There’s something about concrete which can seem a little cold- the vast expanse of dull grey that evokes images of factory interiors and warehouses. The industrial look is highly modern and remains über trendy, but often relies on highly stylised furniture and lighting for elevation. Sometimes interior spaces need a little something else to add character.
Italian architect Andrea Maffei believes concrete to be the “material which best defines modern architecture”, and with its unpredictable variation in shade and texture, it is akin “to the irrationality of man”. With DOT for Ceramica Fioranese, the personality Maffei attributes to concrete is accessible on a domestic level as he makes his mark with these brutalist designs.
With the most simple of additions and alterations, Maffei’s designs become so much more than concrete. The concrete-look tiles come in large slabs (1,208mm by 1,208mm, 604mm by 1,208mm, and 604mm by 604mm) with standard shade variety and texture. Three shades of grey are available- Griege, Grigio Chiaro, and Grigio Scuro. The four decors are the perfect counterpart.
Inviting the eye are the etched circles, rough and ready like the textured surface, but methodical. From a distance they appear to be the marks of installation, as if large nails had been hammered through the wall, but close up they are delicate. The irregular relief adds areas of shadow to the already varied grey, making for characterful tiles and unpredictably exciting spaces.
The decors come in two rectangles (604mm by 1,208mm and 302mm by 1,208mm), one square (604mm by 604mm), and a triangle (604mm). The dots vary based on shape, providing even more aesthetic variety.
A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, June 2019.
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