CERASPAÑA

2019 / CERAMIC / ARCHITECTURE / DESIGN

AT THE CORE OF CERAMIC

GREAT LITTLE TILES

42
CEVISAMA: THE PLACE TO MEET

17TH CERAMIC TILE AWARDS WINNERS

CERASPAÑA/42

Editorial Summary
The charm of authenticity
Thanks to technological advances, Spain’s ceramic tile industry is able to pro- 02 EDITORIAL
duce tiles in sizes and thicknesses that were inconceivable just a few years ago. THE CHARM OF AUTHENTICITY
We are also able to create exact reproductions of any finish, whether it be wood,
stone or marble. It is only today, however, now that we have all this technology, 03 AT THE CORE OF CERAMIC
that we are seeing a resurgence of traditional tiles, traditional in this context
meaning smaller tiles that date back to the fundamental nature of ceramic tiles.
Ceramic is a natural, quality product. It is the result of mixing water, earth
and fire. It is essentially very simple yet offers a multitude of solutions and li-
mitless versatility, as we have seen in the almost 100 designs that have been
entered for the Ceramic Tile Awards. The competition is in its seventeenth year
and, once again, the projects were judged by an eminent jury.
Some of the work entered for previous rounds of the Awards provides us
with a narrative that proves that size does matter and that small tiles can be
used for big projects. From the legendary roof of Barcelona’s Santa Catarina 07 CEVISAMA 2019:
Market, to more recent work in which tiles that are the most authentic and true THE PLACE TO MEET
to their origins are, the star of the show.
In around 1895, the witty author and playwright Oscar Wilde made very clear 08 17TH ARCHITECTURAL CERAMIC AND
in his play “The Importance of Being Earnest”, just how important it is to be ho- CERAMIC TILE FOR INTERIOR DESIGN
nest and frank in a society that thrived on appearances. Success lies in authen- AWARDS WINNERS
ticity. The new collections of ceramic tiles aim to reveal what is at their core and
have no pretensions to appear to be what they are not

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READER SERVICE 12 GREAT LITTLE TILES

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24 TILE STYLE. SPANISH CERAMICS 2019

ISSUE 42 · 2019

EDITED BY ASCER
Spanish Ceramic
Tile Manufacturers´ Association
Rda. Circunvalación, 186 · 12003 Castellón · Spain
Tel. +34 964 727 200
global@ascer.es · www.tileofspain.com
Ceraspaña is a free newsletter distributed by ASCER.

PUBLISHED
ASCER

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

Grupo On Market

SPONSORED BY
FRONT COVER: ENTRANCE, PALMA
INTERMODAL STATION.
PHOTO: CARLOS GABILONDO.

2
AT THE CORE OF CERAMIC
We are witnessing a resurgence of the fundamental nature of ceramic, a close examination of what lies at the heart of the
material and underscores its intrinsic properties, those that are unique to it: the many different formats, relief décor, high
gloss finishes, effects created with glazes, the infinite number of colors offered, etc. Few materials offer such a varied range
of aesthetic options together with such advanced technical specifications.

ESTUDIO CERÁMICO, Bohemia Series.

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CERASPAÑA/42

A t the last Cersaie fair (Bologna, Italy,

September 24-28), there were two very
different trends in evidence among the ce-
on the other, a revival of smaller, or more
traditional tiles. While the large-format tiles
offered clean, simple designs and were ins-
closely linked to the DNA of ceramic: color
and effects created with glazes, decorations
and relief work. All of these relate directly to
ramic tile manufacturers’ offering: on one pired by stone, marble and even alabaster what is at the core of ceramic and identifies
end of the scale, large-format very thin tiles and onyx, the smaller tiles featured elements it as such. After all, what other material could

BESTILE, Fika Series-Collection.

4
Manufacturers’ catalogs are true Pantone charts in ceramic. APARICI, Gatsby Series-Collection EQUIPE CERÁMICAS, Chevron Wall and Scale Hexagon Series.

possibly play with these variables without

forgoing any of its high technical specifica-
tions, if not ceramic?

CERAMIC AND THE PANTONE PALETTE

Ceramic can be produced in every possible

color, from the brightest of hues to powdery
tones and in both gloss and matte finishes.
Even white helps extend the range as it co-
mes in an infinity of different shades.

Playing with colors can distort shapes, ex-

pand space and create very interesting light
effects. The trends seen in the 80s, when co-
lor was an essential part of decoration and
there were no prejudices against bringing co-
lor into the home, are making a comeback.

Dark hues also have their place in the new co-

llections of tiles, bringing a more elegant style
GRESPANIA, White&Co Series.
and giving spaces a more sophisticated look.

New collections go for

daring color combinations

GEOMETRIC DECORATION

The daring shapes and colors of the designs

on these tiles are based on the decorative and
graphic style of the 20s and 30s. They enable
the creation of original, striking spaces that
are also very sophisticated with the sensitivity
intrinsic to nostalgia.

These tiles take their inspiration from the hy-

draulic flooring of the late 19th century but
offer a new take, with daring colors and de-
signs. They offer a multitude of possibilities in
terms of installation and combining different
types or formats, in pursuit of the visual effect
that is so typical of their forebears and stems
from the type of pattern used, based on ara- REALONDA, Riga series.

5
CERASPAÑA/42

besque, geometric, floral and classical motifs,

among others.

A THOUSAND AND ONE TEXTURES…

One of ceramic’s most characteristic feature is

the ability to exploit more than two dimensions
and gain volume through relief decoration that
ranges from delicate grids or even very subtle
effects created in the glaze, to 3D volumes that
verge on the sculptural. With relief tiles, cera-
mic ceases to be a merely functional element
for dressing spaces from top to bottom and ins-
tead becomes a design element.

Combining different textures enables spaces to

be defined and the look of the floors and walls
enhanced. This trend is perfectly suited to those
who are especially sensitive to light and the ele-
gance of subtle contrasts, which turn surfaces
into true works of art.

…AND SHAPES

A further multitude of options opens up cour-

tesy of formats, with available options having
moved way beyond squares, rectangles and
even hexagons to include tiles in the shape of
fish scales, triangles, circles and more.
CRISTACER, Lowland Collection Wall Covering, Retro Collection Floor Covering.

The versatility of ceramic is boundless, which

is why it is a key material for all types of pro-
jects, simply because it offers endless options,
The key to success is authenticity, not imitating anybody
with a touch of tradition while revealing your heart and soul

UNDEFASA, Kabuki Series. NATUCER, 15.9x18 (6x7”) Figures Triangle Series. Triangle Blanc. Triangle Bronze.

6
 sector and in collaboration with ICEX Spain
Trade and Investment, ASCER is inviting
more than 100 journalists from prestigious
architecture, interior design and ceramic pu-
blications from all over the world to attend
the fair as guests.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

CEVISAMA has put together a program of

activities designed to offer added value to
This next edition of Trans-hitos is being titled Ágora.
everyone visiting the fair and this time have
been geared to the specifiers in the audien-
ce. Along with the traditional spaces dedica-

CEVISAMA:
ted to the winners of the Tile of Spain Awards
and the designs created by students on Ce-
ramic Tile Studies Network courses, the pro-
gram includes:

Trans-hitos: a display of architectural and

THE PLACE TO MEET other designs centered on the use of cera-

mic tile as a building material and means
of expression. This year, Ágora has been
created as the center to consolidate dis-
THE 37TH EDITION OF CEVISAMA TAKES PLACE FROM plays and as a hub, where people come
to meet and talk; the ultimate objective
JANUARY 28TH TO FEBRUARY 1ST, 2019 AT THE FERIA being to create new opportunities for de-
sign in ceramic as well as promoting new
VALENCIA EXHIBITION CENTER. THE FOCUS OF THIS technical propositions and possibilities for
YEAR’S FAIR IS SPECIFYING, WITH WORLD-CLASS the industry. Ágora will comprise several
displays: The Graduate School of Design
PROFESSIONALS DELIVERING A FASCINATING SERIES at the University of Harvard (USA) has de-
OF PRESENTATIONS. signed a post-tensioned ceramic structure
formed by three arches that are connected
by supports to prevent any flexing or devia-
tion of the overall structure, while “House

T he organizers of CEVISAMA, the leading

fair for Spain’s ceramic tile manufacturing
industry, are getting set for a record-breaking
top-level speakers such as Swiss Pritzker Pri-
ze-winning architect Jacques Herzog.
of Cards”, by Nihil Estudio, is the winner of
the competition run by CEVISAMA, ASCER
and the ITC.
show and are confident visitor numbers will A number of other parallel events have
exceed last year’s 90,500, which included also been scheduled to take place over the Architecture and Design Forum: presenta-
17,000 from outside Spain. The fair will be week, making this upcoming CEVISAMA tions by world-class architects, interior desig-
occupying 9 halls with a total of 100,000m2 a can’t-miss event for top manufacturers, ners and industrial designers. Speakers this
of exhibiting space. Almost the entire Spa- distributors, architects, designers, interior year include celebrated architects Jacques
nish tile manufacturing sector will once again designers and property developers all over Herzog, Ángela García de Paredes, Carme Pi-
be displaying unique new products, desig- the world. nós, Fuensanta Nieto and Xavier Ros (Harqui-
ned for both the domestic market and to ap- tectes), among others.
peal to the international visitors who will be As always, Tile of Spain-ASCER, will be
travelling to Valencia. holding its traditional international press Alfa de Oro Awards: the Spanish Ceramic
conference, during which it will present the and Glass Society (SECV) gives these awards
ASCER-Tile of Spain is yet again making its preliminary figures for 2018, the trends in to recognize excellence in research, develop-
CEVISAMA app available. Highly practical design and the main innovations developed ment and innovation that promote and contri-
and free of charge, it provides full information by Spain’s tile industry. The press conferen- bute to the development of Spain’s ceramic
about the Spanish exhibitors: contact details, ce will also include the award ceremony for tile industry.
news, location within the fair etc. the 17th Architectural Ceramic, Interior De-
sign and Graduate Projects Awards. International Ceramic Design Competition:
CEVISAMA is this year focusing on events an incentive for students of design, fine arts,
that target specifiers and will be featuring an As part of the strategy to further develop architecture and engineering anywhere in the
Architecture and Design Forum that includes international trade for Spain’s ceramic tile world to show off their creative talent

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CERASPAÑA/42

WINNERS OF THE 17 TH

ASCER CERAMIC TILE

AWARDS
The jury, comprised of architects Jorge Silvetti (chairman), Elías Torres, Ricardo Carvalho, Jordi Garcés,
Belén Moneo, Mario Ruiz and Ramón Monfort, decided to award first prize in the Architecture category
to the new entrance to the Intermodal Station in Palma de Mallorca, by architect Joan Miquel Seguí
Colomar. The winner of the interior design category was “Water Front House”, by Xavier Martí and
Lucía Ferrater.

New entrance to the intermodal station in Palma. Photo: Adrià Goula.

8
Water front house. Photo: Alejo Bagué.

T he winners of the seventeenth Ceramic

Tile in Architecture and Interior Design
Awards were selected on November 21st with
The jury decided to award two special men-
tions in the Architecture category too. One
went to “Laan Van Spartaan Amsterdam
spaces and levels in harmony with the rest of
the materials.

a huge ceramic lattice screen and a vacation Student Housing”, an apartment block for The jury awarded an honorary mention in the
home winning the two main categories. students in Amsterdam, designed by Studio- interior design category to “Reforma Integral
ninedots Amsterdam, which involved resear- Casa Atrium” (Complete renovation of Casa
It was decided that, on account of the high ching and applying prefabrication solutions Atrium) by María Fernández Torrada – Torra-
standard of the entries, several special men- with large-format ceramic tiles. da Arquitectura. What makes this a stand-out
tions should be awarded in the three catego- design is the use of large format, minimal thic-
ries as well. The other was awarded to the “Multi-sports kness ceramic tiles, which turn a space that is
and lecture halls building at Universidad Fran- essentially the hub of the home into a bright
ARCHITECTURE cisco de Vitoria” (Pozuelo de Alarcón, Ma- unique space.
drid), by Alberto Campo Baeza. The aspect of
The winner in the Architecture category was the design that most impressed the jury was
the design for the “New entrance to Palma that the perfection of the idea that rules the
Intermodal Station” by Joan Miquel Seguí design is complemented by high-precision
Colomar. What particularly impressed the jury ceramic tiles that help construct a building in
about this design was the prominent part pla- which sharpness of details are key.
yed by the ceramic tile lattice screen as the
defining element of the entrance and also as INTERIOR DESIGN
a threshold between the urban space and the
infrastructure services provided by the Inter- The winner of first prize in the interior design
modal Station. The design thus marks a re- category was “Casa frente al mar” (“Water
vival of the Mediterranean tradition of lattice Front House”) by Xavier Martí and Lucía Fe-
screens as a filter between an outdoor space rrater, where the presence of ceramic floor Entrance to the intermodal station in Palma. Photo:Adrià
and a welcoming area. tiles creates a flow that connects the different Goula.

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CERASPAÑA/42

GRADUATE PROJECT DESIGN

Last, the Ceramic Tile Awards include a

category designed to recognize the best
Graduate Project completed by students of
Architecture in which ceramic tile is a major
part of the design.

The jury decided to award first prize in the GP

category to “Un buen suceso” (“A great suc-
cess”) by Manuel Bouzas Barcala of ETSA
Madrid, for his commitment to experimen-
ting and creating. The jury also highlighted
the precise ideas behind the premise of ori-
Complete renovation of Casa Atrium. Photo: Amador Toril.
ginal use of ceramic tile as the driving force
of the architectural design.

Two special mentions were awarded by the The two main categories of the Ceramic Tile Awards are
jury as well: one to “La Vall, vestíbul a Barcelo- Architecture and Interior Design, each of which has a
na” by Clàudia Calvet Gómez of ETSA Barce-
lona and “El límite. Escuela de Artes y Oficios prize fund of 17,000 euros. The competition also includes
en Chinchón” (The limit. School of Art and Cra-
fts in Chinchón), by Carmen Martín Hernando
a Graduate Projects category, open to students of
of EPS Universidad CEU San Pablo. architecture, with a prize fund of 5,000 euros.

Laan Van Spartaan Amsterdam Student Housing. Photos: Michael van Oosten. Multi-sports and lecture halls building. Francisco de Vitoria University. Photos: Javier
Calleja.
10
Complete renovation of Casa Artium. Photo: Amador Toril. Water front house. Photo: Alejo Bagué.

WORLD-CLASS JURY

The Awards were once more privileged to be

judged by an exceptional jury. The chairman
was Argentinian architect Jorge Silvetti, who
has spent most of his career as an architect
in Boston at “Machado and Silvetti Associa-
tes” and has also taught for many years at the
Graduate School of Design at the University of
Harvard. The rest of the jury was made up by
architects Elías Torres, winner of the Premio Na-
cional de Arquitectura (National Prize for Archi-
tecture) in 2016; Ricardo Carvalho, of Portugal; The Awards were once more privileged to be judged by an exceptional jury.
Jordi Garcés, whose practice won the interior
design category in the 2017 Awards; Belén Mo- tecture and design projects, both in Spain and fessionals in the world of architecture, and
neo, of the eponymous Moneo studio; designer beyond our borders. They are sponsored by have a total prize fund of 39,000 euros. Of
Mario Ruiz, winner of the Premio Nacional de Endesa, Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia (the the three categories, the two main ones,
Diseño (National Prize for Design) in 2016; and Port Authority of Valencia), Bankinter, PWC, Architecture and Interior Design, are allo-
architect Ramón Monfort, of Castellón. Weber Saint-Gobain, Renault and CESCE. cated 17,000 euros in prize money each,
while the Graduate Projects category, ai-
What the Ceramic Tile Awards aim to do is pro- The Ceramic Tile Awards are well-esta- med at students of architecture, offers a
mote the use of Spanish ceramic tiles in archi- blished now, highly regarded among pro- 5,000-euro prize

A great success, winner of the first prize in the DP category.

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GREAT LITTLE TILES

Everyone has heard it said on occasion that size does not matter and that the essence of anything is
to be found in the small details. When applied to architecture, these ideas make even more sense and
can be interpreted with greater subtlety. The sum of small, well-formed details will provide a unique
design, while a simple choice of materials can change the whole direction a design takes.

P eople are growing weary of hearing and

seeing how large formats and the much-
coveted continuity are the prime driver in
tradition – a duality that comes to the surfa-
ce when it is a small yet elegant and unique
item – a ceramic tile – that is the main feature.
These small tiles are not just part of outstan-
ding architecture but also manage to trans-
form cities through the impact they have
construction nowadays and it feels strange The very name elicits a conflict of thoughts on individual sites. One example is ‘Breath
when one is confronted with a different image that prompt doubts as to why it was chosen, marks’. The idea here was to transform a
that goes against this particular grain. In such doubts that are assuaged once its simple (im) waste incinerator that had fallen into disuse
instances the perception of the design will perfection and valuable aesthetic contribution into a warm, restful place. ‘Breath marks’ is
range from ground-breaking to reminiscent of becomes apparent. a joint project between Urban Society and

Almost invisible school, by ABLM arquitectos.

12
Buiding refurbishment in Cartagena, by Martín Lejárraga.
IES Jaume I in Ontinyent, by architect
Ramón Esteve.
‘Casa Collage’ by Bosch Capdeferro Arquitectos. Photograph by
José Hevia.

‘Casa Andamio’ by Bosch Capdeferro Arquitectos. Photograph by Central Bar by chef Ricard Camarena in Valencia’s Central Market.
José Hevia.

the artist Sun Choi, supported by students,

teachers and volunteers from Doosan Pri-
mary School in Doksan, Seoul. The project
involved covering the entire façade of the
building with 3,000 15x15cm (6X6 inches)
hand-made tiles.

Another outstanding design can be seen in

the Edificio 111 in Barcelona, where part of
the communal exterior spaces was clad with
ceramic tiles in three bright colors – orange,
green and yellow – with high gloss finishes.
The result of this simple choice made by the
architects is that an austere building in one
of the city’s poorer areas is now brimming
with vividness.

Tiles are also the material of choice for refur-

bishments and renovations that step outside
the box of the mundane and underscore the Hotel Santa Creu in Tabarca by Diego López Fuster + Subarquitectura. Photograph by Jesús Granada.

15
Edificio 11 in Barcelona by Flores y Prats studio. Photograph by Álex García. ‘4en1’ House by Clavel Rojo Arquitectos. Photograph by David Frutos.

Ceramic tiles elicit a conflict of thoughts that prompt doubts and becomes pixelated in the upper sections
that are assuaged once their simple (im)perfection and of the façade, melting with the outside.

valuable aesthetic contribution become apparent. This type of ceramic tile offers endless po-
tential to be used creatively in all sorts of
historic and cultural nature of some buildings. contexts, from public buildings and retail in-
A prime example is the famous roof of the teriors to facades of emblematic buildings.
Santa Caterina Market, which is covered by Architects and designers are coming up with
a mosaic of small vitreous glazed ceramic ti- a vast array of responses to this much-valued
les in primary colors and secondary hues that format that, glazed or unglazed, is being cho-
are arranged to create pictures of fruits and sen for flat and vertical surfaces in homes,
vegetables. Another is a project delivered by restaurants and all manner of refurbishments.
Martin Lejárraga in Cartagena, who clad the
façade of a housing block with ceramic tiles Small format ceramic tiles have always been
that offer a fresh take on the classic style of straightforward and can appear humble or even
the Basilica that stands next door. The con- ‘Breath-Marks’ project by Urban Society in conjunction with artist simple. Used judiciously by a creative mind,
tinuity of the ceramic gradually breaks down Sun Choi. however, they unfailingly offer vast potential

Teulada Auditorium, by Francisco Mangado. Photograph by Roland Halbe. Juana Limón Café by Lucas y Hernández-Gil arquitectos. Photo-
graph by Jara Varela.

16
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KEROS · FLUOR SERIES / KEROS ACTUAL COLLECTION · email@keros.com · www.keros.com

CERASPAÑA/42

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VENIS UNICER
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LAND PORCELÁNICO
LOOKBACK SERIES-COLLECTION
land@landporcelanico.com
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EMOTION CERAMICS
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emotion@emotionceramics.es
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TILE OF SPAIN NEWS
TILE OF SPAIN CALENDAR CERAMIC ARCHITECTURES

Ceramic Architectures is a digital platform set up to create a specialist

database of construction projects that use ceramic tile as a major part
of their design. Aimed at technical experts, students and researchers
in the fields of architecture and design, it has been conceived as a
dynamic knowledge sharing channel for manufacturers and professio-
nals, the ultimate aim being to afford a solid basis for understanding
ceramic products and their applications in architecture. The platform
is an initiative of the Cátedra Cerámica de Valencia (Valencia Ceramic
Tile Studies Department)

Attendees at the symposium held at the Tate Liverpool.

Tile of Spain still has a busy calendar schedule with a number of educa-
tional seminars for retailers and specifiers. Recent calendar dates inclu-
de workshops in Kazan (Russian Federation), Philadelphia and Knoxville
(USA) and Hamburg (Germany).

Equally, this autum the Tate Liverpool hosted a seminar centered enti-
rely on ceramic tiles that was attended by architects, artists and industry
professionals, engineers, researchers and the general public. The semi- See a selection of architectural uses of ceramic tile at www.ceramicarchitectures.com
nar discussed emerging thinking and the future of ceramic tile. It was or-
ganized by ECAlab (Environmental Ceramics for Architecture Laboratory),
which is where the Ceramic Studies Department is located, within the Li-
verpool School of Architecture WANT TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH
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