You & I

In the showroom on Via Durini in Milan, Lea Ceramiche rings in the new year with an exciting new project by Fabio Novembre. Beginning with recent projects like Casa Milan and the Carpisa stores, in which Lea Ceramiche's products were selected for the cladding of interior surfaces, the collaboration with Fabio Novembre continues in 2016 with his personal interpretation of the use of ceramic materials. The Project Imagery connected to marble quarrying has a tradition which dates back approximately 2000 years, with obvious references to Greek architecture. It was this that inspired the idea to create a space which is part quarry and part theater. These two incredibly traditional environments are, however, marked by the introduction of technology which transforms them into an oxymoron of design representing both the present and the future. At the center of the space are two masks, two lovers reciting the Song of Songs, the text of which is displayed on the two walls of the showroom in the LED bands so that clients may both enjoy and take part in the show. The star of the display is the new Calacatta Gold Extra from the Timeless Marble Slimtech collection, a reinterpretation of one of nature's most valuable and sought after marbles. Imposing slabs of laminated stoneware cover the entire ground floor. The large format (3m x 1m and only 5 mm thick), with its luminous polished finish and stark color, uses the walls to emphasize how precious and monumental this marble is. The contrast between the classical nature of the Slimtech slabs and the technological equipment on the walls, creates a virtual location, a material yet evocative space enhanced by the size of the two chairs. In keeping with its vocation, the Lea Ceramiche showroom on Via Durini offers different points of view on the topics of decoration and surfaces. An unconventional use of ceramic material suggested over the years by temporary installations created by respected international architects, chance encounters that often transform into longstanding professional collaborations.