WOW Design Stunned Visitors with Ephemeral Space at CERSAIE 2023, Designed by Summumstudio

WOW Design, the studio specializing in small-scale signature tile design, wanted its stand at CERSAIE (the international ceramic tile exhibition, held in Bologna, Italy) to be an innovative space able, once again, to reflect WOW’s creative potential while also providing a functional backdrop to display its latest tile collections.

The ephemeral space, developed by interior design studio Summumstudio, skilfully meets the visual and functional requirements of the original brief, doing so with exquisite precision. A large ceramic curtain surrounds the stand, evocative of latticework, letting light filter through while also adding a halo of mystery to the stand’s interiors.

The stand, inspired by the beauty of WOW Design’s tile compositions, takes visitors on an introspective journey of discovery, introducing them to the applications of ceramic tiles, accompanied by the big permeable ceramic curtain whose interiors reveal the amazing architectural potential that ceramic tiles have to offer.

The ceramic curtain has a rich visual appeal, with interplay between its beige and earthy shades, and it traces straight lines and curves as it runs around the perimeter of the stand.

To secure the ceramic slats to the curtain, an innovative, adhesive-free, vertically-fastened sandwich system was developed where the slats are positioned in pairs, back to back. It is an easily adaptable, flexible system that can be used to transform any ceramic tile by WOW Design into a curtain.

The ceramic slats are positioned at a slight angle to one another, like a big accordion, to generate an even greater sense of movement and to make a ground-breaking visual impact.

There is ample free space inside the curtain, except for the area set aside for attending to visitors. The walls have been transformed into ceramic rugs, each with its own design and appearance, to show off the exquisite collections.

Some of these walls are decorated with singular-looking geometrical shapes, clad in the displayed tile collections. The aim, at all times, is to highlight the natural appeal of WOW Design’s tiles.

As visitors explore this innovative stand, they are struck by one particular feature: a transparent ceramic screen wall, made with the fired clay version of ICON, a unique 3D tile. Light filters through the back of it, creating an aura of intimacy inside the stand, while also lighting up the tiles on the floor.  The screen wall contrasts with the surrounding latticework curtain, leading to highly original, rich use of ceramic tiles throughout the whole stand.

A water feature, with a large column set in the middle of it, is used to showcase the new tiles developed by WOW for swimming pools. The totem-like column bears the name of the design studio in illuminated letters, highlighting the volumes, reliefs and subtle nuances of the tiles that clad it.

WOW and Summumstudio: an internationally acclaimed duo

Yet again, a new step forward has been taken by WOW in the creation of stellar designs and stands for demonstrating the potential of ceramic tiles. On numerous occasions, the studio has received recognition for doing so from important international design bodies, forging an international reputation in the fields of innovation and creativity.

WOW’s stand at COVERINGS (USA) was awarded the prize for the best stand at the 2023 edition of the trade fair. The tile firm was also singled out to receive a prize at the prestigious Casa Decor 2022 Awards for its innovative space “Unexpected Hamman”, designed in collaboration with Summumstudio. This same project was also awarded a prize at the 2023 Spanish Ephemeral Architecture Awards.

WOW’s stand at the 2022 edition of CERSAIE won an Emporia de Oro at the Spanish Ephemeral Architecture Awards, and its singular Icon tile model was the winner of the product design category of the 2022 RED DOT DESIGN Awards and 2023 IF Awards. As for its graphic design work, WOW was also awarded the ANUARIA Spanish Graphic Design Award for the design of the catalogue and packaging of its Icon tile model. All these projects were carried out in conjunction with Summumstudio.