The starting point of the project is the concept behind “Ragno”, which means spider in Italian. The idea that a spider can create a very powerful material and weave its house with it, and that it is also used as trap, and is a highly perfectioned craft throughout thousands (or millions) of years, is very fascinating.
Craftmanship, nature, sustainability, durability, tradition, and versatility are some words that come to mind when we think about tiles. We offer three different kinds of webs that trap the pieces of ceramic and offer them to the visitors. They start from a more organic inspired geometry in the windows to catch the eye from the street, then, once inside, they become an artistic installation made out of different structures of complex geometry that welcome the visitors surrounding them with colours and textures, to arrive to the most rational kind of web that show the different product collection as in a museum set up, where the products are the works of art. This material collection is a promenade throughout all the diverse range of Ragno materials, textures, colours and finishes and leads us to the meeting rooms. Three meeting rooms that have their own very different characteristics; but all share a sense where the materials are protagonist, where the visitors will want to touch and feels how it is to be surrounded by Ragno in a creative way. Thus, it is not only about showing the products in an orderly fashion, but it is about offering an aesthetic experience to the visitor.
Another important source of inspiration has been the importance of ceramic tiles in Mediterranean and middle East History. This material has been present in human lives since Antiquity. We did research of Roman, Persian, and Arabic historic mosaic that developed into a very sophisticated pavement for the showroom. We created a pavement combining a very big array of Ragno products forming a geometric composition defined mainly by circles and rectangles, that enable us also to perceive the space of the promenade wider and larger than it is. Ragno is originally from Sassuolo where the presence of the tile industry becomes important in a European scale since the Renaissance, and we wanted to show this tradition.
Besides the pavement, the three meeting rooms and two bathrooms allows us also to show the materials installed. Then, following the idea of creating compositions by mixing different Ragno products we have in the walls of kitchen and client bathroom compositions following the concept of “barcode”, because they are formed by stripes with different widths. And then, more specially for the main meeting and presentations room, we created a wall mosaic inspired by the painter De Chirico, his brother Alberto Savinio, and an original design of Marazzi factory.
The continent is designed to be as neutral as possible, the lighting is warm, every detail is thought to enhance the tiles as if they were pieces of art. We have three main elements, the continent, as neutral and clean as possible, warm colours and lights, the ceramics that are the protagonists and, last but not least, wood. Wood is our material for the webs, the furniture, and the doors. We wanted a showroom where clients would feel at home, a warm and welcoming space. And we chose wood to complement the materiality of the tiles.
The furniture plays also a very important role. We custom made three tables designed by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue, a special “Inestable”, “Dolmen” and “Tronco” table. We also adapted the design of 8 studio drawers from the table “Studi” to store the tile samples. All chairs are made by the company Midj and have been carefully chosen with warm colours, and with a weblike design too made out of natural leather.
We combine history, art and Ragno products so the visitor feels first surprised, but also at welcome, at home.
May 2022
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RAGNO FLAGSHIP SHOWROOM, Milan, Italy 2022
[Project credits]
Location: Via Marco Polo 9, Milan, Italy
Design and Completion: June 2021 – April 2022
Client: Marazzi Group
Architects: Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT Architects
Project Directors EMBT: Benedetta Tagliabue, Beatriz Minguez de Molina
Design Team EMBT: Marzia Faranda, Federica Colombi, Sara Manfredini, Gabriele Rotelli,
Francesca Paganoni, Yidan Huang, Maria Antonia Franco, Andrea Stevanato, Luca Manca
Manag. Coordination EMBT: Daniel Rosselló
Comm. Team EMBT: Arturo Mc Clean, Lluc Miralles, Ana Gallego
Area: 400 m2
Cost: 900.000 €
Typology: Interior Design
Program: Retail
Lighting Design: Maurici Ginés - Artec3
General Contractor: Nimar Industry
Lights: Bover Lighting Company, Firmamento Milano, Floss, Nemo
Furnishing: An-Trax, Binova, Ideal Standard, Midj Italy
Top, Floor and Wall coverings: Ragno Ceramiche
Photography: Tiziano Sartorio Courtesy Ceramiche Ragno
NOTE – The Marazzi team has been in charge of the construction drawings, executive works management and the contracting and supervision of all suppliers.
