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INSIDERS

Ceramics, from the room to the city

Stella Manferdini

INSIDERS

16.09.24

Keywords:

Interviews , Industry , Ceramics , CERSAIE2024

Augusto Ciarrocchi, Director of Confindustria Ceramica and CEO Ceramica Flaminia

Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, returns from September 23^rd to 27^th, 2024, at the Bologna Exhibition Centre to offer new perspectives on a sector that is always looking forward, pushing the boundaries a little further each year. Not only an opportunity for meetings and business between professionals, where new relationships flourish, but also a place of discovery due to the innovation and quality of the products presented, a cultural epicentre thanks to the many informational events.

This year’s edition is built around the concept of Architectural Space, understood in all its dimensional facets, from small household objects to the large scale of contract work. Over five days, this concept will be explored in the Building, Dwelling, Living program. Against the backdrop of the new layout of The Square, a 1000 m²space curated by architect Dario Curatolo, a series of talks and discussions will focus on the future market and design.

Among the featured panellists is French-Italian designer Rudy Ricciotti, described by Philippe Starck with high praise as ‘a clairvoyant, untamed wild animal’. Ricciotti is thus a visionary, a man with a solid critical thinking, the author of thirty pamphlets, including the famous L'architecture est un sport de combat (Textuel, 2013), soon adopted as a motto by industry professionals. Also present will be Belgian architect David Van Severen, who, with his OFFICE foundation, is committed to creating architecture as a cultural enterprise to improve the environment. Moreover, special guest Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto, winner of the 2024 Pritzker Prize, will attend, confirming Cersaie’s role as a place of excellence for discussions among international architecture heavyweights.

We spoke with Augusto Ciarrocchi, Director of Confindustria Ceramica, about Cersaie’s enlightening role and the cultural significance of ceramics. He provided a personal interpretation of the concept of Architectural Space – central to this year’s edition – while touching on the cultural value of ceramics, the ongoing integration of man and machine, the ecological transition, the state of the market, as well as future perspectives, avant-garde trends, and challenges.

The 2024 edition of Cersaie focuses on the concept of 'Architectural Space'. Could you give us a definition and your personal interpretation of it?

Architectural space is that one space which starts from a single room, or even a single object, and extends to the city. In the bathroom furnishings sector, for instance, some items are considered true architectural objects. Among them are freestanding sinks, which possess individuality in themselves. From here, we can move on to the design of urban spaces and their furnishings, expanding the scale while maintaining ceramics as a central, fundamental element in Italy. Beyond being a design material, ceramics are also applied to large-scale architectural structures, such as cladding for both public and private spaces. As I said, from the room to the city.

What is the historical, functional, and decorative role of ceramics in architectural spaces?

Let’s take the Portuguese azulejos as an example: centuries later, these decorative tiles still adorn urban spaces, from private home facades to public buildings. This was also the case in Italy, but in the past fifty years, this ancient art has partly been lost. However, in recent years, we’ve seen a welcome return of Italian ceramics: today, the exteriors of both residential and service structures are once again being clad in ceramics. This is a cultural revival, as well as an economic one. Reviving certain solutions that had been set aside and finding new uses for them is part of a forward-looking narrative that does not forget its roots. The ‘forward-looking’ aspect lies in the fact that cladding technology has made great strides, materials are now more reliable, and issues caused by thermal fluctuations between indoors and outdoors have been entirely resolved.

Image copyright: @Cersaie2023

Cersaie is not only a fair trade dedicated to the world of ceramics; it is also a broad cultural showcase under the significant title of 'Building, Dwelling, Thinking'. What is the cultural value of an international exhibition like Cersaie? Can you tell us about some of the key moments of this showcase?

A glance at this year’s program is enough to understand that Cersaie, beyond its commercial aspect, is also a cultural fair. Most of the events on the calendar are of a cultural nature, aiming to gather and give voice to leading figures in the A&D world. Among them are Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto, winner of the 2024 Pritzker Prize, and multi-award-winning French architect Rudy Ricciotti. Their talks will be accompanied by a series of events dedicated to ceramic products, furnishings, and urban planning. Ample attention is given to the theme of ‘ways of living,’ particularly the systems designed to make domestic life more pleasant. So, it is a fair with a broader scope than simple commercialization and producer-customer meetings. You don’t fully realize this until you have the program in hand.

Another key theme of this year's edition is the relationship between man and technology, which will be highlighted in the 'Tiling Town' area. Why is there increasing talk of an integrated industry?

A fundamental premise is that Italian ceramic production is at the forefront, especially when it comes to worker welfare. When we talk about social sustainability, we must consider this: those working in the Italian ceramics industry are fully protected. In terms of technology, beyond the extensive use of plants and robotics, there are additional elements, such as weight-neutralizers or exoskeletons that reduce the strain on workers who handle heavy loads. Therefore, we are talking about an industry that, in its current state, respects human dignity and prioritizes worker well-being. This is the right balance between man and technology: finding ever more solutions to balance the needs of workers with the production needs of the industry.

Image copyright: @Cersaie2023

Within the 2024 Cersaie program, there is also space dedicated to the ecological transition of the sector. What's your take on this topic? Where do we stand in terms of sustainability in the ceramics world? What are the challenges and prospects?

We are currently at a point where the industrial sector has already implemented all possible measures, even before top-down regulations directed it towards energy savings, consumption awareness, and recycling. For instance, what used to be waste has now become secondary raw materials for other industries. Another key topic – on which the ceramics sector has always been strongly focused – is the management of process water, which was previously wasted in Italy, but is now recovered, purified, and reused.

In recent years, several European directives have introduced challenges. For instance, today there is no ready alternative to using methane gas for firing ceramics. What is being said about using hydrogen is still a future solution. Firstly, only 20% of the total mix can be hydrogen. Secondly, there is not enough hydrogen availability, and making hydrogen production more cost-effective would require renewable energy sources, such as solar. However, this is not available, especially since A&D is an industry that operates 24/7 and cannot depend on weather conditions. Therefore, as a forthcoming study of ours will show, the hydrogen solution is currently unfeasible.

There are other alternative sources, but they are not available in Italy. This is because, decades ago, we made the choice to abandon nuclear energy, which is no longer an asset for us today. That’s the state of things. Therefore, if alternatives to methane gas emerge, we would immediately consider them. Ours is a sector that has always pushed towards product and process innovation.

Image copyright: @Hatria

Image copyright: @Flaminia

What is the state-of-the-art of the Italian ceramics market on the international stage?

On the international market, Italian ceramics face competition from countries where we operate on a different level. Being socially, environmentally, and governance-wise sustainable has costs, which are reflected in the product price. In my opinion, this unfair competition should be regulated through tariffs on the entry of products that don’t meet our standards. Europe should become fully aware of this and implement precise regulations. Otherwise, we risk seeing the disappearance of an advanced industry that constantly raises the bar for quality, employs around thirty thousand people in Italy, exports more than 80% of its product in some sectors, and brings wealth to the country. A true jewel of Italy, which should not be swept away simply because others don’t follow the rules and sell their products at a lower price. That’s my conclusion.