CottoMilano by Keope: where history and art meet contemporary architecture
Memory and vision, material and technology – these are the foundations of the design concept behind CottoMilano, the latest creation from Ceramiche Keope, which will be unveiled at Cersaie 2025.
This porcelain stoneware collection tells a story rooted in the heart of Milan and inspired by the enduring legacy of Fornace Curti, the historic kiln where Lombard terracotta has been crafted since the 15th century, becoming a cornerstone of architecture, emotion, and culture. Today, this ancient material is reimagined with elegance and modernity, giving life to sophisticated, tactile surfaces that retain the distinctive opaque finish of traditional terracotta, while seamlessly engaging with the language of contemporary design.
Designed by Domenico Orefice in collaboration with Keope's Research & Development team, CottoMilano incorporates invisible technology to reinterpret artisanal traditions through a contemporary lens, bringing a tactile and chromatic softness never before seen in ceramic surfaces. The collection's decors are inspired by Renaissance Milan, drawing from the friezes, façades, and from austere and decorative geometric motifs of iconic landmarks such as the Ca’ Granda and Santa Maria delle Grazie, reinterpreting historical patterns and essential forms with a contemporary spirit. In CottoMilano the material - authentic and full of life - takes shape through structures and decorations that make the collection truly unique and inimitable, as if modelled by hand.
Velvety to the touch, its matte, low-reflective surfaces evoke the authentic charm of Lombard terracotta: richly expressive, iron-infused, frost-resistant, and durable. Its deep red hue—distinctly different from the pinkish tones of Tuscan terracotta—has coloured some of the most iconic chapters of the Milanese Renaissance.
Alongside Mattone, CottoMilano is offered in a wide and fascinating colour palette, giving it a cosmopolitan and universal appeal, suitable for the most contemporary architectural projects. Warm and material-like tones such as Terracotta, Sabbia and Creta alternate with more neutral, delicate shades like Argilla and Talco. Thanks to the synergy between Keope's R&D team and the creative vision of Domenico Orefice, terracotta is no longer perceived as a material limited to rustic settings; it is reimagined as a contemporary, versatile and visually striking design option.
The collection is available in a wide range of sizes, with a focus on large formats such as 120x120 and 60x120, ideal for international projects and urban environments, without losing the intimate warmth of tradition. Inspired by architectural archetypes, the Décors bring an additional layer of originality to the collection. The 20x20 elements give rise to sophisticated graphic compositions and imaginative perspectives, where the glossy, thick traditional material enhances the soft, matte backgrounds. The 60x120 décor, on the other hand, features a more abstract, freely orientable motif that evokes an architecture suspended between past and future.
The collection also includes the new 6x24 cm bricks, available in both glossy and matte finishes, along with custom-cut décors designed to offer maximum compositional versatility in both residential and contract settings.
CottoMilano is an invitation to discover the beauty of gesture, materiality, touch and the warmth of terracotta. In an increasingly digital and immaterial world, this collection is grounded in authenticity, craftsmanship, and the value of slow living. It is a project that brings depth back to living spaces and emotional dignity to architecture, combining the legacy of Italian tradition with the sensitivity of Made in Italy design and innovation.
