Projekte

Showroom Cristofoli - Basel (Switzerland) - BASEL (SVIZZERA)

Swiss essentiality meets Italian creativity

BASEL (SWITZERLAND). WITH ITS FLUID VOLUMES AND GLOSSY SURFACES, THE CRISTOFOLI SHOWROOM IS A FUNCTIONAL SPACE THAT EXPLOITS THE BEAUTY OF THE CERAMIC TILES TO PROMOTE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DESIGNERS AND CUSTOMERS.
Autor
Carlo Paganelli
Baujahr
2010

The latest trends in showrooms, art galleries and aesthetically high profile spaces demonstrate that ceramic tiles are products with broad appeal and growing popularity. As traditional yet highly innovative products available in a wide range of sizes and colours, ceramic tiles are ideal for use in any kind of public or residential space. The reliability of the showcased products and cultural identity of the display space are key concepts behind successful communication with the public. Unlike stores which have the sole function of selling goods, showrooms are places that bring together two complementary capabilities: the producers and the people who benefit from a professional consulting service. For the Cristofoli showroom project the architect took design cues from the surrounding urban context, in this case the elegant city of Basel with its time-honoured links with the art market. In its essential new configuration, the showroom displays the proverbial minimalist trend of Swiss architecture. The colour scheme is based on a small number of variables, with accent colours such as the blue of the doors standing out from a chromatically low-key environment defined by the large pewter coloured floor tiles. The white walls and ceilings are designed specifically for the display of ceramic tiles, with a system of angled shelves that assures maximum visibility for the floor and wall tile samples. The new showroom was conceived as a neutral container capable of giving the greatest prominence to the contents without distracting graphic elements that might interfere with communication. But it was necessary to create a focus, a catalyst that would lend significance to a space otherwise devoid of formal identity. For this purpose, the reception desk serves a dual function: an external reference and a structure for mediation between the interior sections. With its sinuously curving shape like a wave of information, the reception desk captures the customer’s attention while the mosaic cladding offers a foretaste of the products on display. This essential yet highly distinctive desk makes reference to the spas of antiquity reinterpreted with a modern design. Its unusual shape is accentuated by the TT120 ceramic floor tiles. The chosen tiles are from the Progetto 1 series, a metallised porcelain tile enhanced by authentic metal granules that are pressed together with the tile body. Along with the metal particles, a layer of metallic precious stones on the surface of the product creates a lively sparkling effect. After firing, the unglazed, coloured body tiles are brushed and honed to create a smooth, shiny surface.

Keramikbeläge
120x120 cm

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