„CORCRETE is a special material, both in terms of visual and tactile qualities – and it is also an alternative to conventional materials.“

Nina Ruthe and David Antonin use their curiosity and intuition to develop an exciting materiality in their designs. In this project, they also developed a new material: by combining the contrasting qualities of cork and concrete, the design duo created their own natural-looking material for interior design and architecture. Originating from the attempt to make concrete lighter, over the years, the material development has been perfected and the process patented. A process influenced by many internal as well as external test series, which revealed unimagined potential.

Back in 2016, CORCRETE won the Biennale Interieur Kortrijk Award as well as the Green Product Award and Green Product Traders Award in Stockholm, reaping praise for the successful combination of aesthetics and innovation. Multifaceted in its variety of uses as well as in its visual and tactile qualities, this material is the ideal protagonist for contemporary interiors and individual as well as unusual projects. Following an intensive development phase, the main focus centered on finding the right production partner – a complex and demanding task.

In 2021, the designers came into contact with HARTIS: in addition to a passion for craftsmanship, manual work and innovation, the Belgian family business has a distinctive and long-term track record of projects that involve natural stone, terrazzo and concrete. In HARTIS, Nina and David have found like-minded material enthusiasts. The result: tailor-made solutions including comprehensive advice on project planning and technical implementation for a wide variety of interiors.

„We especially want to reach architects and interior designers with the special aesthetics of the material for the implementation of their projects. Because: CORCRETE is versatile and can be used in interiors as floor and wall covering, as well as for furniture and surfaces. CORCRETE is unique and distinct, just like every project.“

But what makes CORCRETE so special? It seems familiar – but atsecond glance it’s surprising. While the material initially looks like terrazzo, on closer inspection, it reveals a more natural appearance. The first touch of CORCRETE also imparts an unexpected sensation: it feels velvety and warm. The natural material cork unfolds its unmistakable visual and tactile aesthetics in combination with the cool concrete. Also special: the hidden structure of CORCRETE – just like terrazzo. It is only when the cast surface is sanded that the added granules become visible and create the beautiful, vibrant terrazzo effect.Compared to conventional concrete materials, CORCRETE is around 40 percent lighter thanks to the addition of cork granulate from Portuguese cork production; in addition, much less sand, an increasingly scarce resource, is needed in the production process. CORCRETE is produced in white, black and grey. There are no standard dimensions – because every CORCRETE project is unique and is planned and implemented exclusively for and with the client.

An example reference: the VEJA headquarters in New York. The sneakers label also follows sustainable principles in the design of its interior – natural, aesthetic, casual and appealing. Custom-made sideboards and a bench made of CORCRETE complement the interior designed by the Brooklyn-based architecture firm JDY, giving the space a unique look and feel. Find out more about CORCRETE at www.corcrete.de

Der Beitrag MATERIAL INSPIRES OUR SENSES erschien zuerst auf niruk.

„Porcelain is a high-quality and durable material. Pure white and with transparent glaze, it has a very purist look. With this classic, white finish, the material itself – the porcelain – becomes the protagonist. But colours and glazes are also an exciting option for this material. We particularly like porcelain because it is so simple and elegant.“Fine. Smooth. Pure. Porcelain possesses a special materiality. High-quality and long-lasting, for centuries it has enjoyed incomparable significance in design and everyday culture and it is the protagonist of the most diverse product applications. Its impact resistance makes it durable; its appearance evokes a clean feeling. Different manufacturing processes – such as casting, extruding, rolling or pressing – provide a wide range of creative options. In recent years, Nina Ruthe and David Antonin from DESIGN STUDIO NIRUK have researched the material, approaching it with a great deal of sensitivity and patience in collaboration with traditional manufacturing partners. Three products were created that will celebrate their premiere this autumn. Varying in form and function, they demonstrate the manifold applications of porcelain.

Clay, quartz, feldspar: these raw materials are ground and mixed with water to produce porcelain. Cast, extruded, pressed:

„Each manufacturing process requires a specific composition of ingredients for the porcelain mass and also individual specifications for further processing. This involves a lot of research, testing and know-how, as well as a good collaboration between the designer and the porcelain manufacturer who implements the design,“ say Nina Ruthe and David Antonin, explaining the challenges in the design process with porcelain. Whilst sharing similar manufacturing processes and the classic white appearance, in terms of application, the resulting products are very varied.

Teapot warmer CALM Soft and flowing. Like a nest, the round organic shape of the CALM teapot warmer catches the candlelight, creating a calm and inviting atmosphere. A particularly friendly companion for the cold season. CALM is produced using a traditional casting technique. The metal holder for the tea light creates a material contrast to the white, pure porcelain and is designed in such a way that teapots of different sizes can be placed on it. The CALM teapot warmer is now included in the product portfolio of the traditional manufacturer KOBER Porzellan. ‘Made in Germany’ from fine porcelain and durable metal. www.enterporcelain.de

Door handle BAU A new symbiosis of materials: porcelain-coated brass. With BAU, a special door handle has been created for the Italian handle manufacturer Olivari. Inspired by Bauhaus architecture and the industrial manufacturing process of extruding porcelain in strands, BAU is characterised by a very graphic design vocabulary. NIRUK has carefully chosen the materials for interior and exterior use: Porcelain does not change its appearance even after decades of use and retains a pleasantly smooth surface. It is also easy to clean and particularly hygienic. While developing a uniquely attractive patina due to oxidation over time, brass is also very durable and stable in quality. Both materials have their fine quality in common. BAU was created as part of the ENTER_PORCELAIN project launched by KOBER Porzellan and Olivari: 10 renowned design studios worked intensively with porcelain in combination with brass. The focus was on an innovative use of these materials in the design process for a door handle – for unconventional design concepts and manufacturing possibilities. All prototypes were presented in a special exhibition during Milan Design Week at Palazzo Litta in 2019. Of all the submitted designs, the BAU range by DESIGN STUDIO NIRUK was selected and will be produced by Olivari. BAU will be exhibited and presented to the public at Supersalone 2021 in Milan. 05.-10. September, Pav. 02, Corsia L18, Quart. Fiera Milano, Rho

FUNNIES Collection Elephant, hippo, owl. For porcelain specialist KOBER, Nina Ruthe and David Antonin revived the legendary FUNNIES. A redesign based on the 1970s originals, these little animals are made of pure white porcelain with black or platinum contrasts and are created from a strand of porcelain. Similar to a certain type of biscuit dough, the porcelain is pressed through a tool and then cut into pieces. A specially made metal tool is available for the production of each little animal – all the tools are originals from the initial production phase and are now in use again. With their interpretation, DESIGN STUDIO NIRUK has given the FUNNIES a contemporary appearance, while retaining their characteristic shapes. KOBER was inspired to produce the animal family again in a new look during the first lockdown in 2020 when much production had ground to a halt. In the 1970s, the FUNNIES marked a milestone – the introduction of in-house produced decorative articles made KOBER economically viable again and allowed the company to grow. In keeping with this history, five decades later, the traditional company is once again focusing on the popular collection as a re-edition featuring NIRUK’s signature style.

„The Funnies were a challenge for us. We had to work with existing shapes and therefore had no possibility of changing the forms. Our mission was to revive the Funnies by designing new, contemporary characters. We think it‘s great that old tools can be used again and we will work on further re-editions for KOBER.“

Der Beitrag „CLAY, QUARTZ, FELDSPAR. FINE. SMOOTH. PURE. PORCELAIN.“ erschien zuerst auf niruk.