Caesarstone presents: Altered States by Snarkitecture at Fuorisalone 2018, Milan

The Steam Kitchen Island and Ice Kitchen Island at IDS Toronto 2018, Images by Alex Lukey

February 2018: For the 6th time, leading quartz manufacturer Caesarstone returns to Milan’s Fuorisalone, this year to unveil Altered States, the highlight event of their 2018 designer collaboration programme with New York-based collaborative practice Snarkitecture. Being this the year of Eurocucina, which takes place biennially, this year’s collaboration explores the core theme of the kitchen island.

“Our starting point was the Kitchen Island, which has transformed from a functional cooking area into the hub of the modern home, a space for entertainment, social interaction and performance.” says Raanan Zilberman, Caesarstone CEO. “We asked Snarkitecture to create an installation that will inspire architects and designers to think about the future of the kitchen and use our material in new ways.”

Snarkitecture looked at water as the most important “ingredient” in the kitchen, drawing inspiration from its changing states in nature (glacier, river, geyser) and in the kitchen (ice, water, steam) to create Altered States.

Showcased at the faded grandeur of Palazzo dell’Ufficio Elettorale di Porta Romana, open to the public for the first time during Milan Design Week, the installation guides visitors through an immersive experience of a conceptual kitchen island. At the centre of the space, a large circular kitchen island, made of Caesarstone White Attica, explores the changing states of water – ice, liquid and steam – stations. Caesarstone surfaces are used in layers, referencing natural topography as a metaphor for nature.

Surrounding the main “arena” is an amphitheatre of over 250 Caesarstone and metal mesh pedestals using three different Caesarstone colours from their new industrial collection, Metropolitan: Cloudburst Concrete, Airy Concrete and Rugged Concrete to create a white to grey, monochromatic gradient, rising to emulate the appearance of a natural landscape.

“Our aim for the Milan version of Altered States is to use ice, water and steam to create a mesmerizing collective experience around a kitchen island that has been designed around these simple elements. We took Caesarstone surfaces and turned them into something voluminous and engaging, further highlighting the strength and flexibility of the material. We look forward to inviting visitors to an incredible site in Milan, to explore, and interact within an unexpected and memorable environment.” Snarkitecture

The project is supported by Liran Wizman, owner and founder of Europe Hotels Private Collection, owner of the Palazzo dell’Ufficio Elettorale di Porta Romana. The Palazzo is being developed by Wizman in collaboration with Ian Schrager and Marriott Hotels into The Milan EDITION Hotel, designed by Piero Lissoni.

Address: Palazzo dell’Ufficio Elettorale di Porta Romana Corso di Porta Romana 10, 20122, Milan

Alex Mustonen and Ben Porto of Snarkitecture, Image by Alex Lukey

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For media enquiries and further information, please contact: Diana Rabba, [email protected]

Notes to the Editor:

Hashtag: #CSMilan2018

About Caesarstone
Caesarstone is a leading developer and manufacturer of premium quality quartz surfaces. Established in 1987, the company pioneered high-quality surfaces utilising advanced technologies and expertise. Caesarstone continues to lead the industry with new trends and colours of high quality surfaces consisting of up to 93% quartz, they retain the cool tactile qualities of nature’s strong stones with enormous application possibilities including kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, wall panelling, furniture and more. Caesarstone offers a product that is highly functional, design forward and beautiful. The unique and rich variety of colours, patterns and textures enable customers to find their ‘ultimate surface’ and create their own unique space. Caesarstone’s extensive designs are constantly evolving and developing to meet the latest world trends and the highest level of international quality standards. www.caesarstone.com

About Snarkitecture
Snarkitecture is a New York-based collaborative practice established to investigate the boundaries between art and architecture. The name is drawn from Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of The Snark, a poem describing the “impossible voyage of an improbable crew to find an inconceivable creature.” In its search for the unknown, Snarkitecture creates architectural-scale projects, installations, and objects. Snarkitecture’s work focuses on the reinterpretation of everyday materials, structures and programs to new and imaginative effect. With a conceptual approach centered on the importance of experience, the studio creates unexpected and memorable moments that invite people to explore and engage with their surroundings. By transforming the familiar into the extraordinary, Snarkitecture makes architecture perform the unexpected. www.snarkitecture.com