ARKETIPO By COTTO D'ESTE
Arketipo sets new standards, transforming and moulding the ingredients of ceramic surfaces into something entirely new and original, both aesthetically and materially. The culmination of more than 30 years of experience, this collection demonstrates Cotto d’Este’s gift for pushing boundaries, creating a complex identity with a precise, unique, and characteristic personality, one that opens the door to new possibilities in the world of surface design.
Moving away from traditional references to natural materials, like stone, or artisanal materials, like cement, resin, or raw earth, Arketipo instead embraces a “pure” ceramic material that deviates from interpretations of what already exist, drawing inspiration from a multitude of elements and creating an innovative assortment of textures, graphics, and colours. The resulting collection combines grains, flakes, and sands, the density, size, and colour of which create visual movement and define 2 distinct graphic variants: the first, available in the classic 14 mm thick version as well as a 20 mm thick version for the outdoors, is more varied and expressive; the second, available in ultra-thin KERLITE slabs, is more uniform and exalts the vibrancy of the colours.
The range of colours, together with various textures and a pronounced tactile quality, are among the collection’s distinctive characteristics. The 14 mm and 20 mm thick versions are available in 5 main hues, ranging from neutral shades in the family of grey, like Lumen, Pulvis, and Creta, to warmer shades inspired by earthy reds and light browns, like Arena and Cotto. Each colour has a variegated appearance, with pronounced and dynamic graphics that make them uniquely expressive, as though each individual colour is actually a combination of distinct hues, harmoniously blended together to convey a sense of enormous depth.
The same 5 colours, but with a different, more compact aesthetic, are also available in the large, ultra-thin (6.5 mm thick) Kerlite slabs, where the grain and flake pattern is more uniform and the colours more intense. These versions are ideal for flooring or wall coverings intended to stand out and become the focal point of the entire room or environment. An additional 6 intense colours, Carminio, Avio, Nives, Helios, Silva, and Nox, come in ultra-thin (3.5 mm thick) slabs. These are distinctly decorative and further define Arketipo’s eclectic identity.
The choice of colours is complemented by a range of finishes and formats. For the 14 mm thick surfaces, the Natural matte finish features an irregular grid-like structure that creates a varied and extremely tactile texture. There’s also the Antislip finish with a slip-resistance rating of R11C. Thanks to Safetouch technology, both finishes are suitable for indoor and outdoor use, as they remain smooth, soft to the touch, and easy to clean and maintain. The Honed finish, with the same surface structure as Natural, is enhanced by a special polishing process, which gives it an incredibly soft and smooth texture, brings out the tactile quality of the surface, and gives it a luxurious pearly sheen. Meanwhile, the 20 mm thick outdoor version, with the Tough finish, is characterised by a highly textured surface and outstanding slip resistance, perfect for the outdoor applications for which it was designed.
Finally, in the thin Kerlite version, the surface structure accentuates the blend of flakes and granules, fully emphasising the collection’s unique qualities.
Arketipo’s range of formats allows enormous freedom in the design of spaces and their aesthetics, further highlighting the immense potential of this extraordinary new collection.
