Caesarstone’s annual Salone Milan commissions have brought serious cultural cachet and creative calibre to a rather static product line most readily associated with kitchen counter tops.
Previous collaborations – with the likes of Nendo, Raw-Edges, Philippe Malouin, Tom Dixon and Jaime Hayon – have resulted in a series of wildly inventive material explorations centring on the brand’s signature engineered-stone slabs.
As it is the year of Eurocucina, the brief to Snarkitecture was to create an inspiring installation that would lead architects and designers to re-think the kitchen of the future- as well as the application and use of Caesarstone.
Brooklyn based Architecture firm Snarkitecture unveil Altered States which is showcased at the faded grandeur of Palazzo dell’Ufficio Elettorale de Porta Romana
“ Our starting point was the kitchen island, which has transformed from a functional cooking area into the hub of the modern home, a space for entertainment, social interaction and performance.’ …… Eli Feiglin, VP of marketing at Caesarstone
Snarkitecture explored the notion of a kitchen island as a social hub and a context within which to explore the changing states of water, the most elemental ‘ingredient’ used in cooking.
‘Altered States’ promptss visitors to reconsider the primal elements of ice, water and steam and their connection to the everyday rituals of the kitchen island, such as cooking, gathering, entertaining and working.
Snarkitecture looked at water as the most important “ingredient” in the kitchen, drawing inspiration from its changing states in nature (glacier, river, geyser) and in the kitchen (ice, water, steam) to create Altered States.
” Our aim for Altered States is to use ice, water and steam to create a mesmerising collective experience around a kitchen island that has been designed around these simple elements. We took Caesarstone surfaces and turned them into something voluminous and engaging, further highlighting the strength and flexibility of the material ” …………………….. Snarkitecture
Under the cupola of the interior, the kitchen islands drips life from its faucet. a thin layer of liquid collects like crystals atop a large, round kitchen island made using Caesarstone’s White Attica.
A dark, contrasting faucet stands elegantly out of the white counter, between two spheres of ice that seem to melt without losing shape.
Ampitheatre
In the main space, surrounding the baroque kitchen island is the great “amphitheater” consisting of over 250 Caesarstone and metal mesh cylindrical pedestals, creating a white/grey monochromatic gradient to emulate the appearance of a natural landscape.
For the ampitheatre Snarkitecture utilised Caesarstone’s Metropolitan Collection – Cloudburst Concrete, Airy Concrete and Rugged Concrete – further highlighting its centrality to a collective experience.
sanritecture at theAltered States presentation
In the courtyard of Palazzo dell’Ufficio Elettorale di Porta Romana, variously-arranged basins guide viewers through an archipelago, encouraging them to stop, caress, and listen to the many different stages of water.
Each of these interactive islands are constructed from a unique Caesarstone color; vanilla noir, alpine mist and white attica. freezing, kissing, dripping — the ice, mist, and water are personified as a series of little interactive landscapes.
Snarkitecture Project – Concept Development
A sketch book used by Snarkitecture to explore a number of options for its immersive experience
Early renders of the project
Concept model
About Snarkitecture
Snarkitecture is a New York – based collaborative practice established to investigate the boundaries between art and architecture.
The name is drawn from Lewis Carroll’s ‘The Hunting of the Snark’, a poem describing the “the impossible voyage of an improbable crew to find an inconceivable creature”.
In its search for the unknown, Snarkitecture creates architectural – scale projects, installations, and objects.
Snarkitecture’s work focuses on the reinterpretation of everyday materials, structures and programs to new and imaginative effect. With a conceptual approach centered on the importance of experience, the studio creates unexpected and memorable moments that invite people to explore and engage with their surroundings.
By transforming the familiar into the extraordinary, Snarkitecture makes architecture perform the unexpected.
About Caesarstone
Caesarstone is a leading developer and manufacturer of premium quality quartz surfaces. Established in 1987, the company pioneered high-quality surfaces utilizing advanced technologies and expertise.
Caesarstone continues to lead the industry with new trends and colours of high quality surfaces consisting of up to 93% quartz, they retain the cool tactile qualities of nature’s strong stones with enormous application possibilities including kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, wall paneling, furniture and more.
Caesarstone offers a product that is highly functional, design forward and beautiful. The unique and rich variety of colours, patterns and textures enable customers to find their ‘ultimate surface’ and create their own unique space. Caesarstone’s extensive designs are constantly evolving and developing to meet the latest world trends and the highest level of international quality standards.
