PININFARINA DESIGNS THE EARTH SERIES FOR CASALGRANDE PADANA
/Earth is the new series of ceramic slabs, which was presented during the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings (Cersaie) 2015. The Earth series by Casalgrande Padana is an addition to an already rich catalogue and moves further in the direction of research, experiments and mixes different worlds and styles.
“Working with Casalgrande Padana has allowed us to make the most of all our competencies, from industrial design to architecture, capitalising on our knowhow with materials, which comes from our work in the automobile sector. Earth by Pininfarina is a collection with a unique style, which combines craftsmanship with the most modern production techniques, offering versatile and sophisticated solutions for all fields”.
(Andrea Pininfarina, President of Pininfarina)
When thinking about the most relevant novelties with the Earth series, the brand Pininfarina quickly springs to mind. They have branded this new series, making it the very first collection of tiles that has been designed by this historical brand from the world of automobile design.
Since 1893, the name has been linked to car bodies, the design of ever innovative lines of cars, so the brand has an undeniable legacy. This can be seen through the choice to add, to these porcelain stoneware slabs, little details which seem to be delicate hints and fleeting forays from other style kingdoms, into that of ceramics. The world of Pininfarina is part of this, made from roaring metal, precious wood, metallic paint, leather interiors and coloured details.
“We have always manufactured state of the art ceramic materials with a perfect balance between natural resource protection, environment protection, advanced technology, economic growth, and social responsibility. We wanted to join two outstanding examples of Italy’s excellence, namely Casalgrande Padana and a leading name in Italian industrial design. Our encounter with Pininfarina was particularly stimulating from a creative point of view. We have worked hard on this collection, focusing on innovation, both in terms of technology and form. The result is a range of products with a unique design, which sets itself apart from the various imitations of natural materials available on the market.”
(Mauro Manfredini, Commercial Director of Casalgrande Padana)
Our Earth slabs, produced by Casalgrande Padana, are in fact the result of combining the knowhow of the historic company from Sassuolo and a design brand which is just as well known, with the objective of bringing life to a unique collection with a distinctive character. In the Earth series, the distinctive character lies in the combination achieved in the ceramic slab’s texture; there is a particular motif, which — when touched — seems to come from the fusion of three distinct materials (all from the world of cars): glass, leather and fabric. This mixture, as can be read in the official presentation of the Earth series, creates:
“[…] a strong multisensory effect. The result is warm and cosy to the eye, whereas, at a short distance, you can appreciate its innovative texture and tactile three-dimensionality”.
Pininfarina and Casalgrande Padana, however, have not only paid great attention to the tactile elements, but they have also focused on colour. With the Earth series, there is a wide palette of colours, which allows for their creative use in various settings and scenarios.
With this tile system, created by Casalgrande Padana, the creativity does not end there, however. The Pininfarina brand is applicable not only to the tiles, but also to the décor, according to the demands of the architect or the customer’s taste, making each use of them more personal and more creative! Another final plus, is that this series of ceramic slabs, by definition, is designed for:
“[…] any use, ranging from private villas to luxury hotels. EARTH provides interior designers and architects with the ideal tool for creating simple and elegant or dynamic and highly sensory environments.”
To get to know the Earth range better, and the process that led it to become a reality, we invite you to check the link to the official site, and leave a comment on the Facebook post dedicated to this wonderful project…
THE CROWN: THREE-DIMENSIONAL LANDMARK BY DANIEL LIBESKIND
/The Casalgrande Ceramic Crown, another three Cs, is the new signature architectural work by Daniel Libeskind, and constructed with leading materials and technology. This is a spectacular landmark which places itself, symbolically, alongside the three Cs of the Casalgrande Ceramic Cloud. The Cloud was created in 2010 by Kengo Kuma, commissioned by Casalgrande Padana and made using their slabs.
While the CCCloud could be described as the ‘spokesperson’ for the Bios Ceramics technology (self-cleaning and anti-bacterial slabs), the CCCrown stands out for being an icon for construction and application technology. This has been achieved with the ceramics, thanks to constant, in-depth study, searching for new solutions all the time.
The Crown is a reality. The landmark, designed by Daniel Libeskind and created by Casalgrande Padana, was inaugurated today in the presence of President Franco Manfredini, Mayor of Casalgrande Alberto Vaccari, the institutional authorities and the master architect himself, Daniel Libeskind!
The Fractile design by the star architect Daniel Libeskind.
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SUCCESS OF CASALGRANDE PADANA PLATES TO EXPO 2015 MILAN VANKE
The fractile Series covers the Vanke Pavilion, with a fractal design and advanced technology.
Casalgande Po signing another great success in the world of porcelain tiles, creating something really special. And, to see it, just pay a visit to the pavilion of ' Vanke company , for Expo 2015 Milan. With the creation of the slabs of fractile series - developed in collaboration with the star architects Daniel Libeskind - Casalgrande Padana includes, in a single object, avant-garde aesthetic choices, a combination of technology, and innovative methods for the cladding of buildings.
All the numbers of a major project
for the Universal Exhibition, Casalgrande Padana has provided over 4200 plates - produced in 60 × 120 and then cut into two distinct modules of 60 × 60 - made tarting from a design by Daniel Libeskind , author also the design of the pavilion. To color the plates: a special red hue, with metallic effect. The graphic motif, however, is inspired by fractal mathematics. Just to make this particular structure, Casalgrande Padana has resorted to a special three-dimensional pattern .
The fractile slabs are the result of a careful work, both from the aesthetic point of view, both as regards the sophisticated industrial process, necessary for their realization , which provides processes of glazing and firing at 1250 ° C , and the use of selected mixtures of clays, quartz and feldspar , with the use of saturated metallic glazes of oxides , capable of adding to the ceramic surface a particular dynamic and iridescent effect . A tint, the latter, developed specifically for this project in the laboratory tinting of Casalgrande Padana.
Headlining
Casalgrande Padana's work has been instrumental in the completion of Vanke within the agreed time (it was the first pavilion to be surrendered to Expo, three months in advance of the opening date): masterful operation, especially if one takes into account the complexity of the processes that are due to follow.
After completing the bone and put in place the struts bracing steel , in fact, we proceeded to the installation of the horizontal elements in the corrugated sheet and the insulating core of attachment ' casing , composed in mineralized wood fiber panels . The whole was then enclosed in a layer of shotcrete on a special support armature .
The entire volume of the pavilion Vanke (of definitely unusual form) was then prepared for the installation of a special metal substructure to dry the coating anchor ceramic, developed in collaboration between architect Daniel Libeskind and the Engineering Division of Casalgrande Padana. The laying system is designed to emphasize the deconstruction of traditional coplanar surfaces by partial juxtaposition of the three-dimensional ceramic elements fractile, porcelain stoneware, glazed in an evocative red lacquer.