Materials

Subterms

    Latest story

    188 Shares169 Views

    Dezeen and ASUS Zenbook to host Design You Can Feel exhibition during London Design Festival

    by

    Dezeen has teamed up with ASUS Zenbook to curate a major exhibition during London Design Festival exploring materiality, craftsmanship and artificial intelligence.

    Titled Design You Can Feel, the exhibition will showcase how material qualities such as form, colour and texture can be combined to create objects or moments that awaken the senses.
    Featured designers include Fernando Laposse, Giles Miller, Natural Material Studio, Niceworkshop and Studio Furthermore.
    The exhibition will also include a specially commissioned piece by Future Facility, the design and research studio led by distinguished designers Kim Colin, Sam Hecht and Leo Leitner.
    Exhibition to tell the story of Ceraluminum

    At the heart of the exhibition will be an exploration of Ceraluminum, an innovative new material that’s used to create the distinct visual identity of the ASUS Zenbook series of laptops.
    Ceraluminum combines the lightness of metal with the resilience of ceramics through an aluminium ceramisation process, resulting in a new proprietary material with distinctive nature-inspired hues that make each object unique.
    Dezeen has teamed up with ASUS Zenbook to curate an exhibition at London Design FestivalUnlike traditional aluminium anodisation, the process eliminates volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals and results in a 100-per-cent recyclable material.
    This will be presented alongside work by other leading designers and curated around themes that speak to the qualities of Ceraluminum and showcase ASUS’s approach to design.
    A celebration of ASUS Zenbook
    The Design You Can Feel exhibition will celebrate Zenbook, the new range of laptops from ASUS.
    These thin and light ultra-portable premium laptops have been crafted with the user in mind. The design features have been dictated by their use with the aim of seamlessly integrating beauty and function.

    Dezeen Events Guide launches digital guide to London Design Festival 2024

    The laptops feature advanced (artificial intelligence) AI tools and are clad in the proprietary Ceraluminum material.
    This light and durable material can be used to create unique, everlasting designs. Each of the pieces in the exhibition – which span furniture, lighting and installation design – will speak to these qualities in different ways, while Niceworkshop has produced a piece of furniture directly using the material.
    The Design You Can Feel exhibition will celebrate ASUS ZenbookThe special commission by Future Facility will also be crafted from Ceraluminum.
    Through this conceptual design, the studio will explore the relationship between the digital and physical worlds and ask how AI and materiality can change our relationship with technology.
    Visitors to the exhibition will also be able to learn about the design story behind ASUS Zenbook and try out the AI tools it features for themselves.
    Design You Can Feel takes place during LDF
    Design You Can Feel will run from 17 to 22 September at Protein Studios in Shoreditch during London Design Festival.
    More details of the exhibition, including details of the work on display, will be announced in the coming weeks at: dezeen.com/designyoucanfeel.
    The exhibition graphic at the top of this post is by My Beautiful City, which used the generative AI tool Midjourney to create the imagery. You can see Dezeen’s policy on AI here.
    London Design Festival 2024
    London Design Festival 2024 takes place from 16-22 September 2024. See our London Design Festival 2024 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.
    Partnership content
    The Design You Can Feel exhibition is a partnership between Dezeen and ASUS Zenbook. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 113 Shares119 Views

      in Rooms

      Natural Material Studio crafts entire home interior from bioplastic

      by

      As part of 3 Days of Design, Danish practice Natural Material Studio has created a futuristic fossil-free home interior where all the elements, from the curtains to the sofa, are made from the same bioplastic.

      White Utopia is Natural Material Studio’s most ambitious installation to date, adapting the studio’s Procel bioplastic to form massive functioning furniture pieces across three separate rooms – a dining room, a lounge and a bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe.
      The White Utopia installation includes a lounge (top image) and dining room (above)The exhibition envisions a future where our homes are made entirely using biomaterials like this, which can be endlessly remade into new products and backyard composted at the end of their life, rather than ending up in landfill.
      “The installation has for sure been the most challenging to date due to the complexity in scale and the three-dimensionality of the whole ‘house’,” studio founder Bonnie Hvillum told Dezeen. “You can really start to see how we can live with these new materials.”
      Every element down to the lampshades is made from Procel bioplasticNatural Material Studio initially developed Procel as a flexible biotextile, used to form everything from clothes to curtains. But recently, the studio started experimenting with adapting its recipe to create whole load-bearing furniture pieces.

      The core ingredient is a specific – although nondisclosed – natural protein, which Hvillum says can be derived from either plants or animals.
      Among the larger pieces is a monobloc biofoam sofa”It’s very much used in the medical industry, also in bookbinding,” said the designer, who sources her protein from different suppliers across Europe.
      “It’s used in many different places,” she added. “But when I called them and said ‘can you figure out a way of supplying this to me’, they were like ‘okay, we’ve never had this question before’.”
      The installation also features a bedroom with a walk-in wardrobeTo create Procel, this natural protein is mixed with a small amount of chalk for strength and a natural softener made from plant oils for flexibility.
      Combined in different rations and cast into different moulds, this mixture was used to create not just the textile room dividers found in White Utopia but an entire bio-foam sofa for the living room, stools for the dining area and a giant platform bed that visitors were encouraged to sit on.

      Natural Material Studio creates restaurant panels from leftover beer

      By taking out the softener, Natural Material Studio was also able to create more rigid pieces, including a dining table that was originally cast as a simple rectangle but deformed into a more organic shape as it dried.
      “The presented design objects are really pushing the possibilities of these materials,” Hvillum said. “Opening the door to making them structural is a completely new route for us.”
      “I think it holds so much potential, creating materials that resemble polystyrene and vacuum-formed plastics.”
      Visitors were encouraged to sit on the bioplastic bedFurnituremakers including Isomi and Natuzzi have already started experimenting with using natural latex as an alternative to traditional polyurethane upholstery foam, as the plastic is hard to recycle and contains toxic chemicals.
      Hvillum argues that Procel could offer another promising alternative, as it can be endlessly recast to form new products or simply buried outside in the garden, where it will degrade within a month.
      “We are basically investigating fluidity,” Hvillum said. “So everything is in motion and things can move on to have another life. ”
      “This is how we envision the future to be.”
      Procel biotextiles were also used to form wall coveringsProcel has already made it out into the real world with clients including Calvin Klein and Copenhagen restaurant ÅBEN.
      A collaboration with a Spanish luxury fashion house is also in the works, despite the brand being weary of using animal-derived protein.
      However, Hvillum argues that animal polymers can actually be more sustainable than their vegan counterpart because they are made from waste residues from the meat industry.
      The dining table deformed as it dried”When we work with animal-based materials, we can actually tap into a waste flow so we work with second-generation materials,” she explained. “Whereas when we work with plant materials, we work with virgin materials.”
      “Sustainability is a lot more complex than just: is it animal or is it vegan,” she added. “It’s more about: what sources can we reuse from so that we keep things in a circular loop.”
      The photography is by Peter Vinther.
      White Utopia was part of 3 Days of Design, which took place at venues across Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares149 Views

      in Rooms

      Australia bans engineered stone due to silicosis risk

      by

      Australia has become the first country in the world to ban engineered stone, following rising cases of silicosis among workers who handle the material.

      The ban was agreed at a meeting of Australian federal and state workplace ministers on Wednesday, and will come into place across the country from 1 July 2024.
      The ban targets engineered stone, also known as agglomerated stone – a type of material made by mixing crushed stone with a resin binder.
      “This is a dangerous product”
      While it is valued as a durable and affordable alternative to natural stone for kitchen benchtops, the material can be dangerous while being cut because it releases a fine silica dust into the air.

      Australia has recorded rising cases of the lung disease silicosis in stonemasons who have handled the product, leading it to be dubbed “the asbestos of the 2020s” by union leader Zach Smith.
      “This is a dangerous product that’s known to cause the potentially fatal disease silicosis, and it has no place in our workplaces,” said Queensland industrial relations minister Grace Grace in a statement following the meeting.
      “The rate of silicosis illness in Australia for those working with engineered stone is unacceptable,” said her Western Australian counterpart Simone McGurk. “This prohibition will ensure future generations of workers are protected from silicosis associated with working with engineered stone.”
      Ban follows report finding no safe level of silica in engineered stone
      The move comes nine months after an investigation by three Australian news outlets accused supplier Caesarstone of not doing enough to warn people of the dangers of working with the material and the country’s construction union launched a campaign calling for the ban.
      A subsequent report by the national policy body Safe Work Australia found that engineered stone workers were significantly over-represented in silicosis cases and were being diagnosed with the disease at much younger ages than workers from other industries, with most being under the age of 35.

      Australia moves to ban engineered stone due to silicosis danger

      It also found that the risk from engineered stone was distinct from that of natural stone due to the material’s physical and chemical composition, and that this was likely contributing to more rapid and severe disease.
      The report concluded that no level of silica was safe in engineered stone and that the material should be prohibited in its entirety.
      Silicosis is caused by tiny particles of silica becoming embedded in the lining of the lungs and manifests in symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, weakness and fatigue.
      The condition is life-altering and potentially fatal, with many formerly healthy young sufferers describing being unable to work or play with their kids.
      Caesarstone commits to supplying Australia with “alternative products”
      In response to news of the ban, Caesarstone commented that while it disagreed with the decision, it is taking the necessary steps to ensure supply of alternative materials to Australian consumers.
      “The Caesarstone brand is well known in Australia and its products have earned tremendous success over the years,” said Caesarstone CEO Yos Shiran. “We are already taking steps to supply our Australian market with alternative products while maintaining our strong market presence.”
      It has previously argued that its material is safe if handled correctly and that the silicosis danger was the fault of employers and work safety bodies.
      Other companies including Ikea and Bunnings had already committed to phasing out the material in the Australian market.
      The ban will apply to the manufacturing, supplying, processing and installing of engineered stone but not its removal, repair, disposal or minor modifications.
      Australia’s workplace ministers will meet again in March 2024 to finalise details of the ban, including the transition period for contracts that have already been implemented and the precise definition of engineered stone.
      The country’s Model Work Health and Safety Regulations currently exclude concrete and cement products, bricks and pavers, porcelain, ceramic tiles, roof tiles, grout, mortar and render, and plasterboard from the definition of engineered stone, but ministers have indicated that additional products would be added to the exemptions.
      This may allow future engineered stone products to be exempted from the ban if there is “compelling evidence” that they can be used safely.

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Chair of Virtue presents experimental seating at London Design Festival

      by

      Digitally shrink-wrapped skin, armrests salvaged from parks and “frozen” resin featured in Prototype/In Process, an exhibition of seating presented by virtual magazine Chair of Virtue during London Design Festival.

      Displayed under a railway arch at Borough Yards, Prototype/In Process was made up of 1:1 scale prototypes of chairs, as well as chairs that are still works in progress, by 12 London-based designers who are either established or emerging in their field.
      Prototype/In Process features a chair by Sara Afonso SternbergSara Afonso Sternberg presented sculptural aluminium seating made of armrests salvaged from the middle of public benches in Camberwell. The armrests were originally created to make it difficult for homeless people to sleep or rest on the benches.
      “These objects are given a new form and use, inviting the public to critically engage with control mechanisms such as hostile architecture that permeate the urban landscape,” said Afonso Sternberg.
      Jesse Butterfield created a “frozen” resin pieceAnother piece on display was by Jesse Butterfield. The designer used vacuum infusion, draping and papier-mâché to create a chair covered in resin that was intended to appear “frozen”.

      Various methods of production were showcasedthroughout the show. Daniel Widrig used 3D printing to digitally shrink-wrap a rectangular chair with polylactic acid, a starch-based bioplastic.
      Daniel Widrig used 3D printing for his pieceThe result is a grey-hued chair with an undulating form, which mirrors the shared style of previous blobby stools created by the designer.
      “Its contours mimic the gentle curves and natural irregularities of body tissue, forming intricate folds and wrinkles,” explained Widrig.

      Daisuke Motogi reimagines Alvar Aalto’s iconic Stool 60 a hundred times over

      Thomas Wheller also used aluminium by folding a single piece of the material to create his chair, while Louis Gibson experimented with “regular” construction stock materials by creating casts from disused pipes.
      “I was interested in imagining how these parts could be used unconventionally,” said the designer.
      Thomas Wheller also worked with aluminium”With such large volumes, I was curious to create casts, and then evaluate the internal forms in a new light, and finally address the problem of reassembly,” added Gibson.
      “I chose plaster for the purpose of quick setting, I also felt it was in keeping with the world of builders’ merchants stock supplies.”
      Louis Gibson experimented with salvaged construction materialsWhile the exhibition concluded at the end of London Design Festival (LDF), Chair of Virtue is an ongoing project curated by Adam Maryniak.
      Prototype/In Process was on display on Dirty Lane as part of the annual festival’s Bankside Design District.
      Furniture created from the remains of a single car and a modular display system by Zaha Hadid Design were among the many other projects featured during LDF.
      The photography is courtesy of Chair of Virtue. 
      Prototype/In Process was on show as part of London Design Festival 2023 from 16 to 24 September 2023. See our London Design Festival 2023 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks that took place throughout the week.

      Read more: More

    • 175 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Interior design trends for 2023 reflect “anger in the world” and post-covid community focus

      by

      Interiors will get weirder in 2023 with bolder colours, mushroom materials and less birch plywood, designers have told Dezeen.

      As the new year begins, Dezeen asked 12 interior designers and architects about their predictions for the interior design trends that will dominate in 2023.
      Interiors to feature maximalism and weirdness
      British interior designers Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio believe interior design this year will be wilder and weirder.
      “It’s a violent time we are living in,” the duo told Dezeen. “There is anger in the world and design needs to reflect that dynamism and not shy away from it. The deco period has been important to design for several years and we are now looking to expressionism and cubism for bold inspiration.”

      “Weirdness has always been there and we’ve always been here for it. Think Haas Brothers. But now it feels like we are in such a wild historical moment that weird is becoming the norm. See Nicolas Devlin and Charlotte Kingsnorth.”
      “When the world gets too weird to comprehend, the designs of the moment reflect that. Let’s all get weird and express our wonderfulness.”
      2LG Studio believes we’ll see more weirdness in design, such as in this Haas Brothers project. Top image of Hotel Les Deux Gares by Luke Edward HallOne of the overarching design trends this year looks to be maximalism, as the world gradually moves on from the more pared-back interior designs that have been popular over the past two years.
      “Last year saw a shift towards maximalism, experimenting with patterns and rich colour schemes,” Sanchit Arora of New Delhi studio Renesa told Dezeen.
      “This year will continue this trend with a fresher fervor. There will be bold and forward designs that give increased personality to the space. For both commercial and residential areas, clients are opting for customized patterns and colours rather than going for conformable products that suit just any space but compromise on standing out.”
      Bolder colours and prints will take centre stage
      While interiors last year often bore a discrete, natural colour palette – as evidenced by the homes in our list of top 10 home interiors of 2022 – 2023 looks set to be colour-drenched.
      “I think I am seeing, after a few years of mostly conservative approach to colour, a more fresh and daring use of colour,” Raúl Sánchez, founder of Barcelona studio Raúl Sánchez Architects, told Dezeen.
      “We are leaving the haven of neutrals and stepping into a rainbow!” added interior designer Pallavi Dean of Roar.
      “The safe beige, grey and white walls are on their way out and we are experimenting with bold hues and darker tones to add depth to the space,” she added.
      “Tread with caution when you choose your shade; it can impact your mood and change your perception of the size of your space.”
      Different colours contrast each other in Adi Goodrich’s design for the Dreams store in Los AngelesSpatial designer Adi Goodrich thinks the use of colour will be especially prominent in kitchen interiors.
      “I think people are finally embracing colour and will choose to redesign their kitchens in a wash of colour,” she told Dezeen.
      According to interior designer Kelly Hoppen, neutrals will still be going strong but will be increasingly complemented by bold prints.
      “The way we use our homes has evolved over the last few years as we appreciate the comfort and warmth of our own spaces, especially as many people are still in part working remotely or hybrid working,” she told Dezeen.

      Dezeen’s top 10 home interiors of 2022

      “This will continue to reflect our colour choices and so for multifunctional yet homey rooms, calming neutrals will be favoured including cosy greys to classic beiges and taupes,” Hoppen added.
      “That said, bold prints are making a resurgence and the asymmetrical feel in rooms is going to be huge. Wallpaper, which is also having a comeback, will be used through 2023 decor. For example – textural walls being used as a backdrop for artwork or asymmetrical wallpaper borders being used to add contrast.”
      Rich and tactile materials to dominate
      Tactile, rich materials will be especially popular in the coming year, according to the designers.
      “We are craving a ‘multi-sensory palette’,” said Dean.
      “The recent pandemic deprived us of one of our most ‘human’ senses: touch. In response to that, I feel it will become increasingly important for designers to make use of materials that bring tactility to the interior scheme and to devise spaces that provoke an emotion in its users.”
      “In the post-pandemic space, the wellbeing of the end user is considered more than ever,” agreed interior designer Tola Ojuolape.
      “Humble materials and finishes that give rise to a relaxed sophistication will continue to dominate the interiors landscape. Lime plaster walls and finish, brick, natural wool will be visible.”
      Humble materials such as lime plaster will be popular. Image is of a London extension by Emil Eve ArchitectsMeanwhile, an increasing appetite for bold designs could lead to some currently popular materials falling out of favour.
      “I think the era of birch plywood might be coming to an end,” Goodrich said. “I believe richer woods like walnut, cherry and red oak will be seen more in interiors moving forward.”
      “Bold, colourful marbles balanced with neutrals will be particularly trendy,” predicted Hoppen. “People will be eating in a lot more in 2023, so table tops (especially marble) and dining spaces will make a huge comeback–perfect for those looking to entertain.”
      Studios are also open to working with new materials this year as they strive for more sustainable designs.
      “Materiality excites us as a studio,” 2LG said. “Mushrooms are going to become more important. Brands like Mylo Unleather are making waves and getting us excited about the possibilities mushrooms offer as an ethical and sustainable alternative to animal skin.”
      Designers think interior brands will follow fashion houses in using mushroom leather from brands such as MyloInterior designer Kelly Wearstler agreed, saying: “Sustainability will continue to live at the forefront of all design conversations and innovations. I have been very interested in the rise of mushroom leather.”
      “This fabric innovation has already been revolutionary for the fashion industry, offering a sustainable alternative,” she added. “I expect we will continue to see its presence grow within interiors and design.”
      Sustainability becoming a “necessity”
      Designers are also more focused on sustainability than ever before and wary of greenwashing.
      “Sustainability is an evolving subject in the interiors space; this will continue in 2023,” Ojuolape predicted.
      “Designers will continue to find ways to ensure it is considered and adapted into the life cycle of an interiors project from the onset.”
      “Intentional and deliberate education will continue to ensure resourceful materials selections, upcycling and reuse of furniture and smart reduction of plastics and waste,” she added.
      “Sustainability is an evolving subject” says Tola Ojuolape, who worked on the interior of the Africa Centre”As we confront ourselves with the ever-increasing issues of energy consumption and global warming, interior design projects will be greatly affected in many aspects,” Japanese designer Keiji Ashizawa predicted.
      “I believe projects that trace the context of sustainability will become a necessity, and it will no longer be something that is merely spoken about as an idealized concept,” he added.

      “Maximalism is a manifestation of a desire for a different world”

      “I think it’s safe to say we are all sensitised to greenwashing,” Dean said.
      “Designers and clients are both better educated about the impact their work will have on the environment and are steering clear from box-ticking certification goals. Instead, the focus is on long-term strategies – waste disposal, efficient MEP systems and better construction methodologies.”
      Human connection important after pandemic
      The importance of working together as a community was also highlighted by many of the designers Dezeen spoke to.
      “Due to the pandemic we have all been more or less isolated – so what we see is a longing for truly connecting and interacting with the world around us again,” said Norm Architects partner Frederik Werner.
      “Translate that into the field of interior design – and we see how we as humans seek tactility, sensibility and natural materials in the constant pursuit of wellbeing.”
      Australia-based designer Danielle Brustman agreed, saying: “There seems to be a sculptural and more organic design trend growing in interior design. There is a return to the soft curve and using more organic materials. We have all been rocked by the Covid pandemic and I think people are in need of some nurturing.”
      Organic and collaborative design is set to grow after the pandemic. Image is of Forest Retreat by Norm ArchitectsThis theme of community will also play out in the production of design projects, predicts Ashizawa.
      “After experiencing the Covid-19 pandemic, I believe that there will be more opportunity to reflect on the community – along with the cost of import and logistics leading to a slower progression of projects,” he said.
      “This would spur the expansion of community-based projects that focus on cultural values of local production for local consumption.”
      Similarly, Alex Mok of interior design studio Linehouse believes the difficulty of the past year will enhance the need for collaboration.
      “2022 was a difficult year for many countries and cultures so we look towards 2023 with a focus to human connection, authenticity and social interaction,” she told Dezeen.
      “We’re seeing a greater consideration on the use and purpose of spaces beyond form and instead activating communities. We hope to see more projects that revitalise existing buildings or connection to local crafts.”

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares179 Views

      in Rooms

      The Circus Canteen interior is a “collage of unwanted items”

      by

      Local studio Multitude of Sins has created an eclectic restaurant interior in Bangalore out of a mishmash of reclaimed materials, including discarded bicycle bells and cassette tape boxes.

      Officially called Big Top but known as The Circus Canteen, the restaurant is shortlisted in the sustainable interior category for a 2022 Dezeen Award.
      The Circus Canteen interior is made of almost all reclaimed materialsMultitude of Sins sourced the components that make up the interior from a city-wide waste donation drive held over several weeks.
      The materials were then painstakingly curated into distinct categories, ranging from home appliances to toy cars, and used to design an eclectic interior featuring mismatched furniture and flooring.
      Visitors enter through a series of scrap metal archwaysLess than 10 per cent of the materials used to create the interior were sourced as new, according to the studio.

      “The Circus Canteen [was informed by] the concept of creating a collage of unwanted items with a curatorial spirit,” Multitude of Sins founder Smita Thomas told Dezeen.
      Multitude of Sins created booths out of mismatched objectsVisitors enter the restaurant through a bold scarlet door decorated with unwanted bicycle bells and humourous hand horns, which is accessed via a series of labyrinthine archways made from teal-hued scrap metal.
      The archways are illuminated by alternative chandeliers composed of dismantled bicycle chains and old vehicle headlights.
      Some of the restaurant tables are decorated with old CDsInside, the two-level dining area is made up of custom tables and seating that double as a set of striking installations.
      Salvaged objects used to create these booths include abandoned sofas, obsolete bathroom ventilators and colourful coffee tables created from old oil barrels sliced in half and topped with glass surfaces.

      Space Copenhagen adds “otherworldly” pieces to Antwerp restaurant

      “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” acknowledged Thomas. “We have seen and felt this phrase come to life as we pieced together The Circus Canteen.”
      The restaurant’s flooring is a jigsaw puzzle-style mosaic of sample tiles sourced from ceramics stores, while a kitchen serving hatch is framed by a colourful collection of outdated cassette tape boxes.
      A serving hatch is framed by cassette tape boxesPrompted by the desire to create an eatery interior with a minimal carbon footprint, Multitude of Sins’ project responds to many designers’ growing concerns about the wastefulness of their industry.
      “The creation of each element – from custom lighting and flooring to art installations and furniture – was attributed to the mercy of the waste donation drive,” said Thomas.
      “It reminds us of adapting skillfully, to reinvent with agility.”
      The Circus Canteen intends to address wastefulness in the design industryThe Circus Canteen is part of Bangalore Creative Circus – a project formed by artists, scientists and other “changemakers” who host various community-focussed events in the Indian city.
      Other eateries that feature reclaimed materials include a restaurant in Spain with elements made from upcycled junk and site construction waste and a cafe in Slovenia defined by recycled components that create a mix of patterns and textures.
      The photography is by Ishita Sitwala.

      Read more: More

    • 163 Shares189 Views

      in Rooms

      Fiandre covers Armenian church in porcelain slabs printed with 1.5 million unique motifs

      by

      Promotion: Fiandre Architectural Surfaces porcelain slabs, digitally printed with 1.5 million icons, cover the facade of an Armenian church in Texas designed by New York-based architect David Hotson.

      For the facade of Saint Sarkis Armenian Church in Carrollton, Texas, architect David Hotson and Yerevan-trained architectural designer Ani Sahakyan worked closely with Italian architectural surface manufacturer Fiandre to create a facade that works at a series of visual scales.
      The church is covered with Fiandre porcelain slabsThe church’s western facade that surrounds its entrance is clad with porcelain slabs depicting a traditional Armenian cross or “tree of life” with distinctive floral branching arms. This Armenian symbol of faith in the face of suffering and of resurrection and redemption serves as a memorial to the victims of the Armenian genocide.
      Viewed more closely, as the visitor approaches the church, the cross is composed of interwoven botanical and geometrical motifs drawn from Armenian art. These motifs represent the bonds of ancestry and tradition that have bound the Armenian community together across centuries of challenge and upheaval.
      Examined from even closer proximity, visitors will be able to see that the slabs are covered with individual icons or pixels, each one centimetre in diameter.

      Printed at a high resolution using Fiandre’s “Design Your Slab” or DYS printed porcelain slab system, the tiny icons – 1.5 million in total – cover the entire church facade. All of the icons are unique and derived from the circular emblems that recur throughout Armenian decorative arts.
      The ceramic slabs are printed with 1.5 million icons based on ancient Armenian motifsThe 1.5 million unique icons are designed to symbolise the individuals who were murdered in the Armenian genocide. The scale of the individual icons that are spread across the entire building facade is intended to make tangible the scale of this historical atrocity.
      To create the facade design, a computer script was developed by architectural designer Ben Elmer to generate the icons based on ancient Armenian ornamental motifs.
      These icons were scaled to fit a total of 1.5 million on the facade and were distributed according to density to form larger-scale patterns when viewed from a distance.
      The ceramic surfaces are also UV-resistantThe motifs were printed to the exact pixel modules required onto Fiandre’s large-format, exterior-grade, UV-resistant porcelain rain screen slabs.
      “The facade is believed to be the first use of this technology to optically engage the viewer in a series of visual scales nested inside each other, from the scale of an entire architectural facade to the scale of individual pixels each rendered in high-resolution at the threshold of visual perception,” said Fiandre.
      In addition to the memorial facade, Fiandre supplied the full range of porcelain interior and exterior floor, wall and soffit finishes used throughout the Saint Sarkis Campus.
      The Armenian church in Texas is designed by New York-based architect David HotsonNew York-based Hotson’s design for the new church building is modelled on the ancient church of Saint Hripsime, which stands near Armenia’s modern capital of Yerevan.
      Having withstood fourteen centuries of upheaval, Saint Hripsime serves as a symbol of the endurance, perseverance, and resilience of the Armenian people. The cornerstone of Saint Sarkis was laid in 2018, fourteen centuries after Saint Hripsime was completed in 618 AD.
      “From this brief, Hotson developed a design that looks forward as well as backward, marrying ancient architectural and artistic traditions reflecting Armenia’s cultural legacy as the world’s first Christian nation with contemporary digitally-driven design and fabrication technologies,” explained the manufacturer.
      To learn more about Fiandre Architectural Surfaces, visit the brand’s website.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Fiandre as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

      Read more: More