Ariostea – part of Iris Ceramica Group – has unveiled its new Italian headquarters in Castellarano, transformed by design studio Area 17. The redesign involved refreshing a number of the spaces, redefining them to create synergy between work, exhibition, public and reception areas.
Ariostea’s showroom, The Theatre – conceived as a hangar to accommodate performances and installations – and The Studio have been redesigned. The Studio, with simple and compact volumes alongside brick arches and vaults, presents an architectural arrangement typical of the Emilian plain, creating a link with the territory in which it is located. The 450m² space, which is spread over three floors, has been designed to recall a contemporary house, creating a relaxed and convivial atmosphere that purposefully departs from that of the typical showroom setting.
The flooring has been enriched using Ariostea’s Ultra Marmi Calacatta Macchia Vecchia and Nero Marquinia large ceramic slabs, while surfaces in the kitchen area use 20mm Grand Antique by SapienStone – another brand from Iris Ceramica Group.
On the upper floor, a large living room is home to a fireplace covered in Travertino Titanio, that stretches beyond the ceiling and connects to the upper level. Flooring here is enhanced by the neutral Fragmenta Full Body Botticino and, next to the living island, by the inlays in Marmi Classici Rosso Imperiale and Balance Amber, which create a refined ceramic carpet.
The top floor is characterised by its playful and intimate character, where visitors can spend time getting to know Ariostea’s materials in an informal way – from the pool table covered in Galaxy Grey, to the floor with Fragmenta Full Body Botticino and geometric patterned composition created with Balance Mustard and Calacatta Viola.
Completing the set-up are two work corners, with thematic material libraries dedicated to Active Surfaces® ceramics and to SapienStone solutions.
The space’s design is a multifaceted vision consistent with the brand’s values, which see technical ceramics not as a simple covering material, but a worthwhile endeavour for creating striking interiors and architecture.
