dossier
ecosostenibilidad / eco-sustainability
CROSSING THE THRESHOLD The "Cruzando el Umbral" (Crossing the Threshold) project was designed by Alicer Arquitecturas and comprises a hexagonal metal pergola containing 16 housings clad with red and white glazed porcelain stoneware. Half the housings are positioned in an ascending position and the other half descending with a perforated vertex for collecting rain water for subsequent use. This idea is connected with the exhibition's slogan and aims to launch ideas related to sustainable construction. The ambience has been conceived for rest and is divided into two spaces, one in white where visitors can sit and watch projections of the Cerámica Ascer prizes, and another area in red, which is a public traffic area.
S H OWCAS E
This waste material costs nothing and is modified by hydraulic cutting to give it new value and a different use to that originally assigned to it. The stools are formed by a series of different layers of ceramic material which, are piled up on top of a supporting structure, that gives it shape. This is ceramic street furniture designed for outdoor use that can be given a variety of functions. It can be used as a seat, but also as a planter, bollard or waste paper bin, according to the size adopted.
EXPANSIVE CLAYS Manuel Bailo, Rosa Rull and Javier Jiménez were responsible for creating the “Expansive Clays” exhibit working with clay as a raw material, and generating an ambience relating to the ceramic universe in contact with water.
FAUX BOIS The project by Saeta Estudi was inspired by the concept of Faux Bois that define elements that copy wood with other types of materials. As Fernando Ansorena explained, Bet Cantallops and Pere Ortega, architects at Saeta Estudi and creators of Faux Bois: "as professionals, we should be capable of giving value to any material". That is why the project was born of the reflection that "all materials are worthy of being used". This gave them the idea to build a tree stump using pieces of "ceramic wood", a material that has been looked down on in some forums in comparison with fine materials and which, they say, they would never have dared to use, but which are a central element of their project. In this space, formed by an irregular pavement with triangulation throughout the surface, geometrization is very important. It is made up of different planes covered with mesh on which ceramic tiles are installed. It does not attempt to imitate a natural element, but to interpret it through abstraction, thus creating new uses.
This is a living project because it uses raw clay which, over time, transforms the project, showing visitors to the fair how, day after day, the space created by this team changes in appearance. "The project will deteriorate and change shape, but that is what we intend, it is an experiment", explained one of the creators. With this work, ADD Bailo Rull and Javier Jiménez want to show the process of working with clay, exploring the most ancient use of this material.
Trans/hitos highlights new trends in architecture, design and habitat, translating new proposals consistent with the real needs of consumers to the ceramic industry
BEHIND THE LATTICE This project, which adopted the spanish title of the literary work by Naguib Mahfuz, Tras la celosía, was born, according to its creator, architect Patxi Mangado, with the idea of translating to ceramics the method used to work other materials. Therefore the author tries to "express the fusion between the technical and artistic condition in ceramics". In order to carry out this project, Mangado y Asociados explored the possibilities of ceramics through geometry and built a grate inspired by Arab and Mediterranean architecture. As Patxi Mangado explained: "This was a complicated task because we came up against a lot of problems with structural resistance and attachments that placed dimensional limitations on the project."
MEETING POINT The Meeting Point by Alicer Arquitecturas was conceived as a rest area consisting of stools of different heights built using ceramic products from excess stocks or materials withdrawn from the market.
LIVING IN A CELL This exhibit, developed by Alicer Arquitecturas, consists of a semi-cylindrical stainless steel, structure which is light and modular. It is linked to the ceramic igloo product, this piece being designed as an extension to this. Because of its dimensions it is possible to add tiles to both sides of the igloo dividing it into two parts to form an inhabitable cell.
According to Miguel Llorenç from the department of architecture at the ITC, the first semi-cylindrical piece has been designed as a pergola for outdoor areas which permits the entry of heat to be set using controls that open and close the ceramic tiles to block out or let in sunlight. It has been built using 4 mm, laser-cut aluminium sheet, light-weight porcelain stonewear and laminated glass. Llorenç explained that "at experimental level this project is testing the use of ceramics in a type of blind that opens and closes according to user needs and their adaptation to another structure similar to what will be the igloo.
METAMORPHOSIS This is the igloo adapted to the abovementioned structure. Shown for the first time at Cevisama 2008, this space, also designed by Alicer, is back with a golden finish that shows the transformation capacity of ceramic tile thanks to new decorative systems. This idea of change has also led Alicer to develop and design new ceramic products using different decorative processes and treatments. These new ideas were exhibited at the exhibition and were planned as part of the igloo ambience.
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