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Artisanry meets industrial technology in three new Crogiolo collections

Marazzi releases ArtCraft, Lume Esagona, and Luz

Artisanry meets industrial technology in three new collections from Marazzi
By Editorial Staff -
Marazzi has participated in the project

For the three new additions to its Crogiolo range, Marazzi drew its inspiration from the material qualities of the traditional handmade terracotta, majolica, and hand-glazed tiles of Portugal. The result of a coming together of artisanry and industrial technology, the three collections – ArtCraft, Lume Esagona, and Luz – have grown out of the firm’s love of handmade products, authentic ceramics, and porcelain stoneware research and innovation.

Available in 7 7/8 x 7 7/8”, 8 1/4 x 7 1/8”, and 2 1/8 x 11 3/4” sizes (20x20, 21x18.2, 5.3x30 cm), ArtCraft is a collection of small indoor tiles for walls and floors. It was inspired by the material qualities of traditional terracotta, reinterpreting its subtle mottling along its edges and its sandy texture with light and dark grains. Six colors are available for a natural look – Pumice, Earthenware, Lime, Sand, Terracotta, and Clay – as well as a semi-matt white. There are even more patterns offered, ranging from the classic Quadri and Segni to the geometric Bolli, Triangolo, and Bande. Quadri, for example, simulates a hand-made floral design, complete with brushstrokes, against a chromatically contrasting background, while Bande features a 3D structure with different sized lines that create a relief effect.

The aesthetic qualities of traditional terracotta – ranging from the perfection of its imperfections to its natural warmth and the way its appearance changes over time – have therefore been updated with a style that’s in step with our innovative times. The collection recalls the authenticity of ceramic crafted by artisans, bringing to indoor spaces an invitation to experience the tactile sensations of the tiles while creating embracing, comfortable environments.

 

Lume Esagona

Lume, Crogiolo, Marazzi Courtesy of Marazzi

The result of cutting-edge production technology and a careful study of glazes and colors, the Lume collection reinterprets the beauty of handmade majolica tiles that are thick with glaze, shiny, and imperfect. Each composition is made unique by the presence of halos, irregularities, pitting, and chromatic and pattern variations. The final effect is contemporary, in part because of the new 2 3/8 x 9 1/2” (6x24 cm) size in twelve colors – Off White, Turquoise, Forest, China, Beige, Pink, White, Green, Blue, Black, Musk, and Greige – and the hexagonal version in three colors (White, Green, and Blue). The colors have different intensities and vibrancies, these qualities accentuated by the irregularity of the surface, which simulates the handmade original.

The hexagonal shape, in particular, creates finishes with an artisanal appeal, reinterpreting the characteristics of ceramic in its purest form through a contemporary lens. The imperfect surface and the color variations inspired by the original are the key features of this high-end, small-format tile. With their three intense colors, shiny surface, and balance between imperfection and perfection, these tiles can be used to create rooms that are both vibrant and a delight to the eyes and touch.

 

Luz

Luz, Crogiolo, Marazzi Courtesy of Marazzi

The porcelain stoneware Lux collection is another small-format indoor tile. Finished with a high-gloss glaze, it recalls the appearance of traditional hand-glazed tiles. Like all the Crogiolo range, the artisanal appearance of the original is recreated industrially. The uneven edges are the result of an innovative process that gives a slight irregularity to the surface of each piece. Along the base of the tile, however, the edges are straight for creating finishes with an artisanal flavor. The inspiration for the edges is the pattern created by cutting bricks with a knife during their manufacture, this producing subtle irregularities that break the rigidity of a perfect shape.

The Luz collection is available in ten colors: White, Yellow, Pink, Lobster, Caramel, Powder Blue, Olive, Teal, Cobalt, and Black.

 

A quick history of Crogiolo

Lume, Crogiolo, Marazzi Courtesy of Marazzi

The name Crogiolo (crucible) is particularly significant in the history of Marazzi. Located between the railroad and canal in Modena, it was the name of the factory where Marazzi was founded in the 1930s. The building was also the site where “Il Crogiolo” research and experimentation lab was setup in the 1980s. During an intense period of pure creativity, this was where architects, designers, artists, and photographers were asked to freely interpret the ceramic product. It resulted in designer tiles created by the likes of Roger Capron, Amleto Dalla Costa, Original Designers, Saruka Nagasawa, and Robert Gligorov, and photography by Luigi Ghirri, Cuchi White, and Charles Traub.

More info: www.marazzitile.co.uk

 

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Credits

All images courtesy of Marazzi

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