07 Oct 2021 • Finishes
Highlights from Cersaie include an invisible hob and a surreal stand design
We’re back from last week’s Cersaie – the international exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings in Bologna, Italy – with our top picks from the event. Check them out below.
Photo cover and above: Gregory Abbate
INFINITE MAJESTY
Roca Tile
Greco-Latin elements were reimagined by Masquespacio to create a surreal, dreamlike booth for Roca Tile. The designers were inspired by the qualities of porcelain, using Roca Tile’s Arcobaleno, Topazio and Saint Tropez collections to illustrate classic nobility, sophistication, balance and serenity. Small sculptures and furniture pieces highlighted ceramic’s versality as a material beyond floors and walls.
EARTHTECH/
Florim
Carefully selected fragments and pigments comprise Florim’s Earthtech/ slabs, coloured-body ceramic surfaces. High-performance, hygienic and developed to top sustainability standards, the multiuse slabs push forward architecture that’s constructed in symbiosis with surrounding landscapes. But Earthtech/ is not limited to neutral shades: yellow, red-orange and more balance out the range’s greys.
PIXEL 41
41zero42
With references as far-reaching as graphic patterns from the 1940s, 1980s video games, techno music equalizers and Russian swimming pools, Pixel 41 from 41zero42 encourages the playful integration of colour in- and outdoors. Featuring 41 colours, the collection of 11.55 x 11.55-cm tiles offers the opportunity to create monochromatic schemes or bold mosaics. With its irregular borders, slightly rounded edges and intentionally uneven surface, Pixel 41 has an artisanal look and feel.
LUCE
Iris Ceramica Group
Designed by Guillermo Mariotto and presented exclusively at Cersaie 2021, Iris Ceramica Group’s Luce resembles the imprints left in sand by retreating waves or the softness of flowing silk. With its constantly changing iridescent appearance, Luce is inspired by the way light interacts with matter. The product range is designed for indoor and outdoor use, and is ideal for commercial and residential settings, façades, architectural projects and urban redevelopments.
BOOST NATURAL
Atlas Concorde
Transferring the natural details of raw earth and the handmade look of artisanal expertise to the surface of porcelain tiles: this was the objective that guided the Atlas Concorde R&D lab and Matteo Brioni when creating Boost Natural. The resulting porcelain tiles – in a palette that reflects those of various natural clays – mean the ‘raw earth’ look can be applied to wet and outdoor areas.
RAK-PETIT
Rak Ceramics
Following the success of their collaboration for Rak-Cloud, Rak Ceramics and Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà have teamed up once again. True to its name, Rak-Petit is a series of compact washbasins designed with small spaces in mind. The simple-shaped collection includes deep-based and freestanding washbasins, and is ideal for small yet special bathrooms or sanitary facilities in public spaces.
LAPITEC CHEF
Lapitec
After years of experimentation and research in collaboration with the University of Padua, Lapitec presented Lapitec Chef, an ‘invisible’ induction hob. The patented system sees the cooking surface transform into additional bench space or a dining surface when not in use. Completely hidden under a sintered stone top, the hobs – and their accompanying touch controls – are activated by a technological cooking pad.
COVERLAM
Grespania
Developed with cutting-edge lamination-pressing technology, Grespania’s durable Coverlam collection is resistant to bacteria, odours and environmental factors. Equally suitable for exterior and interior environments, the large-format slabs (up to 1,200 x 3,600 mm in thicknesses of 3.5 and 5.6 mm) can be found everywhere from the outer skin of skyscrapers to the floors of healthcare centres.