Less of a factory tour and more of a brand immersion, writer Pauline Brettell spent the day at the Atlas Concorde estate in Maranello, getting to grips with everything from the curated corners of its Park Studio showroom to the grittier details of porcelain tile production…
Historically, Maranello became home to Atlas Concorde and the centre for all things ceramic as the raw materials were hewed out of the surrounding landscape. Today the rolling hills of Modena are covered in vines and the raw materials are sourced a little further afield, but Maranello remains the centre of porcelain tile production in Italy. Unbeknownst to me it is also home to brand Ferrari, so local merchandise in town is a strong mix of red caps with prancing equine logos and parmigiano – I can assure you, the parmigiano won through on my shopping list!
Image credit: Atlas Concorde
But back to the business of the day – a day which started off in the recently built and beautifully edited Atlas Concorde Park View showroom where the first impression is that of volume and enticing surfaces on a grand scale! And in this case, size certainly does make a difference, as the impact of seeing the large format tiles in all their height and glory makes for a bold design statement.
Image credit: Atlas Concorde
Designed by Atlas Concorde’s architectural design team in collaboration with MPArchitects and Studio Ferriani, the showroom space is a multi-sensory experience, and one that soon had me mentally redecorating and considering tiles as an option in spaces hitherto unexplored.
Some people have football stadiums on their sightseeing agenda, others an art gallery or fashion emporium – if you have any interest in design and architecture, I would suggest you put this showroom on your holiday agenda, after your espresso and before your aperol!
Image credit: Atlas Concorde
The Boost Expression collection, a collaboration with interior designer and architect Elisa Ossino, was one corner of the showroom that drew me in immediately with its strong graphic and tactile qualities. Atlas Concorde has a long history of collaboration, product research and materiality, not just with designers but with other craft innovators. Its Log world Collection is another example of this, making full use of the space to showcase every knotty detail, and raising the bar when it comes to ceramic wood effect solutions.
Having explored the collections, the clouds cleared and the sun came out in time for us to enjoy the outdoor tour of the gardens which provide, quite literally, a breath of fresh air in such a built up industrial location. The (tiled) garden path took us past sculptures and swimming pools, tennis courts and topiaries, ending with a seat at the Atlas Concorde restaurant – closer to fine dining than staff canteen, a sip of a local wine along with several plates of Italian deliciousness, and I was ready for the production side of the event!
Image credit: Atlas Concorde
Fortified and clad in high-viz vests we stepped out of the realm of design, and into the place where the more practical magic happens on the production line. Interestingly, and somewhat unexpectedly, rather than the clanging and banging of industry, we were met with an over-arching sense of quiet efficiency. Clean and automated with the odd bicycle in place in case you needed to get from point A to point B, C or D in a quick pedal, the entire process from raw material through to packaging is completed in a seamless and never-ending process of production lines.
Image credit: Atlas Concorde
Guided through showroom, estate and production plant by Atlas Concorde marketing maestro Benedetta Borghi , this factory visit was about the design inspiration behind the tiles, as well as the technical expertise and engineering required to produce the beautiful surfaces that underpin so many interior concepts. The estate delivers both the broad beautiful brushtrokes of design along with the practical precision of the production.
What was also apparent throughout the day was the wholistic approach of the brand that has at its roots, a family history, and remains a model that is about community, while embracing exciting and forward thinking technology. An afternoon in the factory demonstrated that Atlas Concorde has certainly invested in production and technology, while the morning in the showroom and discovering the estate made clear that underpinning all of this is an investment in people, and in design through collaboration.
Atlas Concorde is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image credit: Atlas Concorde
