Atlas Concorde has presented us with a dual icon of elegance at Cersaie 2023, in the shape of its Marvel Meraviglia collection, along with its collaboration with Zaha Hadid Architects for the series’ range of decors…
Wonder – or meraviglia in Italian – is what drives you to explore the new, to experience eternal moments of beauty. The new Marvel Meraviglia collection from Atlas Concorde interprets an idea of eternal elegance, elaborating and enriching the heritage of Marvel World, a comprehensive style project, that for more than 10 years has encompassed all the Atlas Concorde surfaces inspired by the finest Italian and international marbles.
The collection is named after Calacata Meraviglia, the iconic marble that inspired it and it is designed to offer the design world the whispered elegance that encapsulates the history and future of marble-inspired aesthetic research. With neutral shades drawn from the most sought-after marbles, this collection features unique elements, from sleek, sparse veins to soft weaves, from white brushstrokes on a dark background to sumptuous blacks.
In addition to Calacata Meraviglia, the beauty of other marbles such as Calacata Bernini, Silver Majestic and Black Origin is rendered with an extraordinary realism, the result of Atlas Concorde research that attentively studies the design of each natural grain and faithfully replicates it in each format in perfect harmony. The completeness and variety of finishes, formats and versions for both indoor and outdoor use, contribute to its richness and identity.
Aiming to inspire designers and meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of contemporary interiors, Atlas Concorde offers a rich selection of diversified finishes. Hammered is a textured, marked finish that mimics one of the oldest marble processing methods, replicating the natural effect of ‘split’ marble and offering the eternal appeal of a stone cut fresh out of the quarry.
The brands constant drive for innovation is expressed here in the new patented Velvetech surface, which is inspired by the effect of polished natural stone. The results are a velvety touch and reflections reminiscent of the variations in the surface of silk fabric when struck by light, with a natural alternation of shiny and opaque areas that bring out the tiny, artfully created scratches visible in the reflected light. Elegant and discreet, Velvetech is the innovative technology that reconciles a minimalist vibe and esthetic research.
Atlas Concorde research has also given Marvel Meraviglia the strength of a disruptive decorative range, with the Diamond decor designed by Zaha Hadid Architects being the ultimate expression of a multifaceted meeting of styles.
“The collaboration with Atlas Concorde, led to a project in which ZHA blends a classic mosaic with a disruptive element,” said Paolo Zilli, Associate Director of ZHA. “Like an inclusion in a diamond, the insertion of a foreign body into a crystalline structure lends an unsuspected dynamism to the strict repetition of the rigid geometric structure. In the resulting design, the inclusion of new logic creates a metamorphosis of the shape of the tiles as the transition from one colour to another occurs. However, the rules of manufacturing and logistics do not bend to the pursuit of design.”
Inspired by the art of cosmatesque-style mosaics, widespread in Rome between the 12th and 13th centuries and characterised by inlays of marble and glass in continuous geometric shapes, with Diamond the mosaic is no longer the constant repetition of a pattern of geometries and colors but rather evolves and
transforms as it develops across the surface. Calculated with special computational algorithms, the rigid geometry undergoes a metamorphosis. The goal is to offer designers and planners the tool to orient one’s gaze, characterising an area with a special, unique element, making the surface define the nature of the place.
The collaboration is based on the commonality of values shared by both brands and their respective stories: a strong international focus, leadership in interior design projects, innovation and pursuit of excellence, and attention to environmental sustainability issues. The result of this meeting of values and visions is a spectacular decoration that unfolds across the surface in a gradual, continuous transformation of modular shapes that, as they move towards the centre, turn into sinuous interweaving diamonds in contrasting colors. The structure of the decor was designed to combine shapes and colours, suggesting combinations of looks that constantly intertwine and re-emerge from each other, moving from Calacata Meraviglia to Black Origin to Silver Majestic in a continuous transitioning sequence that makes the surfaces dynamic and vibrant.
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Main image credit: Zaha Hadid Architects / Atlas Concorde