The ethos of 41Zero42 is to dare to be different. If only dead fish go with the flow, the design team at 41Zero42 are clearly energetic salmon leaping up the rapids to spawn new ideas. But the company’s design ethos is not all about originality for its own sake. Many of the company’s ranges are firmly rooted in the ceramic tradition; the skill lies in systhesising this heritage and channeling it in a fresh direction.
41Zero42 is a creative space that aims for excellence in ceramics, while stressing the importance of research and context. This talented team clearly share common interests and their designs incorporate many different elements and influences. “We are convinced that to make something stimulating to the eye, one should look beyond one’s confinements, as well as within,” explains the company. “To think that only the ‘unique’ is new is reductive. It is finding the right balance between these two aspects that animate us. When we design, our attention is fixed on the space; our goal is to become tools of the project. We focus on three guidelines: the past, for memory and prior knowledge; the present, for the aesthetic; and the future, for technological research. An idea or a project needs to transmit a story. The stories that excite us – and that we are passionate about – become the lifeblood of our creativity. Call us storytellers. We will not be offended.”
As first sight, therefore, the Biscuit range may not seem so unusual or clever. It comprises six, opaque, gentle, geometrical, and three-dimensional surfaces, designed to create architectural spaces using wall tiles that are brought to life by light and shadow. It utilises a small size – 50 by 200mm – and just two basic colours: white and terracotta brown.
However, look carefully at the compositional flexibility, subtle play of light and shadow, and the strength yet delicacy of the mouldings, and it is clear that Biscuit is a very refined range; a sophisticated product based on in-depth research. This collection is capable of surprise because of the simplicity of its elements.
I ate all your biscuits but I want more!
A new post by Joe Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, October 2018.
The tiles in this article is very good. I like that article. The variations in the designs are very good.