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Some people have a love/hate relationship with terrazzo. Divisive as it may be, it’s ALL love around here, baby! We can’t get enough of the quirky colour combinations, the clash of materials and the sense of movement and vibrancy it brings to our built environment. Terrazzo has been around for centuries but it’s creeping back into our lives in big way. Its resurgence in popularity has seen it being used in commercial and institutional buildings to popping up in residential, hospitality and retail spaces.
Terrazzo is a composite material made by mixing marble, granite, quartz or glass chips into a cement or epoxy binder. The chips are mixed with an epoxy or cement base for strength and flexibility. After hardening, it is ground down with machinery to expose the chips and is then cleaned, sealed and waxed. Terrazzo is durable, cost effective and sustainable and will likely outlast any building that it’s installed in.
The origins of terrazzo can be traced back to 16th Century Venice when mosaic workers found a way to reuse marble remnants by taking the odd-sized chips to build terraces in their houses. Through the considerable migration of Italians to the US and other countries in the early 1900s, the terrazzo industry was introduced to the rest of the world. In the 1920s architects recognised the vast design potential of terrazzo for its smooth, curvilinear and expressive qualities and applied it to the Art Deco and Modern styles that prevailed at the time.
Terrazzo may be trending but we have a feeling it’s here to stay. With an unlimited range of colours and shapes available, it’s truly astonishing what can be created out of this humble material. For those of you still on the fence, allow us to tease you with the following tantalising terrazzo projects. These drool-worthy projects from around the world showcase the subtle and absurd ways terrazzo can be expressed and we bet you’ll find them as irresistible as we do.
See More ‘Stories on Design’ Curated by Yellowtrace.
PROJECTS.
David Chipperfield’s Valentino New York Flagship Store. Photography by Santi Caleca.
David Chipperfield’s Rome Flagship Store. Photography by Santi Caleca.
David Chipperfield’s Valentino New York & Rome Flagship Store // Valentino’s flagship stores in Rome and New York by David Chipperfield combine the concept of old and new with their all consuming use of grey terrazzo and marble. The aim was to create a Palazzo atmosphere that steers away from the traditional fashion boutique in favour of a new architectural statement and retail experience.
Photography by Cyrille Weiner.
Repossi Boutique at Place Vendome Paris by OMA // Rem Koolhas’ led architecture firm OMA has designed the flagship store of high-end Italian jewellery brand Repossi on place Vendôme in Paris. At the heart of the scheme, the terrazzo staircase with it’s aluminium cladding folds over the volume and subtly expands onto each floor. Controlled splashed of perfect pink tones add the touch of femininity to this hard-edged interior. So cool, it hurts.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Photography by studiovd.gr, Nikos Vavdinoudis & Christos Dimitriou.
New York Sweets Pastry Shops in Nicosia, Cyprus by Nimas Kosmedis // New York Sweets is a refurbished pâtisserie in Nicosia, Cyprus. Designed by the Minas Kosmidis team, the bakery is inspired by New York – its urban character, industrial landscape and iconic skyline. Heavy, marble counters and brass grids divide the minimal space and terrazzo envelopes the floor and walls. The food is displayed with reverence behind glass or inset into marble cases.
Images courtesy of Atelier Dialect.
Anne project in Brussels by Atelier Dialect // This pink terrazzo benchtop is a playful yet sophisticated element in the kitchen of a Brussels home by Atelier Dialect. The pale pink kitchen is paired back with white fittings and reflective panels and is detailed carefully. Although the shape of the benchtop and colour may seem quirky, the overall kitchen has a timeless quality to it.
Photography by © José Hevia.
Refurbishment of a Flat on the Casanova Street by Arquitectura G // When you’re onto a good thing, just go for it! You get a sense of that in this exclusively pale green apartment in Barcelona by Arquitectura G. Green terrazzo forms the floor, walls and benchtops of this apartment and is complimented by moveable green partitions and cabinetry.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Images courtesy of Berger&Berger.
Berger&Berger’s White Concrete & Marble Interior for Collection Lambert // Architecture studio Berger&Berger has added three new structures to a pair of 18th-century French mansions, creating a larger exhibition space for the collection of gallerist Yvon Lambert. This structure was built from white concrete and has polished white marble walls and white terrazzo flooring.
Photography by Imagen Subliminal.
Paradiso Coffee Shop by Nomos // Paradiso is a coffee shop located in a converted bicycle workshop in Geneva by Nomos. The tailored composition of shapes and materials creates a unique atmosphere, reminiscent of an Italian café. Terrazzo composed of fragments of black and white Carrara and red Verona marble is used continuously for the floor and steps. A white Carrara marble counter is supported by black, slotted wooden boards that recall stone pillars. A vintage Italian chandelier made of brass, is a centrepiece providing subtle and retro lighting to the bar area.
Photography © Ioanna Roufopoulou.
Summer Residency in Kefalonia by AREA (Architecture Research Athens) // Just when you though terrazzo was only about a finer grain of materials, this Summer home in Kefalonia by AREA architects brings in the big guys! The incredible apartment floor is composed of reclaimed marble remnants salvaged by hand from a local marble yard. Over 3 cubic meters that would have been discarded have been repurposed and lovingly composed in large scale jigsaw puzzle. As a material technique traditionally used to pave makeshift outdoor spaces, the marble pieces with terrazzo infill, recall the interior courtyard of various Mediterranean housing typologies.
Images courtesy of Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. Photography by Iwan Baan, AKLK and Thatcher Cook.
THREAD: Artists Residency in Senegal by Toshiko Mori // This artists residency in south-eastern Senegal offers a diverse range of programs that will provide the people in the region with the opportunity to discover new forms of creativity and cultivate their skills. The building is constructed using local materials and local builders have shared their sophisticated knowledge of working with bamboo, brick, and thatch. These traditional techniques are combined with design innovations by architect Toshiko Mori. Broken recycled tiles used for flooring throughout the building feature changing tones that help to highlight the different functional areas.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Photography by Jovian Lim.
Odette Restaurant Singapore by Universal Design Studio // Odette by Universal Design Studio is an elegant French restaurant in Singapore’s National Art Gallery. Materials are used in simple and authentic ways, respecting their integrity and purity to create a soft and feminine space that celebrates craftsmanship. The light ambience is achieved with a soft pastel colour palette, natural oak timber, marble terrazzo with pastel pink grout, pink marble, and accents of nickel and brass. With plenty of natural light, the materials take on a lofty shine which accentuates their natural qualities.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Photography by Dmitry Tsyrencshikov.
Vizor Gaming Company HQ by STUDIO11 in Minsk, Belarus // The offices for Vizor, a game development company based in Minsk, Belarus, were designed by local design studio, STUDIO11, as an homage to the soviet era while also providing their clients with a modern and functional office. The flooring is a direct reference to the Soviet public buildings of the time. Small tiles broken apart and laid in geometric shapes, a sea of white crazy pavers, are in stark contrast to the dark and severe ceiling above. The building itself has been left brutally bare, in keeping with the building’s construction era.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Photography by Peter Krasilnikoff.
Peter’s House in Copenhagen by Studio David Thulstrup // This knockout private residence in Copenhagen is home to renowned Danish photographer Peter Krasilnikoff. The home was designed by Studio David Thulstrup who masterfully explored a material palette of concrete, terrazzo, oak timber from Dinesen, original brick work, Kvadrat textiles in rich hues and blackened steel – both plain and perforated. So good.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Photography by © Frederik Vercruysse.
Villa Kaplansky Recently Renovated by B-Architecten // This villa located just outside Antwerp in Belgium, was originally designed by the architect Nachman Kaplansky in 1934 and was rebuilt in 1962. Fast forward to today and B-architecten have brought the house back to its former 1930’s grandeur, reinforcing the original vision Kaplansky had for the Bauhaus villa. The architects reconstructed the original steel, window frames mocking them up from original photographs and building references. Whilst the design of the interior is new, they specifically selected materials reminiscent of the 1930’s, such as travertine and terrazzo.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Photography by Mary Gaudin.
Te Koha The New Zealand Room by Knight Associates // During the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, the New Zealand Room or Te Koha was furnished with products and material that showcase the country’s design capacity. Products such as wool, terrazzo, furniture and sustainable wood were on display.
Photography by Giorgio Possenti & Sisters Agency.
Casa in via Catone, Rome by Massimo Adario Architetto // Located in Rome, this apartment was virtually unaltered since it was built just after the unification of Italy. Instagram hashtag aside, I have this thing for floors and this apartment wholeheartedly ticks all the boxes. Who knew you could transition from various types of terrazzo flooring so well?! I’m particularly enamoured by the kitchen floor with the unbeatable colour combo of soft pink, grey, white and black.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Images courtesy of Taschen.
Taschen Book Store in Milan // To coincide with the Salone del Mobile 2015, Taschen opened its first Italian flagship store in the historic centre of Milan, in an area known for its independent bookstores. The interior design of the Milan store is true to Taschen’s bold, eclectic spirit. The multi-roomed space features exquisite Venetian terrazzo flooring by U.S. pop artist, Jonas Wood comprising California flowers and upstairs featuring tropical vegetation in blues, greens, and yellows and outlined with brass contouring.
Images courtesy of CN10 Architetti.
17th Century Villa San Valerio Albiate, Italy with a 1950s intervention by Luigi Caccia Dominioni // Originally owned and constructed by the Airoldi family in 1640, the villa has undergone many transformations, renovations and additions. In the 19th century the Airoldi family sold the villa to the Caprotti family who oversaw the villa’s most significant intervention by Milanese architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni in the 1950s. The villa is breathtaking both inside and out. The interior consists of grey and pink marble floors, terrazzo tiles, brightly coloured stucco walls and 5 meter high wooden coiffered ceilings.
Read the full article about this project & see more images here.
Photography © Yann Deret.
Saint Cloud Residence by Tristan Auer // Atelier Tristan Auer, Wilson Associates completed the renovation project of an early 20th century home in the exclusive suburb of Saint Cloud, Paris. In the terrazzo lined bathrooms, the stone and bathtub were handmade by Real Marbre using stone hand-selected by the client.
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