Tile International 2/2011 by Kairos Media Group (div. ceramics)

ISSN2039-8301

Parquet & I Saloni

2011

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April/June 2011 - N. 2

Publisher: Tile Edizioni S.r.l. Via Fossa Buracchione 84 • 41126 Baggiovara (Modena) • Italy Tel. +39 059 512 103 • Fax +39 059 512 157 info@tiledizioni.it • www.ceramicworldweb.it Codice Fiscale / P. IVA: IT02778050365 - Capitale Sociale: 51.400,00 € R.E.A. 329775 - Iscr. al Registro delle Imprese di Modena Periodico trimestrale registrato presso il Tribunale di Modena al n. 1828 in data 21/02/2007 - Iscrizione ROC n. 9673 Editor and Publishing coordination: Chiara Bruzzichelli • Contributing editors: - Luca Baraldi - Silvia Bertolani - Christian Brunsmann - Mara Corradi - Valentina Durante - Sara Falsetti - Anna Gaspar

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Contents

19/21

Azulev

Cersaie

Dural

Everstone

2-3

Fogazza

Gardenia Orchidea

Inside back cover

GranitiFiandre

IIEA

Inax

Iris

Kale

Inside front cover

Montolit

Progres Profiles

Raimondi

Saudi

Schlüter Systems

Stile

Tagina Tecnargilla TLS

Back Cover 64 1

Top Cer

Turkish Association

Editorial Slow march foward

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

10 - Tilefax 22 - Topics GranitiFiandre’s 50th anniversary

24 - In the spotlight Paradyz: an overview of the Polish market

by Luca Baraldi

24 - Economy & markets 2011: end of downturn in the West, upturn in the East

by Anna Gaspar

30 - Parquet Return to growth for European wood flooring market

28 - Economy & markets 2011: end of downturn in the West, upturn in the East

by Luca Baraldi

34 - I Saloni Success for 50th edition of Milan Saloni

42 - Bathroom & Surfaces The balance between style and practicality

46 48 -

by Mara Corradi

Project A sea-view from Izmir with NovaBell Warm feet – a blessing for churchgoers

by Christian Brunsmann

50 - Trends Small, personalised spaces

by Valentina Durante

60 - Art & Culture Roberto Cambi: the pop wing of ceramic tradition

Cover picture by: CERÁMICA ANTIQUE - www.ceramicaantique.com, Cersaie 2010 Photo by: Giancarlo Pradelli (www.giancarlopradelli.com) Advertiser’s list: page 6 Subscription order form: www.tiledizioni.it/subscription Translations: Geoff Day / John Freeman

by Silvia Bertolani

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Editorial

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

Slow march forward In its May bulletin, the ECB announced its decision to leave interest rates unchanged, following an increase of 25 basis points on 7 April. Overall inflation will remain subject to upward pressure, however, due chiefly to the costs of energy and raw materials, while inflation forecasts in the euro area need to remain at lower levels, in the region of 2%, in the medium term. For this reason, JeanClaude Trichet has not ruled out the possibility of a further quarter-point rate rise in July. The latest estimates put growth rates in the euro zone at 1.7% for 2011 (previously 1.6%), while leaving the 2012 figure unchanged at 1.7%. Unemployment rates have improved, and stand at 9.8% for 2011.

This positive backdrop is borne out by the 2010 results of the Italian ceramic industry, whose strong focus on export has earned it the top ranking by value in the international sales league table. Furthermore, 15% of the Italian industry’s total output is manufactured in plants located directly in export markets. Confindustria Ceramica’s Studies Centre thus announced that Italy’s ceramic tile industry increased its output by 5.29% in 2010, to a figure of 387.4 million square metres, and increased its sales by 1.07% thanks to an upturn in exports (+2.99%), although this was offset by a fall in sales on the Italian market (-3.15%). Turnover rose 2.7% to 4,629 million euros. Internationalised manufacturers reported good results in

2010: the 20 Italian-controlled companies operating worldwide saw a 6.43% increase in production and a 5.88% increase in sales, accompanied by a 13.01% rise in turnover, generated chiefly by sales in the same country in which the production plant is located or in the surrounding countries. Early data collected in March 2011 confirm a positive trend for Italian exports, with particularly promising growth rates emerging in Germany (+8.4%), France (+8.8%), United Kingdom (+14%), Russia (+22%) and Africa (+20%). Growth rates fell by 10% in the NAFTA countries, however, as a result of domestic difficulties in the various member states, combined with the unfavourable euro/dollar exchange rate.

At its annual general meeting held in Dubrovnik at the end of May, the FEP (Fédération Européenne du Parquet) announced that, following a sharp fall in 2008 and further shrinkage in 2009, production of wood flooring finally got back into forward gear in 2010, to record an increase of 4.11%. Parquet production in Europe in 2010 thus reached 70.300 million square metres, on a par with Y2K levels. The largest producer countries were Poland (17.71%), Germany (15.64%) and Sweden (13.30%). Sales of wood flooring in the FEP member states rose by 6.81% in 2010 to 92,945 million square metres, as against 87.019 million the previous year. ✕

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Tile International 2/2011

Tilefax

Companies, News & Markets AZULEV MERGES WITH SANCHIS

new services and high-value solutions.

With its long history of research into a wide

Lixil Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, con-

range of tile installation issues, the company

Azulev, a major Spanish ceramic manufacturer

sists of four internal divisions (Domestic Sales &

has developed its products while at the same

headquartered in Castellón and specialising in

Marketing Company, Kitchen & Plumbing Fixture

time undertaking a major campaign of harmo-

the production of porcelain floor and wall tiles,

Company, Global Business Company, Metal

nisation with standards relating to its polythene

recently re-organised its corporate structure, to

and Architectural Materials Company), 17 re-

membranes combined with ceramic coverings

bring the Sanchis and Azulev brands under the

gional offices, 83 branches, 287 sales offices

for indoor and outdoor areas subject to damp.

management of a single company.

and 44 production sites for the national market.

The result is that the Schlüter®-DITRA and

Since January 2011, therefore, both brands

Overseas sales and manufacturing activities

Schlüter®-KERDI membranes manufactured by

have been subject to the same strategic man-

are undertaken in 17 different countries.

Schlüter-Systems KG have now obtained the

agement and have adhered to the same pro-

prestigious CE mark, in addition to the ETA

duction criteria and quality parameters, thus

09/0027 certification awarded in 2009.

optimising the Group's commitment in terms of design and technological innovation.

CE CERTIFICATIONS FOR SCHLÜTER-SYSTEMS The multinational Schlüter-Systems KG, a company founded on the experience of German master installer Werner Schlüter and specialising in installation systems for ceramic, recently obtained the prestigious CE certification for its leading waterproofing systems.

MERGER GIVES RISE TO LIXIL CORPORATION Tostem Corporation, Inax Corporation, Shin Nik-

GROWTH FOR PANARIAGROUP

kei Company, SunWave Corporation and Toyo Exterior Co. Ltd: five companies belonging to JS Group Corporation, a well-known Japanese

Panariagroup closed the first quarter of 2011

manufacturer of construction materials, final-

with a rise in turnover of over 5% and a conse-

ised a merger on 1 April 2011 to join forces as

quent increase in earnings of 12% - an extreme-

brands of the new Lixil Corporation.

ly impressive result considering the continued

The new company, which enjoys consolidated

adversity and uncertainty of the economic cli-

turnover of over one trillion yen and has some

mate. Turnover rose from 68.8 million euros at 31

60,000 employees, is one of the largest compa-

March 2010, to 72.4 million euros at 31 March

nies operating in the manufacture and sale of construction materials and equipment, and can now harness the synergies afforded by the merger of the five brands, to offer the market

Tile International 2/2011

Tilefax

2011 (+3.7 million). In Europe, the Group achieved particularly promising results in Germany, France

STILE: REAPING THE REWARDS OF TENACITY

attractive range, furthermore, Stile has launched two new products: Stilnovo ML 10x90 (a slim floorboard 90 mm wide but up to 1,600 mm

and Austria. It also put in a good performance on the Italian market, where turnover rose by 3.5%,

Despite continued difficulties in the economic

long) and Stilnovo MULTIPLO (a multi-width floor-

largely on the back of new porcelain tile prod-

scenario in 2010, Stile has emerged from the

board in four species of wood and twenty differ-

ucts. Excellent results were also reported from the

global crisis with its strong position in Italy intact,

ent finishes).

United States (+11.8%), where the positive trend

and higher levels of export sales, thanks to for-

On the innovative treatment front, Stile’s Traffic

that marked the whole of 2010 has been consoli-

ays into new markets, especially in the top seg-

UV natural finish, presented in 2010, remains the

dated, thanks to the major contribution of the

ment. This result is attributable to continued re-

field-leader in terms transparency and resist-

Group's American subsidiary, Florida Tile.

newal within the framework of the concept of

ance to pedestrian traffic.

Overseas markets (Asia, Oceania and Africa),

“Made in Italy since 1965”, commitment to

Born of a partnership with Bona (a manufactur-

meanwhile, increased their turnover by one mil-

maintaining the authenticity of the company’s

er of finishes for wood flooring established in

lion euros (+20%) as against the first quarter of

products in the face of increasing imports into It-

1919 and operating in 50 countries worldwide),

2010. EBITDA saw a rise of 0.7 million euros to 6.4

aly of low-quality flooring from the Far East, no

the Traffic UV finish is applied to Stile’s pre-fin-

million (8.5% of the value of production), while

longer only in the traditional widths of 70 and 90

ished industrial flooring, thus producing a par-

EBIT amounted to 1.6 million euros (+0.9 million

mm, but now also in large-size boards. This on-

quet collection that is aesthetically impeccable

euros as against 31 March 2010).

going, mass influx of products, whose similarity

and outstandingly strong at the same time.

Despite this good performance, the Group report-

to quality products is only skin-deep, has given

ed a net loss, due to the significant depreciation

rise to widespread confusion and a lack of

of the US dollar, which translated into an addition-

transparency in relation to consumers and

al cost of 1.6 million euros on the previous year:

dealers. Stile is tackling this challenging situa-

as against a profit on currency conversions of 1.1

tion and unfair competition by renewing its

million euros in the first quarter of 2010, the same

brand to coincide with Made Expo 2011, and

period in 2011 saw a loss on conversions of 0.5

presenting new products and a new commer-

million euros.

cial approach to the B2B sector. Against this

For the near future, the group is working on step-

backdrop, the introduction of a genuine Made

ping up its turnover in areas that currently have

in Italy floorboard (Stilnovo 10x120) into the 10

little coverage but offer good growth prospects

mm thickness segment has proved to be an

(emerging economies) and on product innova-

outstanding commercial success.

tion.

With a view to offering an even wider and more

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☞

Also read on www.CeramicWorldWeb.it

(windows, tents for temporary accommodation,

slim gauge, it weighs just 7.8 kg per square me-

and material for improving sanitary conditions).

tre, is easy to cut and considerably reduces

Tagina Ceramiche d’Arte made a successful

Because of their location, Inax’s production facil-

packaging and transport costs. Coverlam has

appearance at two international trade fairs re-

ities suffered no damage, but its showrooms and

high flexural strength, is resistant to UV radiation,

cently, the first in Shanghai (Expo China, 29

depots in the north of the country were severely

chemical attack, abrasion, frost and heat, and is

March - 1 April) and the second in Moscow

hit. The company suspended work in the affect-

also recyclable. Ideal for covering surfaces such

(Mosbuild, 5-8 April).

ed areas so as to save energy and ensure the

as doors, suspended ceilings, partition walls and

The events provided an opportunity for the

safety of the workforce, who took action to bring

cabinets, the product is also well suited to use in

company to present its latest products, includ-

emergency relief to the rest of the population.

renovation projects, because it reduces dust-

TAGINA IN MOSCOW AND CHINA

ing the Wire collection designed by Simone

generation, demolition debris and the costs of

Micheli (see photo). Of particular interest was

preparation and installation.

the Wire Compact 20 mm format: installed on a

NEW FACES AT INDA

polypropylene support, this outstanding piece can be laid equally well on sand, gravel or hy-

Between December 2010 and February 2011,

brid substrates without the use of adhesives, to

two key posts have changed hands at Inda, a

produce raised flooring. Without the aid of supports, alternatively, the product can be laid like

GRESPANIA PRESENTS COVERLAM

bathroom furnishing specialist based in Caravate, in the province of Varese, that’s been in

a normal tile. Grespania recently launched Coverlam, a new

business for over 65 years.

laminated porcelain sheet of exceptionally large

Emilio Dellepiane, aged 49, who has worked for

size and minimal thickness. With a thickness of

Inda since 2008 as Systems and Control Direc-

just 3.5 mm, Coverlam comes in a maximum size

tor, takes over as the new General Director. “My

of 3,000x1,000 mm, and is made using technolo-

aim”, explained Dellepiane, “is to consolidate

gies that deliver substantial reductions in CO2

sustainable, long-term profitability by strength-

emissions. Coverlam incorporates a structural re-

ening our market shares, focusing on our core

inforcement, comprising 0.5 mm fibre netting

business and rationalising company struc-

fixed to the back, which optimises the mechani-

tures”.

cal strength of each piece. Coverlam is available

Meanwhile, Andrea Neri, aged 41 and formerly

in a range of sizes and four different versions:

Sales Director at Honeywell, has been appoint-

concrete, limescale, rust and wood. Thanks to its

ed to head up the Italian market. His task will be to ensure balanced growth for the company, through targeted promotional and trade marketing initiatives.

INAX CORPORATION: AN EXAMPLE FROM JAPAN Following the catastrophe that recently struck Japan, Inax Corporation, a well known Japanese manufacturer of tiles and sanitaryware with headquarters in Aichi near Nagoya (southern Japan) and 10,000 employees worldwide, promptly made an important contribution to victims of the earthquake by donating materials

from the left: Emilio Dellepiane - Andrea Neri

to meet the requirements of the emergency

Tile International 2/2011

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Topics

GranitiFiandre’s 50th anniversary

The gala dinner marking the end of GranitiFiandre-Iris Group’s 50th anniversary celebrations, which was attended by over 400 guests from all over the world, was held in the central square of Castellarano (in the province of Reggio Emilia, Italy), to underline the strength of the company’s roots

Tile International 2/2011

in its home turf. The square is an architectural gem set between the apse of the parish church of S. Maria Assunta, the ancient earthworks built as defences for the Torre del Castello (which have now been converted into gardens), and a wing of the historic fortress, which was once the resi-

dence of Matilde di Canossa (1046-1115). In the minutes leading up to the cutting of the immense cake, this wing of the fortress overlooking the square mutated into a screen forming the centrepiece of an evocative show of sons et lumières inspired by the themes of nature and eco-sustainability.

The eco-sustainability of the company’s products and production processes, after all, along with its constant quest for technical and aesthetic excellence, has characterised the evolution of GranitiFiandre over the past twenty years. As early as the 1990s, in fact, the Castellarano-based company

Topics

showed its commitment to conserving natural resources by offering alternative materials to marble and quarry stone, by producing the Geologica line. Half a century of work represents a challenging journey, and Graziano Verdi, Chairman and Managing Director of

GranitiFiandre, and Chairman of Iris Ceramica (whose combined turnover in 2010 reached almost 500 million euros, with operating margins of around 15%), emphasised, in a speech in which he greeted guests and thanked the company’s employees and contractors, that the history of GranitiFiandre: “…

The factory in 1961 demonstrates the rewards of tenacity. Our strength lies in having always taken up the challenges that the market, our competitors and the rules of a changing world have thrown down. And thanks to an excellent team, to date, we have always overcome those challenges with success.” Particular thanks, of course, went to Romano Minozzi “…who made the company’s immense progress possible, thanks to his exceptional vision.” As for the future, in the wake of the full public tender offer launched by Romano Minozzi to withdraw GranitiFiandre’s stock from the stock exchange, Graziano Verdi explained: “A premium of over 50% of their closing price was offered on the purchase of the shares.”

So the company’s biggest commitments now relate to getting out of the crisis. “The public tender offer submitted by Iris for GranitiFiandre will facilitate synergies within the group, and thus build up critical mass and achieve higher levels of efficiency. These are vital factors for remaining competitive in the market, although we cannot rule out the possibility that industrial synergies may affect current levels of employment in Italy, which will nonetheless be agreed with the unions and other stakeholders. What’s more, we’re convinced that manufacturers which have invested in innovation and research will be those best placed to regenerate themselves when the crisis ends, thereby enhancing their chances of increase staffing levels again.” ✕

Tile International 2/2011

In the spotlight by Luca Baraldi

Paradyz: an overview of the Polish market of Paradyz, one of the largest industrial groups in the country which has emerged unscathed from the disastrous last two years and has embarked on a process of growth through a major investment programme.

Piotr Tokarski

The Polish ceramic industry has undergone a major transformation during the last twenty years, evolving from a bisque importer to one of the top European producers of ceramic tiles. This has altered the fabric of the sector and led to the emergence of major international players. We spoke to Piotr Tokarski, CEO

Tile International: Could you outline briefly the development of the Polish ceramic industry? Piotr Tokarski: Until the end of the 1980s, ceramic tiles in Poland could either be purchased from the sole Polish company that produced them, Opoczno, or imported directly from Italy or Spain. The emergence of domestic companies and their dynamic growth from the mid 1990s onwards progressively curbed imports until they reached the present figure of around 12%. Investments by Pol-

ish manufacturers resulted in better design and higher quality of goods and at the same time raised production capacity until it exceeded domestic demand. Tile International: What is the current situation? P. Tokarski: The production capacity of Polish ceramic producers, estimated at 140 million square metres, greatly exceeds domestic demand. As a result, we are facing stiff competition in the low cost and medium price segments. The struggle for customers results in a constant lowering of margins, while the share structure of the Polish ceramic tile market has remained the same for several years now. Assuming the market does not grow dynamically in the near future, Polish companies will have to develop through exports, al-

though they are aware that introducing products to other foreign markets means facing competition from Italy and Spain or from China. Tile International: Who are the main local players today? P. Tokarski: The Polish ceramic industry is dominated by three large groups: the Cersanit group, which controls about 36% of the market and in 2008 further increased its share with the acquisition of Opoczno; the Paradyz Group which holds 26% of the market; and Tubadzin with 17%. The remaining manufacturers, such as Nowa Gala, Polcolorit and Ceramika Pilch, carry a much narrower and specialised assortment. Tile International: What is the level of internationalisation of the Polish ceramic industry?

Piumetta collection Tile International 2/2011

In the spotlight

P. Tokarski: For some Polish manufacturers, internationalisation was a natural consequence of development. There were two main reasons for this: the desire to diversify business and the need to fully utilise production capacity given the small size of the domestic market. It is also a way to avoid price wars and diminishing margins. New markets, especially Eastern markets, offer lower production and logistics costs and a higher sales potential. However, this strategy has not been adopted by all major players. Legal and financial problems connected with new investments abroad have in some cases discouraged this development option. Tile International: How is the ceramic distribution channel organised?

P. Tokarski: Ceramic tile producers do not have many sales showrooms of their own. Suffice it to say that Paradyz Group has just two showrooms - one located at the production plant in TomaszĂłw Mazowiecki and the other in TĂłdz, 50 km away. Products are therefore sold by distributors and their internal networks, although there are also plenty of small size independent stores that cooperate with distributors. DIY networks covering virtually all construction materials enjoy a large share of indirect sales. The network of DIY chains is well developed in Poland with nearly 300 stores. The top names are Bricoman, Castorama, Leroy Merlin, Nomi, Obi, Praktiker, Merkury Market and Brico Marche. For the last two years we have seen growing Internet

sales, with many distributors running their own on-line stores focusing on budget and medium price products. Tile International: What is the current state of the Polish building industry? P. Tokarski: The initial statistical data for 2010 show that this was probably the worst year for construction out of the last three. The number of completed apartments reached an all-time low, the number of housing starts dropped, and the number of building permits was much lower than in 2009. In the first half of 2010 the value of construction was 6.1% lower than the previous year. This fall affected companies operating in all areas of construction, including building construction (-6.7%), specialist

Tandori collection

construction works (-6%) and civil engineering (-5.1%). As a result, demand for tiles is driven by regenerative demand, although customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decisions on refurbishing apartments and houses depend on income and the possibility of obtaining credit. The limited private sector demand for housing investments is the result of reduced credit support from banks, increased bank margins and stricter bank guarantee requirements. The rise in the goods and services tax (VAT) at the beginning of the year and talks of liquidation of tax relief for construction materials are also not helping. Fortunately, these pessimistic figures appear to be a thing of the past. Thanks to numerous investments relating to Euro 2012, the forecasts are moderately opti-

Secret collection

Tile International 2/2011

In the spotlight

tially allow the company to pursue all its plans, the first market success enabled the two businessmen to launch Polish-made ceramics in 1991 with the startup of the first kilns, used to fire biscuit imported from Italy. Demand at that time was huge but daily output was only 100 square metres. Today, Paradyz Group’s five production plants have a total annual output of over 34 million square metres. Tile International: Where are today’s main export markets? P. Tokarski: Our export share has remained at a steady 35% for several years, although the recent difficulties in some key foreign markets such as Ukraine, the Baltic states and Russia has had some impact on our total result. We have been receiving positive signals from Western markets, where our share has been growing steadily, compensating for the periodic drops in the East. We currently export to 35 countries all over the world. Tile International: How has the Polish ceramic industry been af-

Secret collection mistic both for commercial real estate and for a gradual revival of the housing market. Tile International: Could you give us an overview of Ceramika Paradyz? P. Tokarski: Paradyz Group, consisting of Ceramika Paradyz and Paradyz, is a Polish company founded by two businessmen in 1989, the year of birth of Polish democracy and the market economy. Although the modest financial resources did not ini-

Rosea collection

THE POLISH CERAMIC INDUSTRY MARKET (MILLIONS OF SQ.M) 2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

PRODUCTION

108

110

112

118

112

140 (production capacity)

CONSUMPTION

101

102

100

103

IMPORT

10,2

EXPORT

Tile International 2/2011

fected by the international crisis? P. Tokarski: The ceramic industry has been having a hard time since 2009 as the expected economic recovery proved to be purely symbolic. The global recession hit all Polish exporters, although to varying degrees according to their sector and volume of business. For Paradyz Group the negative trade balance with the East was no surprise. We have been preparing for this scenario for some time and have developed several alternative approaches. As a result we closed the 2009/2010 season with a sales increase of few percent, we managed to maintain a healthy margin and we were not forced to change our investment plans. Tile International: What are these plans? P. Tokarski: We are expanding two of our five production plants so as to produce tiles with superior technical quality and design. This will enable us to add new collections to our catalogue for two out of three brands while maintaining competitive prices. We are also looking at the possibility of making new, non-standard products in the knowledge that an ongoing commitment to modernisation and development is the key to successful business. The total value of the investments under way is around 60 million euro. ✕

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Economy & markets by Anna Gespar from 70th Euroconstruct Jubilee Conference in Budapest, Hungary

2011: end of downturn in the West, upturn in the East

2009 was the worst year for construction this decade. Total construction output fell by 8.8% across the 19 Euroconstruct member states. According to the 70th Euroconstruct conference, held by Buildecon in Budapest on 2-3 December 2010, a further contraction of 3.3% on average is forecast for this year. High public deficit levels in Ireland, Spain and Portugal forced further significant austerity measures and cuts in housing construction and public investments. On top of this, weak domestic demand, public spending reviews, avoidance of long-term commitments and the reassessment of ongoing public projects led to falls in performance in many other countries this year. In the meantime, the best performers (Finland, Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland) benefited from growing domestic confidence and demand.

According to the new countryby-country analysis conducted by the 19 Euroconstruct members, 2011 will be a year of change. A slight decline, of about 0.1% on average, is expected to leave construction markets stable at previous year’s levels. After three years of recession, construction market players can expect one more year of belt-tightening before gearing up for a very moderate recovery. By 2013, Euroconstruct

Tile International 2/2011

countries are expected to see construction output of €1341 bn, which is still below the total for 2007 (€1506 bn). Recovery is forecast to be variable, however, with markets remaining depressed in some countries. Activity in Central and Eastern Europe, meanwhile, is predicted to be significantly stronger than in Western Europe. • Of the three sub-sectors, civil engineering proved to be the most stable both during and after the crisis years. The high levels of transport infrastructure construction will slacken, as a shift towards energy and water infrastructure construction kicks in. The threat of public spending cuts in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Spain and the UK will impact negatively on infrastructure projects. • The hardest-hit sector, residential construction, will see scant recovery from its current, lacklustre position, although growth of 1.9% in 2011 is expected. By 2013, residential sector output is still expected to fall below 2008 levels. According to forecasts, 60% of residential output will come from renovation activity in 2013. • Non-residential construction is forecast to see the slowest recovery, with output in 2013 barely reaching the levels of the early 2000s. Publicly financed construction and ren-

ovation of schools and hospitals might also suffer the consequences of shrinking resources. Signs of recovery in the commercial sector, meanwhile, remain few and far between. Although construction remains a vital sector in the European economy, the ten years between 2004 and 2013 will mark important structural changes within the industry, as the emphasis shifts from new construction towards renovation and modernisation, to the extent that renovation will account for almost half (49.7%) of total construction output. Meanwhile, smaller countries, including Central/East European and Scandinavian countries, are accounting for a growing share of total construction output. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia will contrib-

ute 6.5% to total output in 2013, as against just 3% in the 1990s, and the four Scandinavian countries will see their share rise to 9.3% (from 6.9% in 2004) in ten years. Perhaps one of the most important structural changes is the cross-border convergence of construction output on a figure of about 10% of GDP. Construction in Spain, Portugal and Ireland accounted for around 20% of their GDP in 2004, but has since fallen to 7-10%, causing the European average to stabilise at around 10%. Anna Gáspár, Senior Advisor of Buildecon, the Hungarian Euroconstruct member, stated: "These structural changes are directing individual countries and construction activity itself towards a more balanced, less vulnerable position in the European economy. Real demand and imperatives for the near-future (efficient energy consump-

Economy & markets

CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT BY SECTOR IN THE EUROCONSTRUCT STATES SECTOR

tion, upgrading the built environment, housing replacement, new health facilities for the ageing population, lowering the CO2 emissions of buildings) are expected to force construction to turn into a higher-value and higher-quality sector. This will require new products, new technologies and new skills." Approximately 160 delegates from Europe and beyond attended the 70th Euroconstruct Conference to listen to expert speakers presenting the macroeconomic outlook for Europe as well as the analysis and projections for the construction industry in the 19 Euroconstruct countries. Buildecon, the Hungarian Euroconstruct member, chose the outlook for the Eastern European construction industry as its special topic. Panellists, and members of the European Commission, World Bank, KPMG, Raiffeisen Evolution and Mehib, discussed the financing conditions and opportunities for construction in the less developed regions of Europe.The 70th Jubilee Euroconstruct Conference started with an exclusive lecture on the Danube River on 2 December. Three weeks before Hungary took over the EU Presidency in January 2011, the State Commissioner to Hungary presented the EU’s new regional programme, the ’Danube Strategy’, which is under preparation for the period 2014-2020. ✕

2007

2008

2009

EST.

VOLUME % CHANGE 2011

2010

FORECASTS

OUTLOOK

2012

2013

AUSTRIA

1.6

-6

-3

0.7

0.8

NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

-2.1

-16.6

-24.2

-7.1

5.3

5.5

RESIDENTIAL RENOVATION

3.5

0.5

-3.3

1.3

1.7

2.1

1.6

-13.7

-7.2

-2.4

0.9

2.3

NON-RESIDENTIAL RENOVATION

2.7

0.9

-3.7

-2.6

0.2

1.1

1.7

CIVIL ENGINEERING

2.1

0.4

0.9

-1.5

-2.1

1.4

1.5

TOTAL CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT

2.3

-3.4

-8.8

-3.3

-0.1

2.5

NEW NON-RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

Source: Euroconstruct 70th conference, Budapest

TOTAL CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT Country

2007

CHANGE IN REAL TERMS

EST.

2008

2009

2010

2011

FORECASTS

OUTLOOK

2012

2013

AUSTRIA

1.6

-6.0

-3.0

0.7

0.8

1.0

BELGIUM

4.1

1.5

-3.0

-0.6

0.7

2.4

-0.6

DENMARK

1.5

-5.0

-12.4

-7.2

3.1

5.3

5.6

FINLAND

6.4

0.1

-11.9

4.4

2.9

2.4

3.5

FRANCE

3.4

-2.4

-7.4

-4.2

1.5

1.4

2.7

GERMANY

0.4

2.5

-0.9

3.4

1.3

1.6

1.7

IRELAND

1.4

-5.4

-35.0

-28.3

-10.7

0.2

3.9

ITALY

-0.4

-4.2

-8.7

-4.8

0.9

3.1

3.3

NORWEY

8.5

-2.6

-2.2

-3.1

3.3

3.8

4.5

PORTUGAL

-0.4

-4.8

-9.9

-7.5

-4.1

-1.4

1.0

SPAIN

2.9

-19.1

-24.6

-16.1

-13.6

-2.3

1.3

SWEDEN

5.0

-0.2

-5.3

2.4

3.9

4.4

3.7

SWITZERLAND

-2.3

0.1

3.7

2.4

1.1

NETHERLANDS

6.0

5.5

-4.9

-9.4

1.0

2.4

2.9

1.9

-0.3

-10.4

3.1

0.2

1.5

2.0

WESTERN EUROPE (EC-15)

2.1

-3.8

-9.2

-3.4

-0.5

1.6

2.3

CZECH REPUBLIC

7.3

2.7

-1.3

-10.0

-3.2

0.2

3.1

HUNGARY

-4.5

-3.4

-9.0

-3.8

5.2

7.5

10.1

POLAND

12.7

11.4

4.3

4.0

12.7

12.4

5.9

SLOVAKIA

6.0

11.0

-12.7

-6.3

6.2

2.5

3.1

EASTERN EUROPE (EC-4)

7.4

6.4

-0.7

-1.8

7.2

8.2

5.7

EUROCONSTRUCT STATES (EC-19)

2.3

-3.4

-8.8

-3.3

-0.1

2.0

2.5

Source: Euroconstruct 70th conference, Budapest

Tile International 2/2011

Parquet

Return to growth for European wood flooring market

After many years of uninterrupted growth dating back to 1992, parquet production in the member states of the FEP (Fédération Européenne du Parquet) saw its first sharp fall in 2008, followed by a further nosedive in 2009. In 2010, however,

the long-awaited upturn finally arrived, as output rose by +4.11% (Table 1). European parquet production in 2010 thus amounted to 70.300 million square metres, which is about the same level it reached in the year 2000.

Biggest producing countries: Poland (17.71%), Germany (15.64%) and Sweden (13.30%) (Table 2). As regards total parquet production in 2010 by type, multilayer gained one percentage point. After remaining static for

Table 1. - PARQUET PRODUCTION IN THE FEP MEMBER COUNTRIES Tables source: FEP statistics 2010

YEAR

000 SQM

+ / - 000 SQM

Table 2. - TOTAL FEP PRODUCTION PERCENTAGES FOR 2010 +/-%

2000

69,812

5,038

7.78%

2001

75,621

5,809

8.32%

2002

76,741

1,12

1.48%

2003

81,039

4,298

5.60%

2004

91,453

10,414

12.85%

2005

95,977

4,524

4.95%

2006

97,911

1,934

2.02%

2007

100,334

2,423

2.47%

2008

84,725

-15,609

-15.56%

2009

67,523

-17,202

-20.30%

2010

70,300

2,777

4.11%

Tile International 2/2011

several years, solid wood flooring, by contrast, saw a further fall to 20% of total output, while mosaic, on 2%, saw a slight fall last year (Table 3). Sales of wood flooring in the FEP member states rose by 6.81% in 2010 to 92.945 million square

Parquet

Table 4. CONSUMPTION DEVELOPMENT COUNTRY

09/08

10/09

-4.00%

0.27%

-7.51%

-3.00%

-1.78%

4.51%

-13.22%

-33.33%

-11.44%

22.30%

-19.78%

-10.70%

-5.51%

9.42%

-41.43%

-26.53%

-25.00%

0.00%

-14.25%

-3.05%

-19.04%

0.72%

-9.98%

-5.59%

-24.00%

29.07%

DK / FIN / NO

-25.52%

43.59%

-22.06%

11.32%

FEP Total

-15.31%

+6.81%

metres, as against 87.019 million the previous year (Table 5). These figures, which were published by the FEP at the end of May during its annual general meeting held in Dubrovnik, testify to slow a slow upturn in the European parquet industry, and certainly came as no surprise, in view of the international economic crisis, which hit Europe particularly hard and all sectors connected with the property market. We should not forget, however, that the reasons for the fall in the market, apart from the effects of a an unprecedented economic and financial crisis, include difficulties which existed already, such as pressure from emerging economies, which have invaded the market with “throw-away” products, the continuously rising cost of raw materials and tighter credit policy.

thickening of order books and the continuously improving economic climate. But is the time really ripe to declare victory? Regrettably, the general upswing is not uniform across all FEP markets, with some performing gratifyingly well, while others struggle to remain sTable even at relatively low levels. Due account must also be taken of the general performance indicators of Europe's construction industry, while raw material prices are increasing, the euro remains (too) strong against the dollar, and our industry continues the fierce fight against cheap imports, on a playing field which is frequently neither level nor fair. These factors alone are reason enough to remain constantly vigilant, without also allowing undue worries to impede creative thinking and interfere with the positive approach to business. Although the news from some quarters could be better, the parquet industry has fought many hard battles in its time, and has always managed to secure its position with respect to alternative flooring solutions, and even increase its share over the years. ✕

Outlook for 2011 In general, the figures for 2010 give grounds for cautious optimism among industry captains, thanks also to the progressive

Table 3. - PRODUCTION PER TYPE PERCENTAGES 2010

Table 5. - PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION (SQ.M) 120.000

112.226 100.334

100.000

101.547 87.019

92.945

84.725 80.000

67.523

70.300

60.000

40.000

20.000

0 1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

ProducƟon

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

ConsumpƟon

Tile International 2/2011

Economy & markets by Luca Baraldi

2011: end of downturn in the West, upturn in the East

Revestir, the pre-eminent South American exhibition of ceramic tiles and other surface covering materials held in São Paulo from 22 to 25 March 2011, revealed a sense of optimism amongst local industry players. The overall impression at Revestir was one of a healthy market. The show was strongly attended by professionals from Brazil and the rest of Latin America, and the Brazilian and inter-

national exhibitors taking part in the event expressed general satisfaction. These impressions were borne out by the sector figures published by the Brazilian tile manufacturers’ association Anfacer. According to these figures, Brazil maintained its position as the world’s second largest tile producer in 2010 with an output of 753.5 million square metres, 5.4% up on the 714.9 million square metres of 2009. The production

capacity of local companies also rose, up by 8% from 789.8 million sq.m in 2009 to an estimated 853 million sq.m in 2010, while usage percentage remained stable at above 90%. Much of this output is destined for the thriving domestic market. Driven by a strongly expanding economy (GDP rose by 7.7% in 2010 over the previous year), Brazil has maintained its second ranking position amongst tile consumer countries with a con-

THE BRAZILIAN CERAMIC TILE INDUSTRY AND MARKET (MILION OF SQ.M) 2006

2007

2008

2010 (estimates)

2009

2011 (forecast)

PRODUCTION

594.2

637.1

713.4

714.9

753.5

790.9

CONSUMPTION

483.6

534.7

605.4

644.5

719.6

739.1

IMPORTS

2.1

5.5

11.1

11.7

23.3

n.a.

EXPORTS

114.5

102.1

81.4

60.7

57.2

56.7

Tile International 2/2011

sumption of 719.6 million square metres (11.6% up on the 644.5 million square metres of 2009), of which only 23.3 million square metres originate from imports. Exports on the other hand have continued their downward trend which began five years ago to reach 57.2 million square metres (down 5.8% from the 60.7 million sq.m of 2009), although Brazil remains one of the top exporter countries. On the basis of forecast 10% to 12% growth in civil building, Anfacer estimates that the Brazilian ceramic tile market will continue its growth in 2011, including a further 6 percentage point increase in both production (to an estimated 790.9 million sq.m) and tile consumption (739.1 million sq.m). Exports are expected to remain ✕ stable at the levels of 2010.

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Success for 50th edition of Milan Saloni

Ceramiche Piemme @ Home & Spa Design

Milanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rho-Pero trade fair complex designed by Massimiliano Fuksas was recently the scene of the 50th edition of the Milan Saloni. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event included the Salone Internazionale del Mo-

Tile International 2/2011

Tagina @ Temporary Museum for New Design bile, the Salone Internazionale del Complemento dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arredo and the SaloneSatellite, not to mention the biennial Euroluce international lighting trade fair and the SaloneUfficio - the international work environment biennial.

The Saloni celebrated their 50th anniversary with a successful edition and high attendance figures, including total visitor numbers of 321,320, of whom 282,483 were trade operators (up 2% on 2009, the year in which Euroluce was last held)

and 177,964 foreign operators (accounting for 63% of total attendance). As well as trade operators, the 2011 Saloni welcomed 32,870 Sunday visitors from among the general public, and 5,967 media professionals, including

I Saloni

Garbelotto @ Home & Spa Design

Inax @ Temporary Museum for New Design Inax @ Temporary Museum for New Design

Mosaico Digitale @ Zona Tortona

5,313 foreign journalists.

And good year for FuoriSalone too… For the 2011 edition of the FuoriSalone, Superstudio Più, which the Financial Times described as “an absolute must... the linchpin

Tile International 2/2011

I Saloni Magnetti @ SuperStudioPiù

Alberani Parketti @ La Città Dei Sogni Sottili

IncontroArdito @ La Fabbrica Del Vapore

of the FuoriSalone... the event aimed at raising the profile of young and emerging designers” (1 April 2011), was divided into three parts: [ Temporary Museum for New Design: The exhibits included: Tagina with “LifeCycle”, produced in partnership with Simone Micheli and Marco Tortioli Ricci; Inax with a patented product by Toshiyuki Kita, which transforms

Tile International 2/2011

Stile @ La Fabbrica Del Vapore

water into solid cleansing foam [ Innovation/Imagination [ Home&Spa Design: The exhibits included: Piemme (scan the QrCode for a virtual visit of the installation); MosaicoDigitale; X-tra, which commissioned Silvia Stanzani to set up the Ecobath exhibit, focusing on eco_marble, a LEED-certified collection made with over 40% recycled

material, using the innovative Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ production process; Hatria; Mister Parquet; Garbelotto/Master Floor; Vitra and Evit. Three major projects, all displayed under the auspices of Superstudio Più, made with the participation of 134 exhibitor brands and various prestigious designers, attracted an impressive influx of visitors that

matched the attendance of previous edition, with 112,000 attendees, of whom 70% were professionals, and a 15% increase in foreign visitors. Everyone admired Canon’s play of lights, sounds and video, Foscarini’s gigantic sculptural lamps, Samsung’s anthropomorphic sculptures made up of screens, Cristalplant’s holograms and MINI’s installation featuring its cars “flying” at a

I Saloni Lea @ Università Statale

height of 20 metres above the ground. As well as offering a solid a technological core, this year’s edition also featured a selection of innovative products, such as the house with concrete outer walls that turn into pixels (Concrete Mission, produced by Magnetti Spa to a design by Ronen Joseph), the experimental objects in the Swedish pavilion, the modular walls and objects in paper and board, and the tricolour re-interpreted by Denis Santachiara.

La Fabbrica del Vapore

Il Focolare @ La Fabbrica Del Vapore

Bialetti @ 150 Italian Beauty

Inglesina @ 150 Italian Beauty

This cultural production centre for young people and venue for workshops, exhibitions and events all the year round set up by the Municipality of Milan, held an event called “POSTI DI VISTA design sensibile” for the 2011 Saloni.The aim of the event was to show an alternative approach to design, based on a far-reaching concept of environmental, cultural and economic sustainability. Organised with the collaboration of FDVLab and Ottagono, the event featured a number of installations, including: [ La città dei segni sottili, developed with the participation of Alberani Parketti, Cotto d’Este, and Il Casone [ City Previews, an exhibition curated by Philippe Daverio, with the participation of Stile, Devon&Devon and Ceramiche Refin [ Il fuoco, la pietra, il cemento, si incontrano, an exhibition designed by Domenico De Palo and coordinated by AntonioLupi, with the participation of IncontroArdito Rivestimenti, which presented Bolla, an innovative, back-lit decorative wall covering.

150 Italian Beauty, by Roberto Semprini Via Montenapoleone Drawing inspiration from the 150th anniversary of Italian unification, the event was conceived as a snapshot of Italian excellence, from art to fashion and everyday objects. The common thread running through everything on display was the colours of the Italian flag. The items shown in the three rooms included white floor and wall tiles by Gardenia Orchidea; three red, white and green Techne staircases by Fontanot; and MosaicoDigitale

Università Statale, Via Festa del Perdono - Twirl by Zaha Hadid Architects for Lea Ceramiche (scan QrCode) - lighting by Artemide, in the Mutant Architecture & Design interiors exhibition. The installation is made of Slimtech sheets measuring one metre in width and cut at various heights up to two metres, in seven different shades ranging from white to black. It transforms the courtyard into a space that constantly changes shape and colour according to a myriad of perspectives. [ La stanza, a minimalist installation by Mario Botta made up of 115 L-shaped marble modules measuring 86x86x43 cm. Mapei took part in the realisation of the project by supplying structural concrete and Adesilex PG1, Mapecontact and Elastocolor. Mapei also gave the Lectio Magistralis “Architettura e città”, held by Botta on the afternoon of 13 April in the university’s aula magna.

Tile International 2/2011

I Saloni

Gardenia Orchidea @ Italian Beauty

Through the streets of Milan [ OIKOS&LAMINAM, Via Molino delle Armi: Oikos armoured doors, in partnership with Laminam Spa, focused on cor-ten effect porcelain wall tiles. [ FLORIM SOLUTIONS: at its Flagship Store in Via Fatebenefratelli 9, Florim, which was also involved in the Brera Design District circuit, pre-

Oikos @ Via Molino delle Armi Brandoni @ Good Design Gallery

Tile International 2/2012

La Montagna di Sale, a sculpture by Mimmo Paladino Piazza Reale (Gobbetto) sented the installation “Florim Solutions”, designed by Nicola Gallizia Design. [ BESIDE “Unexpected tiles”: at the Refin Studio at Foro Bonaparte 68, Massimiliano Adami presented a project for DesignTaleStudio, a creative workshop of Ceramiche Refin, by developing an unprecedented creative interpretation of ceramic mosaic. [ GRANITIFIANDRE: at the Politecnico, in the Aula F.lli Cas-

tiglioni in Via G. Durando 10, Granitifiandre sponsored the workshop of architect Mario Cucinella entitled “Dialogo sulla sostenibilità e architettura italiana contemporanea”. - GAMMA DUE: “DaCosaNasceCosa” at Spazio 31 in Via Solferino, a sequence of three rooms that tell the story of every aspect of ceramic: shape, colour and surface finish. [ MARGARITELLI-OIKOS-LAGO:

“Appartamento Lago”, Brera 30. Formula for a habitat: Lago in the conception, finish and interior design, but Oikos on the threshold, with a Synua armoured door in a white lacquered version. Listone Giordano by Margaritelli, involved for the second year running in the Lago project, produced a flooring solution specifically for the occasion.

Margaritelli @ Appartamento Lago Devon&Devon @ Zona Tortona

150 Italian Beauty overwiev

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I Saloni

I Saloni @ Triennale... Triennale, Via Alemagna 6 [ Metamorfosi: an exhibition organised by Confindustria Ceramica and curated by Aldo Colonnetti. Installations: ANCAP Porcellane; ARXX Minervini+Sanna for Ergon “Tilegate”; Roberta Bonaiti for Etruria Design “Arts et Metiers”; Fikez Studio Federico Dalmazzo for Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola “Volcano”; Diego Grandi for Mapei “Padam”; Studio Giulio Iachetti for Ceramica Globo “La Fontana di Atlantide”; Studio Terri Pecora for Simas “Indian Mood”; Salvo Schiavo+Omar Abo Hatab for Ceramiche Coem “Sabbia e Vento”; Studio Tamassociati for Casalgrande Padana “2x2x2 sulle vie del Sud” [ The Positive Floor: an interactive tour conceived by Francesco Maria Bandini, which brings visitors into a labyrinth of prisms, over two metres

high, with tops clad in multicoloured coverings (InterfaceFLOR 100% recyclable carpet) and reflected in enormous ceiling-mounted mirrors. The concept is a powerful allusion to the eco-compatibility of materials: the images reflected on the ceiling evoke an arid, barren, suncracked surface that sustains life only in the spaces covered with recyclable materials. [ Irregolare-Eccezionale: an exhibition organised by Marmomacc-Veronafiere and curated by Umbrella to a design by APML-architetti. Installations: Patricia Urquiola with Budri, Aldo Cibic with Grassi Pietre, Thomas Sandell with Marsotto, Marco Piva with Lithea by MGM Furnari, Manuel Aires Mateus with Pibamarmi.

Coop. Imola @ Talent For Tiles

Budri @ Irregolare-Eccezionale

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Tile International 2/2011

I Saloni

S â&#x153;&#x2022;

Ergon @ Metamorfosi

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Globo @ Metamorfosi

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Tile International 2/2011

Bathroom&Surfaces by Mara Corradi

The balance between style and practicality The rigour of minimalism seemed to have rationalised the styling of our bathrooms once and for all, and produced a standardised series of lines, concepts and geometries that appeared to be as universally shared as a common language. The rapid obsolescence of styling, however, combined with the commercial need for constant product renewal, inevitably chipped away at the certainties of that language and led to the reintroduction of ornamentation, even at the expense of practicality. Now, as a reaction against decorative excess, the pendulum has swung back, and we are seeing a return to utility-driven design, with particular attention to ergonomics and eco-sustainability.

Washbasins Whether understated or flamboyant, the washbasin plays a more pivotal role than any other piece of bathroom furniture, because we use it so frequently and for so many purposes,

from a quick hand-wash to full-on personal grooming. These days, when approaching the design of such a staple of peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily routines, a good designer aims to avoid any excess of shape, colour or decoration, so as not to create needless barriers between user and product. If the bathroom has become a place dedicated to physical and mental wellbeing, it is essential that any forced gestures are reduced to a minimum. Mario Ferrarini has designed five free-standing washbasins on behalf of Antonio Lupi, all characterised by the slim profiles of Ceramilux. They can be rotated and oriented to the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taste, thereby modifying the appearance of the overall composition, while retaining their welcoming look, despite the irregularity of some of their forms, as exemplified by Canyon. Liberation from the oppression of over-design, in favour of a rediscovery of the expressiveness of functionality in ceramic sanitaryware, is the concept expressed by

Antonio Lupi

Tile International 2/2011

Bathroom&Surfaces

Duravit

Disegno Ceramica in its Weg collection designed by Paolo Schianchi. Presented as a practical, modern line of sanitaryware, it emerged from the study and reworking of time-honoured forms, trimmed of their decorative excesses.

Vanity units look to the living-room for inspiration The gradual transformation of the

bathroom from an anonymous, functional room into a habitat to be enjoyed and shown off, has played a role in changing the appearance of the bathroom and harmonising it with the rest of the house. Qualitative research has thus been done into bathroom furniture, which has led to improvements in finishes and ergonomics. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vanity units, especially in their omnipresent â&#x20AC;&#x153;under-basinâ&#x20AC;? form, play

Nobili Rapsel

Disegno Ceramica

133

a key role in setting the aesthetic tone of the bathroom. Doubling up as a base and a multi-purpose storage system, the vanity unit defines both the volume of the basin and the amount and shape of the space available for keeping accessories. By crossing the boundaries of product categories, many companies now aim to sell comprehensive bathroom systems, in which the individual pieces are perceived as parts of a coherent, continuous whole. As such, washbasins are offered in conjunction with vanity units specifically

Tile International 2/2011

Bathroom&Surfaces

space and the way it is used. With its Elle project, meanwhile, Rapsel integrated various functions, including basin, storage unit and counter space, into a single piece, and optimised the use of space with a lateral pedestal that accommodates the technical systems. Lastly, Inova, a new brand owned by Catalano, recently presented a series of units containing washbasins: the photo shows Muse, Velis and Roma.

Water: a shared asset

Hansgrohe Axor

designed to accommodate them, and in turn shape the entire range of bathroom furnishings accordingly. To develop the Ketho series, Duravit commissioned the renowned

Tile International 2/2011

furniture designer Christian Werner. The partnership spawned 44 pieces, ranging from small shelves to under-basin units, all of which can be combined with Starck 3 console wa-

shbasins. The linear styling, protective layer of melamine resin; sealed, water-proof corners, and ergonomic handles, are the result of a project designed to improve the quality of

Taps are more technical, but from an aesthetic viewpoint, it is essential that they are well designed in order to preserve a sense of overall balance. Nowadays, the revision of traditional forms is at its most effective when underpinned by principles of sustainability and environmental integrity. Learning to save water is an act of both civilisation and economic benefit, and good tap design has to revolve around saving the ultimate â&#x20AC;&#x153;primary resourceâ&#x20AC;?. Limiting flow rate, saving hot water and reducing mechanical wear are the aims of Nobili Rubinetterie, which has long been engaged in the study of technologies aimed at reducing water-wastage and energy-consumption. The result is a catalogue of eco-taps designed in accordance with the rigorous protocols of quality, safety and environmental integrity, including the new Loop single-lever mixer tap by Piet Billekens. Sustainable water management also lies at the root of the research conducted by Hansgrohe and Axor: by deploying EcoSmart technology combined with the patented AirPower system, it is possible to reduce the flow rate of water to 5 litres/minute, while at the same time increasing the volume delivered, thanks to special diffusers that inject air into the water. â&#x153;&#x2022;

Tile International 2/2011

ARMANDO TESTA

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Faculty of Architecture of Genova, Alessandra Parodi for Cersaie

20-24 SEPTEMBER 2011 www.cersaie.it

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Project

A sea-view from Izmir with NovaBell

Musa, SoftLook and Spazio, three of NovaBell SpAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful collections, have been chosen and used in the construction of six premium residential buildings in Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey. Overlooking the Aegean Sea, Izmir offers a striking blend of modern, international character and rich, evocative history. This distinctive blend of characteristics makes it an industrial, commercial and tourist city all in one, which attracts a large number and wide variety of people. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why a growing number of residential developments are springing up, like the new Smirna Park complex of apartments with sea views, designed to offer the highest levels of comfort in terms of

SMIRNA PARK, IZMIR - TURKEY Client: Idea Yapi a.S. Designer: Mr.Metin Kozlu - Idea Yapi Area of site: 7,500 sq.m Area of buildings: 43,000 sq.m Area finished with NovaBell tiles: 20,000 sq.m NovaBell collections used: Musa wall tiles, Spazio wall and floor tiles, SoftLook floor tiles Work start date: 20 October 2009 Work end date: 31 December 2011 NovaBell partner in Turkey: Mr Can Franco Adnanlar

an Izmir overwiew - www.flickr.com/photos/lynchaos/.jpg Tile International 2/2011

Project

interior design and finishings, where nothing is left to chance. One of the leading players in this prestigious residential project was NovaBell, which attended to the tiling of about half of the entire surface area of 43,000 sq.m, with its Italian-made ceramic tiles. Specifically, the walls of the master bathrooms were fitted out with hazelnut-coloured tiles from the Musa collection, combined with delicate, coffee-coloured floral accents, in size 25x60cm. Musa, in white, also appears in all the laundry rooms with which

the apartments are equipped. For the utility bathrooms, the designers opted for the Spazio collection, in size 60x60cm in white and black, embellished with sparkling, iridescent effects. The floors, meanwhile, were laid with tiles from the SoftLook collection, which use nanotechnology to provide high levels of nonslip performance. The specifiers for the Smirna Park project chose NovaBell tiles thanks to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Turkish commercial partner, Adnanlar, a historic company that has been in the tile business since 1929.

Adnanlar operates in Istanbul and Izmir, through two local sites, where it deals exclusively with top-end residential and hotel projects. The Izmir branch, run by Mr Can Franko, occupies the site of an old, converted foundry measuring 2,400 sq.m in the heart of the city. â&#x153;&#x2022;

Tile International 2/2011

Project by Christian Brunsmann

Warm feet: a blessing for churchgoers

Landau an der Isar is a municipality with a population of 13,000 in Lower Bavaria. Established in 1224, Landau is one of the oldest towns in that region. The townscape is dominated by the towers of St. Mary’s parish church and the Holy Cross Church, both built in the bulb shape that is typical of the region. By contrast, the St. John the Evangelist parish church, which was built in the early 1970s, is comparatively plain. Nevertheless, the architect and contractors faced major challenges when it came to renovating the church structure. As one of the initiatives organised to mark the town’s 750th anniversary, Landau established the parish church of St. John the Evangelist, the town's second Catholic church, to serve residents on the left bank of the Isar. The church was built according to a modern design with a functional parish centre on Straubinger Straße, and was officially consecrated in 1974. Over the years, the original electric radiator heating system proved to be insufficiently responsive for the church's needs, and extremely expensive to run, so the parish decided to renovate the building in 2009. Instead of having to pre-heat the church days in advance, church representatives wanted an underfloor heating system that would bring warmth to the feet of churchgoers "just in time". They envisioned a system with quick response times, which would be capable of operating with renew-

Tile International 2/2011

The studded grid of Schlüter®-BEKOTEC EN23F creates a tension-free modular screed, which can be installed over large areas without the need for expansion joints

The fully restored St. John parish church in Landau an der Isar after the completion of the renovation. Warm feet are a blessing to churchgoers

The St. John parish church was built in the early 1970s and renovated in 2010

Project

The project involved the installation of some 1,700 meters of heating pipes in the studded pattern of Schlüter®BEKOTEC EN23F able energy sources in the future. The structure needed to be particularly slim, because the full assembly height, including the covering, was just 7 cm. To meet these requirements, the existing electric heating system was removed from the auditorium area and replaced with Schlüter®-BEKOTEC-THERM ceramic thermal-comfort flooring. Unlike conventional heated floor constructions, this is an especially slim, tension-free heated screed assembly without joints, which is covered with tiles or natural stone. Due to the low thickness of the screed to be heated in the BEKOTEC-THERM system, this ceramic thermal-comfort flooring responds quickly to temperature changes or thermostat adjustments, and can operate with particularly low supply temperatures such as those provided by alternative energy sources – for instance, heat pumps. The restoration began on January 11, 2010 with the complete removal of all the church pews. Then, the existing screed was removed from an area of 240 sq.m. Schlüter®-BEKOTEC EN23F stud-

Poured cement screed (CemFlow by Heidelberger) was poured over that layer ded screed panels were then installed over the levelled concrete substrate, and some 1700 metres of heating pipes were clamped between the studs of these panels, which are arranged in a pattern with 75 mm spacing. This studded grid creates a tension-free modular screed, which can be installed over large areas without the need for expansion joints. The minimum screed thickness over the studs is just 8 to 10 mm, which not only saves 50% of the screed material in comparison to conventional standard constructions, but also results in a total floor height that is 37 mm lower than usual. The assembly height of the restoration project described here, including the covering of brick tiles (30 x 60 x 2 cm), was only 7 cm. Cracks in the tile covering, which are a typical hazard for heated screeds, are not a concern with the BEKOTEC system. This is guaranteed by the Schlüter®-DITRA uncoupling membrane, a component of the ceramic thermalcomfort flooring, which prevents

Just a few days after pouring the screed, the tile setter began to install 60 x 30 cm brick tiles of the type GIMA brick paver XXL

the propagation of cracks from the substrate to the tile covering. Since the membrane allows the moisture from the screed to evaporate through open air channels, it also provides consistent vapour pressure equalization, and thus made it possible to start installing tiles on the poured cement screed (CemFlow by Heidelberger) as soon as it was ready to bear weight. In the case of the church of St. John the Evangelist, the installation of the screed was delayed briefly when the construction site was closed for two weeks because outside temperatures fell below -15 degrees Celsius. The work resumed in early March when the cold subsided. Just a few days after pouring the screed, the tile setter began installing GIMA XXL brick pavers in size 60 x 30 cm. The Schlüter®-BEKOTEC-THERM ceramic thermal-comfort floor was ready for heating just seven days after the completion of the cover assembly, since no functional heating and curing was required. As a result, the parish was able to resume use of the

church after a short construction period, in spite of the weather. The Landau church is now well equipped for the future. Once the entire parish centre switches to geothermal heat or another renewable energy source in the future, as planned, BEKOTEC-THERM will be an ideal heat distributor that uses low supply temperatures and spreads heat efficiently. ✕

Project location: Oberer Stadtplatz 14 94405 Landau an der Isar Engineering: Architects Schobner & Wagner Janusstrasse 18 - 94405 Landau/Isar Dipl.Ing. (FH) W. Schultes (heating engineering) Straubinger Str. 57 - 94405 Landau/Isar Contractors: Mühlbauer GmbH (heating system) Pfarrer-Huber-Str. 36 94405 Landau/Isar Laskowski Systemboden GmbH (screed) Vagener Str. 9 b 83620 Feldkirchen-Westerham Fliesen Steinberger (tiles) Hauptstrasse 19 94419 Niederhausen

Tile International 2/2011

Trends by Valentina Durante

Small, personalised spaces Living spaces are getting smaller and more people are sharing them, but they are personalised to the point of uniqueness. This is one of the current trends in the interior design and furnishing sector identified by District Vision Lab, our think-tank for

analysing new tendencies, and it has been reinforced in recent months by the world economic crisis. What designers are being asked to do at the moment, is create versatile, modular, temporary spaces, which lend themselves to co-habitation

by a number of people and generations in the same environment, whether domestic or professional. At the same time, personalised features, handmade items and DIY are gaining currency. Producers of coverings are riding the wave of this trend,

as demand rises for products which are easy to transport and install, and do not require major structural work (thin-gauge tiles meet these criteria), but at the same time can be personalised in small batches with considerable aesthetic diversity.

HI-TECH TORTOISES Multiple Atmospheres- Domestic Nomadism TEMPORARY ENVIRONMENTS According to the latest American research, a growing number of Millennials are inclined to choose freelance work on a permanent basis (perma-lance). And for this reason, co-working spaces are springing up in a number of cities. These are low-cost environments with the necessary services for working on-line, and they offer a mix between a shared office and an internet cafĂŠ. Since the number of stay-athome workers is rising (4.2 million Americans now fall into this category), the future of such temporary work spaces looks promising. Individualism without isolation is how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s described by Office Nomads, a gigantic shared office in Seattle, which is organised entirely on-line with wikis, calendars and blogs.

Tile International 2/2011

Multiple Atmospheres- Domestic Nomadism

Trends

MODULAR DESIGN

picture: Fabio Bruna

Ever smaller domestic environments; co-existence of several generations under the same roof; a rise in home working and home schooling; demand for unique, personalised, madeto-measure products and spaces; the desire of end-users to take part in the process of creation of finished productsâ&#x20AC;Ś all of these phenomena spell success for current and future modular design. Examples: Gravity by Hotpoint-Ariston, the prototype of an ergonomic line of three wall-mounted household electrical appliances, which free up under-counter space in the kitchen. Efesto by Sholtes (Indesit), which is a set of interchangeable cooking modules that can be operated with a remote control.

picture: Sara Falsetti

picture: darkmatter / David

FLEXIBLE ENVIRONMENTS A Swiss team of designers has come up with Der Alleinwohner, a line of products designed with single men in mind. These include work & leisure table, a sliding system which becomes a work station without clearing the table. Ironing table, a coffee table which turns into an ironing board when needed. And key-

board napkin, a special cloth for keeping the crumbs off the keyboard of your PC. Beamax has designed a series of projector screens which disappear into a cabinet at the touch of a button. Much less demanding to install than a traditional ceiling-mounted screen, they are also easy to take with you wherever you go.

Tile International 2/2011

Trends

Miniaturisation - Personalisation MICRO-HOMES While the average size of American homes has risen by 50% since the 1970s, we are now seeing the start of a significant anti-trend. In some cases, micro-homes measure just 9 sq.m, but still come complete with bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living-room.Designed by the Polish firm Front Architects, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Single Hauzâ&#x20AC;? is a prototype for a revolutionary home created for just one person (pictured). Its slender form makes it adaptable to the most diverse locations, including the most audacious: in this case, the module is perched over the water and can only be reached by boat.

picture: micheluzza

Tile International 2/2011

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MINIHABITAT IN THE MACROCOSM OF THE HOME

picture: sunside / Markus Mayer

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now possible to carve out a private corner even in open spaces or in the macrohabitat of the home, thanks to furnishings which can be converted into mobile, mini living-cells. Dan Hisel has designed Z-Box, a translucent cube conceived as a means of building a small, private world within a large metropolitan loft, complete with bedroom, shelving and storage space.

picture: merwing_little dear / Aimee Ray

picture: A-Wix / Andy

Miniaturisation - Personalisation

Trends

ONLY FOR ME

picture: Chris Blakeley

picture: The Plate Market

Tile International 2/2011

Personalised, made-to-measure products and/or products in which the consumer is involved in the creation or production are hallmarks of the new luxury. This trend for mass elitism is now sweeping through every sector, with countless examples in the world of fashion, from T-shirts, to jeans and shoesâ&#x20AC;Ś At Parts of Sweden, meanwhile, you can buy components for personalising a selection of models made by Ikea and making them unique. In the same way, Bemz produces duvet covers and sofa covers made to fit Ikea models.

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Creativity, DIY - Recycling and Ready Made

Trends

PRODUCT HACKING Borrowed from computer slang, the term hacker is now used to define a new type of craft-work which reinterprets mass-market industrial products so as to adapt them to the needs of the individual, assign them to different purposes or change them just for fun. The phenomenon itself is not new, but its extensive dissemination over the internet is. The most famous example comes from the blog Ikeacker, which shows pictures from all over the world of how to customise Ikea furniture.

picture: http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com

CONTAINER ARCHITECTURE The trend for pre-fabricated structures for public and private use using recycled shipping containers exploded in 2005. The most famous exam-

ple is the Freitag store in Zurich. Because of their functional and stylistic characteristics (they set a street-wise tone), shipping containers have often been used to create pop-up stores. Then it was the turn of the muse-

picture: http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com

ums. An now the hotel sector has jumped on the bandwagon. Travelodge has opened its first â&#x20AC;&#x153;Container Hotelâ&#x20AC;?. The con-

tainers were fitted out in China and shipped to Britain. Each unit has partition walls, a bathroom and a lighting installation.

picture: michellemarie / michelle chlebek

picture: misterbisson / Casey Hussein Bisson

Tile International 2/2011

Tile International 1/2010

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Trends

Creativity, DIY Recycling and Ready Made HAND-MADE AND DIY DESIGN

picture: hironekoEuro

picture: FunkyShapes picture: Sara Falsetti

Tile International 2/2011

The trend for do-it-yourself is gaining ground all the time, and finds expression in home DIY, embroidery, needlework, crochet, scrapbooking, stencillingâ&#x20AC;Ś you name it. New York Wedding Ring even guides couples through the modelling of their wedding rings, under the supervision of expert craftsmen. DIY design, by contrast, is the concept of selling unfinished items, which the buyer will then complete, thus truly making them their own. A good example is Less Lamp by Spanish designer Jordi Canudas: its egg-shaped form can be customised with a stone-hammer.

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Schlüter ®-BEKOTEC-THERM Der Keramik-Klimaboden · The ceramic thermal comfort ﬂoor

Geringe Konstruktionshöhe Low construction height

Fugenloser Estrich No screed joints

Schnell reagierende Fußbodenheizung Quick reacting radiant heated ﬂoors

Gleichmäßige Wärmeverteilung Even distribution of heat

Niedrige Vorlauftemperatur Low supply temperature

Geringe Heizkosten Low heating cost

Schlüter-Systems KG · Schmölestraße 7 · D-58640 Iserlohn · Tel.: +49 2371 971-261 · Fax: +49 2371 971-112 · Internet www.schlueter-systems.com Schluter-Systems L.P. · 194 Pleasant Ridge Road, Plattsburgh, NY 12901-5841 · Tel.: 1-800-472-4588 · Fax: 1-800-477-9783 · info@schluter.com

Art & Culture by Silvia Bertolani

Roberto Cambi: the pop wing of ceramic tradition

Passatelli are a form of pasta typically found in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. I had always served them in broth, slightly al dente, so as to bring out the full flavour of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Tile International 2/2011

mixed with egg and breadcrumbs. But a few dozen kilometres from my home turf, I have just rediscovered them, in all their tasty glory, cooked without broth and served with a fabulous speck and mushroom sauce.

The discovery has changed my perspective and put a new slant on tradition, in this case in the culinary arena. Sitting next to me is Roberto Cambi, a 50-year-old artist from Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Romagna region, with sparkling eyes, a warm smile

and one or two traces of clay still visible on his hands. Hands that draw, design and create. That almost seem to think for themselves. And sometimes even install. Because the entrance to his workshop in Predappio that day was adorned

Art & Culture

Roberto Cambi

with an array of ceramic arms (his own) raining down from the ceiling … “Those are for my next installation,” he explains, “which I want to dedicate to the theme of care for the environment, through a tangible union of man and nature…”. He tells us about his projects, some finished and others still embryonic, and touches on

Tile International 2/2011

Art & Culture

the ideas that he has recently brought to the sketching and prototype stage and that are now clamouring to be given life. There’s something indefinably playful in Roberto Cambi’s approach to his work, although what he describes in words are clear goals and a well organised design philosophy. Although he doesn’t fit neatly into the category of boutique

Tile International 2/2011

spirit of both the art and the artist, Roberto Cambi’s professional development is punctuated by a long series of important experiences (as well as a ceramic artist, Roberto is also a painter, interior designer and studio glass maker), which started in the late 1970s, when he was still a student at the Faenza Institute of Ceramic Art, and continued as he completed his diploma at the Bologna Academy of Fine

ceramic artists, Roberto Cambi remains a creator of ceramic art, which he aims at that slice of the human pie that we might call “alternative”, consisting of designers, aesthetes with a taste for the unusual, and people whose vision - either through flair or ingenuity - goes beyond the normal confines of the ancient, humble, versatile and precious material that is ceramic. Despite the joyfully whimsical

Arts. He has shown his work at various individual and collective exhibitions, both in Italy and around the world - from New York to Kassel (Germany, Documenta 11, 2002) and Seoul, where he held a training workshop for students on the Ceramic Art diploma at the Seoul National University of Technology in Korea - and has won several prestigious international awards,

Art & Culture such as the Award in Excellency, at the Mopko International Ceramics Competition in Korea in 2000. We met him thanks to one of his most recent installations, “Fantasmi Urbani”, produced for the “Salone Internazionale del Mobile” held in Milan in April 2010, and displayed in the Milan offices of Lombardini22, a firm of architects. After meeting Cristian Catania - the curator of the installation for Lombardini22 - and doing a bit of research on the internet, we found ourselves captivated by Cambi’s restless and slightly pop handling of ceramic, which yields such strikingly original and contemporary results. “There’s an element of masochism in the character of ceramic artists, linked up with the perfect calibration of the firing cycle, the exact temperature to adhere to, the glazes to be made, and so on … I don’t have the discipline to deal with that side of the work, because I’m always looking for an unconstrained relationship even with ceramic, so I delegate those vital aspects to other professionals.” The result is a calibrated explosion of creativity and imagination, translated into works with soft lines and uniform colours, distinguished by playful, cartoon-like traits, that evoke an almost child-like approach, originating from some kind of wonderland … With his unconventional slant on even the most contemporary subjects, whether artistic or otherwise, this Peter Pan of ceramic art swept us along with his enthusiasm until we too reached a series of equally unconventional view points, revolving around the constant need to look for something new: an idea, an image or an objective capable of changing your perspective and

transforming even a relatively simple material like ceramic into a generator of innovation. “In work as in marriage, monotony and fossilised habits are a danger to the relationship. That’s why I’ve always tried to change my approach to what I do, even in the use and combination of materials, so as to keep the sacred fires of passion burning, even in the work arena! I think artistic and design-related innovation and experimentation are vital, especially in my line of work, and ceramic lends itself perfectly to continuous re-interpretations that don’t necessarily detract from the intrinsic properties of the material. If anything, it’s precisely when you harness the intrinsic properties of the material that you get the best results.” Lunch is over now. But as we get up and say our farewells, we’re aware of a new taste on our tongues… and a new zest in our souls. ✕

ROBERTO CAMBI (born in 1960 in Cassano Magnano in the province of Varese, Italy) is a ceramic artist, painter and studio glass maker. He started showing his works at exhibitions in the late 1970s while still studying at the Faenza Institute of Ceramic Art. Showing a restless streak and a penchant for pop and humorous creations, he often designed his works as parts of an installation or setting. He has shown his work in various individual and collective exhibitions both in Italy and abroad, including Documenta 11, in Kassel, Germany (2002). He has also won a number of prestigious international awards, such as the 7th National Viaggio Attraverso la Ceramica (journey through the world of ceramics) Award held in Vietri sul Mare and the Award in Excellency, at the Mopko International Ceramics Competition in Korea, both in 2000. www.robertocambi.blogspot.com

Tile International 2/2010

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THE FUTURE OF CERAMICS

23th international exhibition of technology and supplies for the ceramic and brick industries

organized by Rimini Fiera

www.tecnargilla.it