|São Paulo, Brazil|
The cement tile collections designed by Superlimão for Dalle Piagge seek to incorporate contemporary production methods into a century-old technique, investigating a hybrid language that subverts high and low technologies into a product of our time. The Orgânico and Traço models amplify this craftsmanship through parametric modeling and 3D printing techniques, resulting in tiles that allow for a profusion of unconventional compositions.
Inspired by the random textures found on Hypoestes phyllostachia leaves, the Orgânico model grew from an algorithm that runs in the digital and physical worlds. Digitally, we designed the tile using a parametric model that randomly positions dots inside the 20x20cm tile. Physically, the tile maker gets one of four color-density recipes and decides how to fill the dots, creating several designs with a single mold. Beyond that, 3D printing the mold allowed us to use funneled surfaces that made it easier to pour the cement without compromising the delicacy, which was unavailable using metal molds.
Following that, we created the Traço model, reinterpreting the composition studies of Sébastien Truchet. Using Mottaghi and Khalilbeigi’s Parakeet plug-in, we developed several studies with interconnected curves, creating a variety of compositions by rotating the tile and accommodating potential mapping errors. Going beyond the traditional square tile, we applied the same algorithm to other shapes, including a 30x10cm tile that connects with the square tile without compromising the continuity of the curves. Similarly to the Orgânico model, 3D printing of the mold allowed the design of a unique structure that gave a better
grip to remove the mold without damaging the thin lines.
In both cases, rapid prototyping allowed the investigation of unconventional geometries while enriching the labor-intensive process of tile making. The result is a new component that enables creative collaborations across the production chain, from design to production to assembly.