations and new projects, and explorations of surfaces and bathrooms, the outdoors and food, design culture and sustainability (from 22 to 27 September). Among the companies operating in the sector that are taking part in the event are B&B Italia, Boffi, Fontana Art, Lea Ceramiche and Zucchetti.Kos, and the designers invited to participate are Francesco Binfarè, Sergio Brioschi, Antonio Citterio, Diego Grandi, Daniel Libeskind and the Studio Irvine and Piero Lissoni. There will also be a selection of young talents from the best design schools in Italy. The installations will turn around the theme of the product made in Italy, although this year there will also be a project by Turkishceramics, the promotion group for ceramic manufacturers in Turkey.
The old bakery that now houses the Mambo Museum.
The Ospedale dei Bastardini, home of Water Design.
The copy of Corbusier’s pavilion for the Esprit Nouveau built in 1977 in Bologna.
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I T I N ERARY | In s i d e a n d O u t s i d e t h e C i t y
Installations at Water Design. Bottom, two drawings by Massimo Iosa Ghini exhibited at the Mambo.
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1. Face Creative Link, Omaggio a Carosello; 2. Alhambretto Design Studio, Once Upon a Water; 3. Francesco Binfarè, Africa, farfalla, vola!; 4. Nicola Evangelisti e Fabio Bozzetto, Speculum Solis; 5. Turkishceramics, Kiosk. 6. Iosa Ghini, Città gialla; 7. Iosa Ghini, Modella per Krizia.
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Items from the collection of Confindustria Ceramica’s Documentation Centre for the Italian Ceramic Tiles Industry in Sassuolo. 1. Aldo Landi, Ceramica Flavia (1954); 2. Reparto Artistico, Cooperativa Ceramica Imola (1950); 3. Augusto Chini (1957); 4. Marazzi (1960); 5. Studio Zanuso, Cedit (1965); 6. Sergio Asti, Cedit (1968); 7. Ettore Sottsass, Cedi (1968); 8. Ceramica Vaccari (1968); 9. Confalonieri, Cedit (1968); 10. Ceramiche Roma (1970-71); 11. Lenamara, PI.SA. (1972); 12. Emilio Tadini, Gabbianelli (1975); 13. Mimmo Scolaro, Cerdisa (1976); 14. Margherita Thermes, Musa (1980); 15. Paolo Portoghesi, Bastula (1983); 16. Krizia, Edilcuoghi (1983); 17. Atelier Mutina, Ceramiche Mutina (1985); 18. Remo Buti, Il Ferrone (1985); 19. Gianfranco Ferrè, Il Menestrello (1986); 20. Alessandro Mendini, Bastula; 21. Cini Boeri, Cedit (1989).
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The Carlo Zauli museum in Faenza has renewed its collection through residencies and collaborations, such as the one with Viafarini DOCVA (pictured).
The design of the display has been entrusted to a team from the Architects’ Journal. In the talk area set up in the rooms of this 16th-century Bolognese palazzo it will be possible to listen to lectures by Mario Cucinella, Mario Botta, Philippe Daverio, Rory Olcayto, Manfredi Catella and Alessandro Bonfiglioli, among others. Heading a few kilometres out of Bologna in the direction of Milan, there is the centre of the Italian ceramics industry in the heart of the province of Modena. This is Sassuolo, the capital of the so-called ceramics district. Here, just outside the town, there is the headquarters of Confindustria Ceramica, the national organization of manufacturers in this sector. This HQ is housed in the Palazzina Ducale di Casiglia, an 18th-century construction in an even older Estense garden, which has been recently renovated by famous architects (including Gae Aulenti). Inside there is a hidden treasure, the Documentation Centre of the Italian Industry of Ceramic Tiles. In addition to the library — containing the most complete set of monographs and studies on the sector — it is worth visiting the museum section, which covers the history and stylistic changes in ceramics from the origins of the industry to the present day (by appointment, tel. 0536818111). Here you will find hundreds
of surprising masterpieces, experimental works of art and graphic design and techniques — which have often been forgotten, even when created by well-known international designers — that can be seen as contributions to culture on various scales. Heading out of Bologna in the opposite direction, towards the sea, we come to Faenza, another key centre of the industry. Here artistic ceramics are still central and the Museo Carlo Zauli is a key site for this kind of work. The museum is to be found on the site of the ceramics workshop that Zauli took over from Mario Morelli in 1949. Over time the old workshop has turned into a centre in which sculpture, high craftsmanship and experimental work come together. In 2002 the space underwent further change thanks to the new strategy adopted by the founder’s son Carlo. The museum has become a link between contemporary art and ceramics. Thanks to a system of residences and institutional collaborations — in particular Viafarini in Milan and its curator Marco Tagliafierro — artistic ceramics are not just a memory in Faenza. In fact the collection includes works by important artists that are rarely seen in the provinces, including Garutti, Marisaldi, Silver, Trevisani, Xhafa and Zuffi (www.museozauli.it). 132 | 133
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