grcic + bouroullec debut new collections for mutina

this year marks 10 years of mutina – the italian company who since 2006 has been approaching the world of ceramic tiles in a new way by making it an element of interior design; exploring the art such that it unites craft, experimentation, technology and research, pushing the boundaries of the material itself.

everything begins with an interruption
video courtesy of mutina

over the last decade, mutina has worked together with an intimate team of international creatives: edward and jay osgerby, inga sempè, konstantin grcic, patricia urquiola, rodolfo dordoni, ronan and erwan bouroullec, tokujin yoshioka, yael mer and shal alkalay of raw edges — all of who share the same passions in their work, approaching the development of products in a way that they embrace a unique take on life. these individuals form the heart and foundation of mutina. their collective challenge has been to experiment with the infinite spectrum of white, black and neutral color, developing ceramic wall and floor coverings that act almost like an architectural skin, even a contemporary work of art that is a result of artisanal and industrial techniques.

‘rombini’ collection by ronan and erwan bouroullec for mutina
(above and main) image © studio bouroullec

on this special anniversary, the brand looks back on the past decade with a special short film directed by spanish filmmaker albert moya to celebrate this important occasion. on the concept of the moving feature, moya says, ‘I liked the idea of using such an important statement to work on the concept of the film. the HQ building has a lot of personality and we knew from the very beginning that it was going to influence the whole aesthetic of the film, with that elegant yet industrial feeling of the early 70’s. the key to look at the architecture coexisting with the rest of the elements of the film, was the choice of black & white‘.

additionally, at the annual CERSAIE international exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings, mutina presented two new collections: ‘rombini’ by french designer duo ronan and erwan bouroullec; and ‘numi’, the first collaboration between mutina and konstantin grcic.

detailed look at the three elements that make up ‘rombini’
image © studio bouroullec

studio bouroullec’s projects always develop through a process, a tale of modules that make up a color consistency that is independent of the material that composes them. for the french duo, ‘vibrations’ are the true key style of the studio, whether they are the vibrations that objects transmit to the final consumer, chromatic vibrations, vibrations of matter.

‘rombini’ by studio bouroullec for mutina is a ceramic tile collection that is intended to convey these very vibrations. a result of research development that lasted more than two years, it is an alphabet of shapes and colors. the project consists of three models: tile, mosaic and relief elements. subsequently named ‘carré’, ‘losange’ and ‘triangle’, these three important members of the ‘rombini’ family offer an endless possibility of different combinations ranging from ‘the tile to the mosaic, from the mosaic to the relief, from the relief to the tile‘ say ronan and erwan bouroullec, rendered in gray, blue, green, red and white.

‘triangle’ (large white)
image © studio bouroullec

‘triangle’ sees the shape of the rhombus interpreted into a three-dimensional form in order to create scheme of light and dark on its surface. the elements, realized in small and large versions, seem to arise from the floor, carrying onto the wall covering projecting a dynamic skin for any interior.

‘carré’ (light blue)
image © studio bouroullec

‘carré’ is composed of 40×40 rectified slabs in glazed porcelain stoneware. these tiles are produced on a mould made of many little embossing diamonds placed on a matt surface, giving the collection a strong ceramic identity. ‘carré’ is available in two versions: uni – where colour is evenly distributed throughout the whole slab; and light – where colour is used to underline the white diamonds outlines.

‘carré’ (light green – uni green)
image © studio bouroullec

‘losange’ (white)
image © studio bouroullec

with ‘losange’, the shape of the rhombus becomes bigger and turns into a chip of a mosaic. made of double charge porcelain stoneware, each piece is installed as 27,5 x 25,7 cm sheets. the chromatic range results in a deep and intense appearance, thanks to the matt surface which gives a natural character to the product. ‘losange’ is available in two versions either presented with grout that matches the tile colour; or contrasting grout for a stronger resonating visual vibration.

the three elements of ‘rombini’ converge
image © studio bouroullec

‘numi’ by konstanin grcic
image courtesy of mutina

‘numi’ marks the beginning of the collaboration between mutina and konstantin grcic. for the first time, grcic has to deal with the ceramic surface and presents a book about research and inspirations and their strong appeal to contemporary art. the result is a real conversation about art. an exploration of a world close to the company, which becomes the basis for the study of colors, materials and shapes for the german designer’s ‘numi’ collection.

‘cliff’ (A-B)

‘numi is made of signs — handmade signs, specific signs, imperfect signs — which become black stroke geometries, sublimated through delicate contrasts and interpreted on a ‘soft’ cement with natural and dusty pigments. the series consists of squared tiles — 30 x 30 cm and 60 x 60 cm — with a different, partially glazed geometric form, in six different colors. these shapes create a pattern which magnifies the architectural space in which they are installed.

‘court’ (A-B)

‘ceramics! working at my very first collection for mutina, I’ve come to value the beauty of this simple and ancient material. a lump of clay that becomes floor, coating. the idea of matter as something composed of so many units, is really fundamental. a philosophical concept as much as a biological fact. the ceramic tile simply represents this: a small unit which, once multiplied, turns into something larger than the sum of its parts.’ – konstantin grcic

moon (A-B)

‘numini’ (climb / bay / moon / court / cliff / peak)

‘numini’ are based on the same principal as ‘numi’, but in a smaller size — 5×5 cm — representing the sculptural soul of the collection. it is characterized by a pattern that this time is created by an embossing technique and not by the glaze. the six geometries are carved on an extra matt background which reminds one of the soft cement ‘numi’, emphasized by a smooth finish and six dusty shades: light three-dimensional effects which create a linear movement. mosaic pieces in 5 x 5 cm dimensions, made in homogenous porcelain stoneware, are assembled with glue on sheets in 30 x 30 cm. in their arrangement every geometric shape is settled in exactly the same way to emphasize the lights and shadows, just like in mass production. the embossment on the tile, around 0,6 mm of size, allows the coating to create an evocative effect.

‘numini’ (detail)