CERASPAÑA 24 INGLES.indd

CERASPAÑA/24
2010 / CERAMICS / ARCHITECTURE / DESIGN
TILE OF SPAIN AROUND THE WORLD
CERAMIC: YOUR BEST ALLY FOR RENOVATION WORK
“DRESSED TO BUILD”, TILES TAKE ON FASHION
WINNERS OF 8TH TILE OF SPAIN
ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS
CERASPAÑA/24
Editorial
Summary
New horizons
02
EDITORIAL: NEW HORIZONS
Spain’s ceramic tile industry has always been characterized by its dynamism.
This quality has meant that we are constantly exploring new markets, new
uses and new applications for ceramic tile and are always seeking to improve
production systems and much more. As a result of this dynamic approach
we have been able to adapt to a changing market and be the global leaders in
this highly competitive sector.
03
REFRESH YOUR HOME WITH CERAMIC TILES
08
TILE OF SPAIN AROUND THE WORLD
10
RESULTS OF THE 8th TILE OF SPAIN
COMPETITION
14
CERAMIC TILES TAKE ON FASHION AT
CIBELES MADRID FASHION WEEK
16
INTERVIEW WITH PERE FULLANA
18
WHITE TILES, GREEN FOREST
21
SHOWROOM
26
THE SWEETEST CERAMIC
30
NEWS AND EVENTS
31
READER SERVICES
The Tile of Spain umbrella brand that covers the Spanish manufacturers’
products has provided significant support to Spanish ceramic tiles in their
success beyond our borders. Its presence at trade shows around the world,
showcasing the best of our industry, has made the brand synonymous with
quality and prestige. The most recent exhibitions where Tile of Spain was
present were at Cersaie in Italy and ACE TECH Mumbai in India. Also, training seminars have been held under the umbrella of the brand in Germany and
Russia and are featured in this issue.
That this is a dynamic industry is also evident by the fact that we strive to
forge new relationships between ceramic tile and creative fields such as art
and fashion. One of the major fashion shows on the international circuit was
held recently in Madrid and Spanish ceramic tiles were there with a space
titled “Dressed to build”, where the aesthetic and creative qualities of ceramic
and fashion joined forces in the same concept.
Because our industry is so dynamic, exploring new horizons have been successful and there are surely many more still to be explored. As the content
of this magazine makes abundantly clear, we are working on this on a daily
basis.
ISSUE 24 · 2010
EDITED BY ASCER
Spanish Ceramic
Tile Manufacturers´ Association
C/ Ginjols, 3 · 12003 Castellón · Spain
Tel. +34 964 727 200 · Fax +34 964 727 212
global@ascer.es · http://spaintiles.info
Ceraspaña is a free newsletter distributed
by ASCER.
PUBLISHED BY
Iberamic Inc.
DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
Plató
SPONSORED BY
ICEX, Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade
2
FRONT COVER PHOTO: THE PASEO
MARÍTIMO AT PONIENTE BEACH IN
BENIDORM - WINNER OF THE TILE OF
SPAIN AWARDS
PHOTOGRAPHER: ALEJO BAGUÉ
CERASPAÑA/24
REFRESH YOUR HOME WITH CERAMIC TILES
The range of formats, colors, textures and styles available in ceramic tiles mean that we can endow any space in our
home with its own personality. Simple retouches to the décor or more major work to adjust the home to the home
owner’s changing demands are all possible with ceramic tiles. There are ceramic tiles for every need and budget…So,
do you fancy going for a re-vamp?
Continues on page 4...
Grespania Cerámica, Homestone series
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CERASPAÑA/24
E
very stage of our life is different, conditioned by new times, different fashions and
the personal situations that we experience.
These changes are evident in our day to day lives but are seldom reflected in our homes. So,
why not tailor the home to suit ourselves? We
can give our spaces personality through simple
Azulev, Materia series
4
touches that require no great effort or, what is
more, no major financial investment. Changing
the color, volume and size of our surfaces are
just a few examples of what can be done.
Ceramic tiles are a material that can combine
all these features, enabling spaces to be crea-
ted that are harmonious and in tune with our
tastes and preferences. Ceramic tiles stand
for comfort, the cutting edge and style. Given
their versatility, they can turn any space, improving and renovating. A firm ally indeed for
your home.
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THE NEW WAYS OF LIVING AND THE NEW
CERAMIC TILES
The traditional family models have changed enormously over the last few decades.
Nowadays there are single person households, single parent families, people who share a home but have no family ties with each
other, the so-called ‘non-traditional families’
and so on. The design and space conception
of homes however has not developed in step
with these socio-demographic changes.
According to the “New ways of living” report
researched by the Department for Trends in
the Building Environment, housing has changed little in the last 50 years. Consumers
now are demanding even more flexibility and
“we want products that deliver more, have
more emotional uses and generate all kinds
of feelings and experiences; from playfulness
to surprises, wellbeing etc…but they must
also reflect our lifestyle.” What we look for
to be able to adapt our homes to the needs
and realities of today, are products that are
more in tune with the user, where consumers
take part in the development process, interact with the products or have an emotional
link to them.
Land Porcelánico, Pietra Serena series
Today’s ceramic tiles provide a response to
what the new society is demanding. This is
why it is the ideal material if you are thinking
about revamping your home so that is a true reflection of your lifestyle and philosophy of life.
One of the most obvious changes that have
happened in the homes of the new millennium
is the transformation that kitchens have
undergone. With women joining the workforce
technology has moved into the kitchen, which
has also taken on a social function. Now, the
kitchen is one of the rooms where family and
friends get together; indeed kitchen furniture
is looking more and more like living room
furniture and the kitchen itself opens onto the
rest of the house, kitchens are now a more
integral part of the house and much more in
view. Ceramic tiles have always been the
material of choice for kitchens because of
its technical specifications. Now that we
save up every spare minute so that we can
have more leisure time, why give up all the
advantages of this material? It is very easy
to clean, affording maximum hygiene, needs
no expensive maintenance and normal day to
day use leave it unscathed. Equally, because
Tau Cerámica, Point series
Continues on page 6...
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CERASPAÑA/24
it is so easy to clean, it is one of the most
environmentally friendly materials there is:
just a little soap and water and it shines like
new. Add to this the range of models, formats,
colors and finishes that are available now and
there is sure to be a ceramic tile out there that
reflects your taste perfectly.
Halcón, Concept series
The living room and dining room are now a
single room, used by the whole family on a
daily basis. The time when the dining room
was used solely for entertaining guests is
now past, which is why people are looking
for materials that can withstand daily usage,
children playing and high- heel shoes. These
new rooms are frequently combined with the
kitchen, which is why using the same material for the flooring in both rooms is a great
idea. The giant formats that ceramic tiles
come in are ideal for this kind of use and several different sizes can be combined to create
attractive patterns and even to simulate rugs.
ONE OF THE TRENDS
GATHERING THE
GREATEST MOMENTUM
IN CONSTRUCTION,
AND GENERALLY IN ALL
ASPECTS OF LIVING, IS
SUSTAINABILITY AND A
CONCERN FOR NATURE.
REMODELING IS THE
MOST SUSTAINABLE
FORM OF CONSTRUCTION
– EVEN MORE SO IF
CERAMIC TILES ARE
BEING USED BECAUSE
THEY ARE LONG LASTING
AND EASY TO MAINTAIN.
WHY CHANGE YOUR
HOME IF YOU CAN
RECYCLE YOUR CURRENT
ONE?
The living room is where we most likely reflect our lifestyle and personality. Why not
use customized ceramic tiles on one of your
walls? Digital printing means that we can
have completely custom-made murals on our
living room walls, featuring perhaps a favorite
photograph, abstract or floral motifs or any design that takes our fancy.
Inalco, Muse y Decor series
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Bathrooms in new homes have moved on from
being minimal spaces to rooms for relaxing
and providing a sense of wellbeing. Bathing
is a whole ritual and, as such, requires the
right environment where we feel comfortable
and safe. The growing importance of personal safety and of creating a healthy home is
CERASPAÑA/24
significant. Ceramic tiles are the best choice
for giving a bathroom a makeover. As well as
reflecting current trends in decor and fashion,
the new designs in tiles include anti-slip finishes that assure maximum safety even when
feet are wet.
Ceramic tile thus reveals itself to be the ideal
material for re-decorating the home because
of the multitude of aesthetic possibilities it
affords and because it is a quality option for
those who are looking to the future: users
can have every confidence that with ceramic
tiles every room in the house will remain intact over time
Saloni, Connec Striped series
Vives Azulejos y Gres, Imazi series
Ceramicalcora, Vietnam series
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TILE OF SPAIN AROUND THE WORLD
TRAINING SEMINARS
ON CERAMIC TILES IN GERMANY
TILE OF SPAIN PARTICIPATES IN ACE
TECH MUMBAI
ASCER and the Spanish Commercial Office in Düsseldorf organized two
seminars on Spanish ceramic tiles as part of the Tile Industry Promotion Plan. Held for architects in the cities of Stuttgart and Hamburg
(Germany), the seminars were arranged in collaboration with architecture magazine “db deutsche bauzeitung”.
A total of 200 professionals attended the seminars, which were subtitled “Im Quadrat – Mit Fliesen bauen: Praxisbeispiele im privaten und
öffentlichen Bereich” (“All square, building with ceramic tiles: practical
examples in public and private contexts.” The first seminar was held
in Stuttgart, in collaboration with ICEX, while the second, financed by
IVEX, (Export Institute of Valencia) took place in Hamburg.
The market in India is becoming one of the industries with the greatest potential
for “Tile of Spain”.
A total of nine companies from Spain’s ceramic tile sector took part for
the first time in ACE TECH Mumbai from 5th to 8th November, 2009. The
companies involved were Aparici, Azulejos Sanchís, Azulev, Cerámica
Mayor, Inalco, Pamesa Cerámica, Realonda, Roca and Vives.
ASCER organizes seminars for architects and retailers all over the world about
innovations in Ceramic Tile from Spain.
The event consisted of two parts: a temporary exhibit of ceramic tile
material showing innovative products from various manufacturers, and
a series of lectures delivered by prominent architects who spoke about
their own experiences using ceramic tile.
ASCER manned an information stand under the Tile of Spain umbrella
name where they handed out information to promote Spain’s ceramic
floor and wall industry.
A third seminar with the same objectives was held in November in
Samara (Russia). Organized by ASCER in collaboration with the Commercial Office in Moscow, it was targeted at specifiers and drew an
audience of 100, mostly Moscow-based, importers and retailers along
with architects, interior designers and the specialist press.
ACE TECH is an exhibition that attracts an extensive and very diverse
audience, from architects and interior designers to retailers, engineers,
builders, the press etc. The main purpose for Spain to participate in
ACE TECH was to boost the presence of the Spanish ceramic tile industry in the Indian market and, more specifically, to improve their
positioning amongst specifiers. For the same purpose, Tile of Spain
also had an information stand at INDEX Mumbai from 18th to 22nd September, 2009.
The seminar included a brief review of Spain’s ceramic tile industry and
its inroads into the Russian marketplace, followed by a presentation
on the types of ceramic tile, their current applications and the latest
innovations in products and technology.
Tile of Spain took part in a number of events in India in 2008 and 2009,
reaping very positive results. The Indian market is one of the emerging
markets where Spanish ceramic floor and wall tiles are being accepted
with open arms.
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SPANISH PRESENCE
AT CERSAIE
A total of 81 Spanish companies from the ceramic tile industry – including glazes, sanitary ware and ancillary industries – supported
by ICEX (the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade), exhibited jointly at
the CERSAIE fair in Bologna, Italy, from September 29th to October
3rd, 2009.
The Spanish companies once again were the biggest foreign group.
The number of visitors attending CERSAIE 2009 over the five days
of the show was very similar in number to the previous year. The
number of foreign visitors was also the same as in 2008, considering the fact that the show is the leading international trade fair for
the ceramic tile sector.
During the fair Julia Climent, the new Director General for Industry,
Trade and Innovation at the Valencia Regional Government, visited
to see the potential of this industry at first hand and understand
the importance for Spain to be present in this international market.
As part of her duties in this new post, Climent held a first meeting
with the representatives of ASCER, who described the main issues
relating to the industry.
ASCER implemented a number of promotional initiatives, including
printing a catalog of exhibitors with detailed information on each of
the Spanish companies present at the fair, and an advertising campaign in the leading international tile publications.
The group of companies from Spain was second only to the Italian – proof
of Tile of Spain’s commitment to export markets.
SEMINAR FOR
SPECIFIERS IN SAMARA
ASCER ran a seminar for specifiers in Samara, Russia, organized
in collaboration with the Commercial Office in Moscow and the
city’s main importers and retailers. Around 100 architects, interior
designers and the trade press attended the seminar which included presentations – delivered in Russian – on the latest trends in
architecture and interior design in Spain and the latest products
and other developments that the companies participating are offering the Russian market. In terms of promotional material delegates were given press kits made especially for the event along with
a DVD featuring information on the industry and literature on each
of the participating companies
Russian specifiers check out the quality of the ceramic tile material.
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10
ASCER has held what was this year the eighth competition
for the Tile of Spain Architecture and Interior Design Awards.
The jury, which comprised leading international professionals, faced a difficult task in selecting the winners given the
high standard of the entries. A total of 127 designs were
submitted across the three categories of the Awards – Architecture, Interior Design and Degree Projects.
THE PASEO MARÍTIMO AT
BENIDORM’S PLAYA DE PONIENTE
WINS CERAMIC TILE AWARD
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he panel judging the 8th Tile of Spain Architecture and Interior design Awards,
which was chaired by renowned art critic
William J.R. Curtis, awarded first prize in the
Architecture category to the design for the
Paseo Marítimo at the Poniente beach in Benidorm” by Carlos Ferrater and Xavier Martí
Galí (Estudio de Arquitectos OAB). The panel
emphasized that “it explores the concept of
an artificial landscape dedicated to leisure”,
and were equally impressed by the way the
standardized ceramic tiles for the paving helped to create a fluid effect, which is intensified by the changing colors.
T
In the interior design category the winner
was “Restoration of the ‘Casa del Condesta-
ble’”, a project conceived by Tabuenca & Leache, which the judges deemed outstanding
because of the way they combined modern
and traditional shapes and materials in the
context of restoring and renovating an old
building using typical Spanish tiles without
making it look too traditional.
DEGREE PROJECTS CATEGORY
In the Architecture category the judges also
singled out from among all the projects
entered, a design titled “First aid post” by
MMAMB / Màrius Quintana, as it draws on
both ingenuity and simplicity to address
the challenge of creating modest cabins on
the beach, combining ceramic tile surfaces
with the vertical strips of windows and pergolas.
The panel awarded first prize this year to a
project titled “Gran Reserva. An underground
winery in Rioja” by Mauro González Tercero of
the Escuela Técnica Superior (Advanced Technical School) in Madrid, while the “Maritime
Observatory in the Hook of Holland” by Carlos García Fernández and the “Socio-Cultural
Centre and Canoeing School in Redondela” by
Laura Fidalgo Soto were highly praised.
The Tile of Spain Awards competition has a
last category designed to recognize the best
Degree Project produced by students of Architecture in which ceramic tiles play a significant part.
For the judges, the most striking feature of the Paseo de Poniente in Benidorm by Carlos Ferrater and Xavier Martí of OAB, is their use of geometric systems
based on an abstraction of wave movement and of standardized ceramic tiles that help create a fluid effect that is intensified by the changing colors. Here,
ceramic tile is the central element of a public project and is combined with concrete, vegetation, sand and the sea.
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THE JUDGES
The panel judging this 8th Tile of Spain competition included leading architects and other
professionals. The chairman was Wiliam
J.R. Curtis, a leading international art critic
who holds a doctorate from Harvard University and devotes his professional career to
teaching at universities, such as California,
Cambridge, Harvard and Sydney, and at the
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
His best-known books are Modern Architecture Since 1900 (Phaidon 1982) and Le Corbusier: Ideas and Forms (Phaidon, 1986).
These works have been viewed as classics
and translated into many languages. Curtis
has won many international prizes and sits
on the panels for the major international competitions relating to art and architecture.
The rest of the judges were well-known architects Martha Thorne (executive director of
the Pritzker Prizes), Ramón Vilalta (RCR Arquitectos), Carme Pinós, Juan Domingo Santos, interior designer Francesc Rifé and the
Dean of the Comunidad Valenciana College of
Architects, Ramón Monfort.
The winners of the two main categories of
the Tile of Spain Awards (Architecture and
The prize in the DP category went to Mauro
González Tercero for his design titled “Gran
Reserva”.
The restoration of the Casa del Condestable in Pamplona by Tabuenca & Leache won the interior
design category for the skill with which it combines modern and traditional shapes and materials
in the context of the restoration and renovation of an old building. Ceramic tile has its own place
in a well-measured whole.
Interior Design) receive 20,000 euros each,
whilst the prize for the winner of the Degree Projects category is 10,000 euros. The
awards are sponsored by Vodafone España,
Gas Natural and the Port of Valencia.
The Awards thus continue to gather momentum thanks to the increasingly high quality of
the entries and the competition’s growing popularity amongst students and professionals.
There can be no better proof of the quality of
the designs entered for this competition than
the work that has won the accolades in the
last few years. In the architecture category
the winners include the Spanish Pavilion at
the Aichi Expo in Japan (by Alejandro Zaera
Polo and Farshid Moussavi, FOA Architects),
the renovation of Santa Caterina Market in
Barcelona (by Enric Miralles and Benedetta
Tagliabue, EMBT Arquitectes), the Peñíscola
Conference Centre (by Ángela García Paredes
and Ignacio García Pedrosa), the Spanish
Pavilion at the Zaragoza Expo (by Patxi Mangado), the revamping of a street in Burriana
(by José Durán) and the Castilla-La Mancha
Archives by Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra
The jury also singled out a design titled “First aid post” (MMAMB /Màrius Quintana) where the ceramic
tile surfaces are combined with the vertical strips of windows and pergolas to provide shelter and a
certain intimacy while also affording framed views of the sea.
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CERAMIC TILES TAKE ON
FASHION AT CIBELES
MADRID FASHION WEEK
Ceramic tile is a material that is evolving parallel with trends in design. An innovative
product, it offers consumers a broad range of designs, formats and finishes. Tile
of Spain – the industry’s umbrella brand – has been to the country’s top fashion
showcase, Cibeles Madrid Fashion Week, for the first time, setting up a space titled
“Dressed to build. Ceramic tiles take on fashion” designed by eminent architect
Tomás Alía.
Ceramic tile is a material that reflects clothing fashion trends – ideal for dressing spaces.
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In the ‘Dressed to build’ space tiles were shaped to form elegant evening gowns on a giant scale.
F
or 5 days Spain’s top fashion designers
showed their new creations for the 2010
spring/summer season at the Madrid fashion
show and Tile of Spain wanted to be present
there alongside Fashion from Spain so that
the material becomes associated with the
world of style, design and fashion. To create
this alliance, the Tomás Alía practice created
a spectacular set for a display of ceramic tiles.
Titled ‘Dressed to build’, the space evoked the
inside of an haute couture workshop where
as well as being the background against
which the fashion was shown, ceramic tiles
were also configured into gigantic evening
gowns.
This was a unique space that
brought together the different attributes that
ceramic tiles and fashion share: personality,
design, glamour and a cutting edge essence.
Architect Tomás Alía designed the spectacular space. Designer Ana Locking with her dress featuring ceramic tiles.
The “Dressed to build” space featured a
presentation of very special dresses: the
designers at 4eyes, Juanjo Oliva, Ana
Locking, Juan Duyos and Carmen March, who
showed their creations this year in New York,
rendered one of the models in their collection
in ceramic tiles, showing their own, fresh
interpretation of fashion in the Tile of Spain
space.
Each designer selected tiles from the gigantic dresses in the space to create and personalize one of the designs from their spring/
summer 2010 collections. Each garment was
customized by using tiles that were cut and
shaped specially to turn them into fashion
items or accessories. Juanjo Oliva and Ana
Locking chose gleaming black and red rectangular and square tiles for their creations, while Juan Duyos blended curved tiles in shades
of mauve into a woodland pattern stamped
onto the fabric. Carmen March made a belt
with pieces of mosaic tile as the perfect accessory for her garment
Four Spanish fashion designers used ceramic tiles to customise four dresses from their spring/summer 2010
collections.
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Interview
PERE FULLANA
Head of ceramic Tile Life Cycle Analysis
“
Pere Fullana i Palmer, Ph.D in Industrial Engineering (from Universitat Ramón
Llull), Chemical Engineering (Instituto Químico de Sarrià), Industrial Engineering
(Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), Diploma in Chemical Information Science
(Instituto Químico de Sarrià) and holds an MBA (Universitat Ramón Llull). Dr.
Fullana is a pioneer in the development and implementation of the methodology
for the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and is a leader in the field in Spain and internationally, having been Chairman of the LCA Steering Committee at SETAC Europe.
He is member of the CEN/TC 350 – Sustainability of construction works, the focus of his activity being standardization of Environmental Product Declarations.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABLE
PRODUCT CAN HELP THE TILE INDUSTRY
IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
To what extent is it useful for the ceramic tile
industry to have an LCA of the material?
What the LCA does, for this and any other industry, is provide objective, precise information as to where every impact is. This avoids
human and economic resources being invested where they do not need to be and is a good
lever for engaging the authorities in dialog.
Also, improving the environment (via eco-design and eco-redesign) requires a good un-
16
“
Just to get us started, what is a Life Cycle
Analysis, or LCA?
The LCA is an environmental assessment tool
that goes beyond the classic analyses that focus on the production stage, and uses a single
indicator (usually energy). It also covers all
stages of the value chain and includes different types of impact indicators (consumption
of energy and other natural resources such
as water, acidification, toxicity, eutrofisation,
global warming etc.). By considering the different impacts created throughout the life cycle of a product or service the LCA affords an
overview of its environmental characteristics
and prevents a supposed improvement in any
given stage of the value chain (or to an environmental indicator) resulting in greater environmental loss in another stage or indicator.
derstanding of what one is trying to improve
if the maximum environmental benefit is to be
obtained at the least financial cost. Lastly, if
we are going to publicise an environmental improvement we need to be sure that the product
does not have some environmental deficiency
in another stage or indicator that could come
to light and go against us.
According to your study, what stages of the
life cycle could be improved the most?
It is hard to give a specific answer just now. It
is fairly common for one stage in the life cycle
to have a considerable impact because it has a
greater value for one indicator than for the rest,
but to have lower values for other indicators.
In this specific case, for instance, it is quite
possible that the high energy consumption during the manufacturing stage means that the
indicator that characterizes the greenhouse
effect is higher than during other stages.
How established are LCAs of construction materials in Spain? In which countries are they
used more widely?
The construction industry in Spain is slowly
becoming more sensitive to environmental
issues and is asking for LCAs to be carried
out, either for internal use or as a marketing
CERASPAÑA/24
Interview
strategy. For the time being, the sectors that
have been most interested are thermal insulation manufacturers, brick, tile, cement, windows, light façades and steel manufacturers
and so on. Large construction companies and
the relevant public authorities are interested in
gathering together all this information so as to
be able to evaluate the life cycle of a building
or infrastructure.
It is in Europe, especially France and Germany, where they are used most extensively,
promoted by official bodies for sustainable
construction.
Once the LCA study has been completed, what
benefits will ceramic tile manufacturers be
able to derive from it?
There are many benefits. On the one
hand they will be aware as to
where lies the greatest environmental impact over the life cycle of the tiles and thus know
where improvements can
be made. Understanding
the manufacturing system
almost always leads to
significant cost savings in
one of the stages of the
value chain, which creates
competitiveness. On the
other hand the study could be used as a marketing strategy by identifying or developing an
eco-label.
Could commissioning this study be something
that creates a point of difference and added
value for “Tile of Spain”?
Spain is one of the world leaders in the manufacture of tiles and the power of having a product that is more environmentally sustainable
could help strengthen the industry’s position
in terms of international trade.
It is a fact that different administrations (such
as those led by Obama and Zapatero) have
realized that the current economic system, and
specifically that of the construction industry,
is unsustainable. It is important to be a step
ahead of developments and create a market.
How do you see the future for the ceramic tile
industry?
Despite being one of the most traditional industries the ceramic tile sector must continue
to innovate and offer products that are competitive not just in terms of quality but also regarding environmental issues if it is going to survive the crisis it is facing. The products that
compete with ceramic tiles have already gone
for the environmental message. I see ceramic
tiles as a well-established value that needs to
adapt to the new environmental paradigm as
well as to the new consumer tastes of course.
How will having the results of this analysis influence the use of ceramic tiles in construction?
Ceramic tile has a great advantage over other
products: it is easy to install, easy to maintain
and immensely durable. The manufacturing
process however still has a big impact on the
environment despite the effort the sector has
invested already in reducing this impact as
much as it is technically possible. A better
understanding of these phases can help them
improve and contribute to more sustainable
construction. Before these improvements are
made, however, tile manufacturers are being
approached by customers asking for environmental and quality information. This LCA will
provide that information regarding the industry
as a whole and, little by little, manufacturers
will take the findings and offer environmental
information relating to specific products.
This information will be mandatory fairly soon
and will be a crucial factor in making a sale
(as it already is in some countries and regions). Getting ahead of the competition will
help sales
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WHITE TILES, GREEN
FOREST
Detail of the interior of the home.
Photos: Sergio Padura.
Architect Carlos Ferrater has designed a family home in a residential district
of Barcelona where the contrast between the white ceramic tiles and the
forest that surrounds the house enhances the beauty of both elements.
The angular geometry of the building, in gleaming white, is an example of
how ceramic tiles can be adapted to be used on any surface to create a
pleasing effect.
The home plays with geometry and contrasts and places ceramic tiles
firmly center stage.
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CERASPAÑA/24
Ceramic tiles offer inexhaustible possibilities that make it an excellent choice for any space, indoor or outdoor.
The façade, roof and inner cladding of the
house use ceramic tiles, as do the two
swimming pools.
The versatility of this
product is inexhaustible and its features make
it the ideal material for creating interiors,
shaping swimming pools or covering façades
that will withstand the inclemency of the
weather without sacrificing good looks.
THE ADAPTABILITY OF
CERAMIC TILES IS SUCH
THAT, WITH SKILFUL CUTTING,
THIS COVERING CAN BE
APPLIED PERFECTLY TO
STRUCTURES THAT ARE AS
UNIQUE AS THIS ONE
The outstanding features of this house designed by Carlos Ferrater are its shapes and the
use of white. The walls of the house have
been clad with bone-white ceramic tiles. This
is no standard structure. Instead, the house
comes together via a combination of a multitude of angles, apexes, different heights and a
great many windows in all kinds of unexpec-
CERAMIC TILES ARE THE
IDEAL MATERIAL FOR
EXTERIOR COVERINGS
BECAUSE THEY ARE
HIGHLY RESISTANT TO
THE INCLEMENCY OF THE
WEATHER
ted places. The adaptability of ceramic tiles
means that with skillful cutting by professional installers this covering can be applied perfectly to structures that are as unique as this
one is. The possibilities the material affords
are therefore almost infinite. What is more,
ceramic tiles come in a wide range of formats.
In this instance a large format has been used
– 45x90 centimetres (18X36 inches) – which
makes installation easier and gives the house
a solid, strong character.
Ceramic tile is an ideal material for exterior
coverings because it is so long-lasting and
Large format porcelain tiles, which are easy to install, have been used for the façade.
Continues on page 20...
CERASPAÑA/24
weatherproof. Ferrater chose porcelain stoneware because of its durability and robust
outdoor performance as opposed to other coverings that suffer visible wear and tear with
the passage of time. Ceramic tiles, on the
other hand, retain their original shape and color at all times.
Ceramic tile is the material that has traditionally been used for building swimming
pools. Here, the house’s two pools have
been clad with white tiles. The color enhances the brightness and clarity of the water,
highlighting its blue tones, which reflect those of the sky, blending the pool in with its
surroundings.
THE VERSATILITY OF CERAMIC
TILE IS INEXHAUSTIBLE AND
ITS PROPERTIES MAKE IT
THE IDEAL MATERIAL FOR
CREATING INTERIORS,
CLADDING FAÇADES OR
BUILDING SWIMMING POOLS
Ceramic tiles are also to be found inside the
house. The ceramic floors and tiled walls
combine technical and aesthetic properties
in such a way that thanks to the variety of
designs, formats, volumes etc. the tiles create rooms with their own personality. All of
this is achieved without sacrificing any of the
tiles’ technical properties to aesthetics. In
other words, ceramic tiles in one of the latest
designs are also tiles that are strong, antislip and easy to clean
Ceramic enhances the personality of a home and explores the material’s potential.
20
SHOWROOM // LATEST TRENDS
NAVARTI GRUPO / VALENTINA CERÁMICAS - ADVANCE SERIES · AXANTO CUADROS COLLECTION - global@navarti.com · www.navarti.com
CERASPAÑA/24
Showroom
UNICER
ÓXIDO SERIES AND HÁBITAT SERIES
(D-TILES) + BALI - D-CO COLLECTION
comercial@unicer.com · www.unicer.com
NATUCER
CEVICA
SPAINTERIOR SERIES - SIGNES COLLECTION
natucer@natucer.es · www.natucer.es
PROVENZA SERIES
cevica@cevica.es · www.cevica.es
22
Showroom CERASPAÑA/24
SUPERCERÁMICA
VOGUE SERIES-COLLECTION
export@superceramica.com
comercial@superceramica.com
www.superceramica.com
PLAZA CERÁMICAS
VENUS
PALACE VICTORIA Y VICTORIA SERIES - VICTORIA COLLECTION
plaza@plazatiles.com · www.plazatiles.com
MONTECARLO SERIES - CEVISAMA 2009 COLLECTION
info@venus.es · www.venusceramica.com
23
CERASPAÑA/24
Showroom
COLORKER
SERENITY SERIES-COLLECTION
colorker@colorker.com
www.colorker.com
AZTECA
MONTEBELLO 45 SERIES
MONTEBELLO R74 SERIES
comercial@azteca.es
www.azteca.es
24
Showroom CERASPAÑA/24
GRES CATALÁN
SLIM-TILE SERIES - PUZZLE COLLECTION
grescatalan@grescatalan.com · www.grescatalan.com
CERÁMICAS APARICI
ALCALAGRES
BELLAGIO SERIES-COLLECTION
nacional@aparici.com / nguillen@aparici.com · www.aparici.com
SILEX SERIES - TABACO COLLECTION
general@alcalagres.com · www.alcalagres.com
25
CERASPAÑA/24
THE SWEETEST CERAMIC
Ceramic tiles and lighting are the key elements of
this interior design project by Francesc Rifé. The
ceramic material used lends simplicity and elegance
to the premises and contrasts with the lighting and the
smoked glass used inside. The combination creates
a simple, minimalist effect that makes the sweet
confections on display in the patisserie stand out.
26
CERASPAÑA/24
T
he 45 square metres (485 square feet)
of the Santantoni patisserie are arranged as a single room including the spaces
dedicated to the display and to the sale of
the products. The main challenge in designing the establishment was the limited dimensions of the premises and the existence
of a large refrigerated display cabinet that
impacts on what can be built overall. The
designer elected to use dark mirrors on the
walls and on the ceilings to create a sense
of space that is magnified by the use of concealed fluorescent lighting.
THE NEUTRAL HUES OF
THE GREY PROCELAIN
STONEWARE TILES AND
THE LIGHTING DESIGN
GIVE THE PREMISES AN
ELEGANT, SIMPLE LOOK
THE SHOP’S EXTERIOR
CLADDING CARRIES
ALSO TO THE INTERIOR,
CREATING A UNITY
BETWEEN THE TWO
SPACES
Both the walls and the floor have been made
in stone grey porcelain stoneware tiles. This
neutral hue creates a contrast with the lighting,
which gives the premises an elegant, simple
look as at first sight all that can be seen inside
the shop is the light and the dark colors of the
ceramic tiles. As a result it is the products on
display that are in the limelight, appearing as
little jewels. The design of the interior of the
shop focuses totally on highlighting the confections in the display cabinets.
The kind of ceramic tile used in this project –
porcelain stoneware – is notable for its stainresistance and its ability to withstand intensive use. This is an ideal material to use in
catering establishments, as in this instance,
and also in medical and sporting facilities because of its hygienic properties and the fact
that it is easy to clean.
Continues on page 28...
The simplicity of the ceramic tiles used makes the products on display stand out (tiles by Apavisa).
27
CERASPAÑA/24
The Santantoni patisserie’s products are displayed on shelves set at different heights and
on both sides of the shop. This layout is nonsymmetrical, and, together with the white and
blue lighting in the refrigerated display cabinet, creates a very eye-catching play of light.
The space has been laid out in a linear way
– another element to add to the minimalist atmosphere in the entire shop.
PORCELAIN STONEWARE
IS AN IDEAL MATERIAL
TO USE IN CATERING
ESTABLISHMENTS
BECAUSE IT IS SANITARY
AND STRONG
The façade has also been designed along the
same aesthetic lines as the interior of the patisserie: simplicity, elegance, minimalism and,
of course, ceramic tiles. The entire front window is framed by grey porcelain stoneware
tiles and affords a view into the whole interior
of the premises. The shop’s exterior cladding
carries on to the interior too, creating a unity
between the spaces and a more fluid, natural
transition between the two.
The quality of this project is such that it was
singled-out and received a special mention by
the panel judging the seventh Tile of Spain Architecture and Interior Design Awards competition, which is organized every year by ASCER
The high specifications of porcelain stoneware make it the ideal covering for both the exterior and the interior of commercial premises.
28
CERASPAÑA/24
This project by Francesc Rifé won a distinction in the Interior Design category of the 7th Tile of Spain Awards
competition.
29
News and Events
Company News
MARAZZI INVESTS IN SOLAR ENERGY
Grupo Marazzi has signed a scientific co-operation deal with Sinocome Group to develop photovoltaic ceramic floor and wall tiles. The
joint venture will aim to develop new applications for amorphous silica
technology on ceramic supports for use in eco-sustainable construction. The project will roll out in two phases: during the first the two
companies will cooperate on developing photovoltaic cells on ceramic
supports while the second phase will focus on building a pilot plant for
industrial production of the solar tiles
PERONDA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE AND FORMATS
Manufacturer Peronda has launched a new website – www.peronda.com –
with interesting applications for the end customer to use that will enable
them to design their ceramic tile projects in 3D.
CERÁMICA DECORATIVA-CUMELLA COVERS
TEMPORARY ‘URBAN GUERRILLA’ INSTALLATION
BY VALENCIA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTS
Peronda has also started production of its 4mm thick series. These
slimmer tiles are substantially lighter to transport, create less environmental impact and are much easier to install – benefits that make them
a D.I.Y. product that is a world away from the traditional
PRÊT-À-PORTER BY ROCA TAKES “DELTA DE PLATA”
AT THE FAD AWARDS
A very complex manufacturing system was used to make the gold tiles.
Manufacturers Cerámica Decorativa and Cerámica Cumella have collaborated once more on a temporary architectural project that involved
restoring and changing the façade of the Valencia College of Architects
(CTAV) offices. Conceived by the GGlab network of architects, Urban
Guerrilla is an installation of geometric, wavy shapes designed to ‘renovate’ the façade of the building, “regenerating it so that the city’s
inhabitants can use it”, as José Ramón Tramoyeres, who co-founded
GGlab along with and Andrés Arias (México), points out.
The close collaboration between GGlab and Decorativa-Cumella led
to the design of ceramic tiles tailored to digital architecture: flat and
curved stoneware tiles fired at a very high temperature with a golden
metallic glaze, developed through a complex process of extrusion and
moulding respectively. Seven different models were made together to
fit the shapes of the installation, which will remain outside the front of
the VCA during the entire autumn
30
A growing number of manufacturers are developing dry installation systems for
ceramic tiles.
The Prêt-à-Porter dry installation system for ceramic tiles developed by
Roca Cerámica was awarded a “Delta de Plata” prize at the 33rd FAD
(Promotion of the Arts and Design) Awards for, in the words of the jury,
“saving both time and materials in installation and being easy to substitute later on.”
The Prêt-à-Porter system is quick to install and represents another step
towards protecting the environment (a feature highly appreciated by the
“Delta de Plata” jury as the prize seeks to reward incentives to improve
sustainability and social issues) as these are totally re-usable tiles that
produce no waste or debris. They also improve both the thermal and
sound insulation in any space
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