From Zaha Hadid to Frank Lloyd Wright, Oscar Niemeyer and Tadao Ando, concrete has long been appreciated by architects for its versatility. Treading the line between solid and lightweight, concrete is valued for its ability to be both luxurious and understated.
Renowned tile company Walker Zanger have taken concrete out of its industrial roots and tapped into its growing use in interiors with a new collaboration with innovative concrete designers and manufacturers KAZA for a collection of three tiles: Lantern, Saturn and Vortex. Championed by some of the most renowned designers in the industry, the tiles span a range of styles, but all are imbued with a sense of refined elegance that works for both residential and commercial properties.
Vortex, the first in the line, offers an angular design of concentric hexagons that nod to sci-fi influences. Saturn, on the other hand, takes a mod turn with a soft, elliptical shape that channels ’60s-style with a modern twist. Meanwhile, Lantern offers a soft, undulating ribbed structure that pays homage to George Nelson’s modernist icons, his bubble lamps, from the mid-20th century.
Each of these tiles are crafted from reinforced composite concrete and they come in a range of colors in matte and glossy finishes. The hues, which range from neutral grays to bold oranges and deep claret reds, are cast in through-body pigments, allowing the color to run through the entire tile. They’re also available in metallic colors that range from classic gold and silver to trendy rose gold and gunmetal.
Each of the three tile designs in the Kaza Collection push the boundaries of how concrete can be used for both indoor and outdoor designs, and in residential and commercial settings. Combining heritage craftsmanship with 21st century technology, the tiles fuse a natural, organic material with refined, contemporary designs to convey a soft sense of modernity.