Project: ceramic tiles series “Atelier”Company: Kerama Marazzi (leading European ceramic tile manufacturer)Audience: interior designersMy role: concept and graphic designI was given the task to develop a ceramic series as part of the 2018 “Dreams of Paris” ceramic collection. I opted to develop a series with contemporary character and French flair, aimed at interior designers. I just needed the right inspiration..One of my favourite architects has always been Le Corbusier. His five points of Architecture, simple geometric shapes and clean lines have always attracted me (not to mention his sense of practicality - see the beautifully pragmatic way he designed the interior of his own house in Paris!). So, I went back to review some of his projects and, drawing upon them, I developed nine different patterns.

Inspired by Le Corbusier’s projects, I developed nine geometric patterns in a modular graphic solutions: you could combine all of them, some of them or just use one of them to create interesting patterns. Exactly what designers want: unique pattern solutions for their projects. I named the series “Atelier”, a space holding a connection with designers, arsty and that I always liked the sound of. The next step was identifying a colour palette. Or even better, the colour palettes!

I turned to the solid colours Le Corbusier used in his own projects, revisiting and adapting them to a fresh colour palette for interior spaces. I came up with eight colours declined in three colour palettes. I wanted to be able to combine tiles from different colour palettes together. So, it was key to get the balance between each colour right.

The first colour palette was warm: coral, apricot, a delicate grey, black and white. As I wanted to be able to combine tiles from different colour palettes together, it was key to get the balance between each colour right.

The second colour palette would be more afternoon or evening-like with a beautiful blue, between cobalt and Persian and a light forest green. I maintained the same coral-like colour and well as grey, black and white to keep a sense of continuity between the three colour palettes.

The final colour palette includes white grey and black.Notwithstanding the colours Le Corbusier developed in his projects around the world, the main role is played by his simple and clean lines, the geometric shapes and his "modulor". This way, white, black and grey applied on simple geometric shapes represent the fundamental colours I based the third and final colour palette on.The extensive use that Le Corbu made of concrete also inspired me to use this three colours as the “glue across the various other colours, so that all ceramic tiles could be mixed together in a unique canvas of patterns.

Thanks