Innovative furnishings, panelling and décor solutions for a new atelier at the heart of Udine's historic centre

On November 16, 2005, GS Tessuti offered a preview of its new atelier in Udine's Historic Centre, Piazza Libertà 7C, scheduled for official opening in 2006. Fruit of a collaboration between the companies Maia of the Gortan Group, Moroso and Corian^® solid surface, the design of the atelier – signed by architect Nicoletta Bertolissi – inspires to the principles of architectural psychology, incorporates advanced "intelligent home" systems, and is characterised both by innovative architectural design panelling solutions based on Corian^® solid surface and by a series of innovations in various elements and furnishings. In particular, the project proposes the first application in Italy (effected by Maia with its modelling systems Maia Skins^™), and one of the first in the world, of the decoration of large surfaces in Corian^® solid surface by means of sublimation, a state of the art technological solution.

About half of the atelier's walls and all of the flooring and stairs – approximately 250 square metres- are clad in Corian^® solid surface in Glacier White. The remaining walls and ceilings are finished with a rough textured, mocha coloured plaster which contrasts and complements the adjoining claddings in Corian^® solid surface in Glacier White, candid in colour and extremely pleasing to the touch. The soft, floral décor of Tord Boontje encounters subtle and barely perceptible linear patterns which follows the mathematical logic of perfect proportion. Smooth whiteness and rough darkness, opaqueness and shine, the visible and invisible - nature and technology contrast with each other and yet remain in constant harmony.

The atelier is distributed over three levels: ground floor, sub-level, first floor.The ground floor showroom area "imposes" the style and feeling that marks the entire GS Tessuti atelier: the flooring and the primary wall (9 metres long by 4 metres high) are realised with Maia Skins^™ covering solutions made with Corian^® solid surface in Glacier White. The flooring is joined gracefully into the panelling with a 10 cm curved radius, created by thermoforming Corian^® solid surface.

Viewable from the street, on the right side of the showroom, is the technological and architectonical jewel of the atelier: the vertical panelling made with Corian^® solid surface incorporates, thanks to the application by Maia of sublimation technology, the subtly mocha-coloured décor of Dutch designer Tord Boontje's "Cervo nel Bosco" (Deer in the Wood). For the entire length of the wall, Tord Boontje's graphic décor is always diverse, and never repeated.

In both the sub-level and first floor areas, dedicated to working and office space, Corian^® solid surface is again used in a type of large 'L' shaped formation with 10 cm corner radius, covering the entire floor and the right-hand wall. The stairs connecting the three levels of the atelier are also panelled in Corian^® solid surface, while the remaining walls and ceilings are here again in mocha coloured, rough textured plaster.

On the first floor, the left-side wall hosts a composite work surface and raised shelf created from a single sheet of thermoformed Corian^® solid surface material. For meetings or dining, and centrepiece to the room, is a large white oval table with colourful décor incorporated into the surface (the same oval table in sublimated Corian^® solid surface designed by Tord Boontje for Moroso in 2005, extremely successful during its apparitions at "Milano Design Week" and "100% Design London"). Placed around the table are four Bloomy seats designed by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso and upholstered in pearl white "Extrema Metal". This new synthetic leather, metallised and flame-resistant, produced and distributed by GS Tessuti, is made of innovative ecological, antimicrobial materials with high resistance to wear and tear.

On the sub-level, facing opposite the vertical panelling made with Corian^® solid surface, is a wall hosting hanging systems, concealable behind full-height sliding panels of shiny mocha-coloured Plexiglas. Coffee tables in sublimated Corian^® solid surface (new arrivals in Moroso's product line and also designed by Tord Boontje) give additional character to the interior design of this space.

The atelier has a fragrance diffusion system to regulate the release time and direction of selected essences, and special equipment that allows the presetting and programming of particular lighting effects. All three floors are fitted with an advanced 'intelligent home' system allowing the complete integration of electrical, telephone, lighting, sound and fragrance diffusion systems. The atelier is additionally equipped with the most up-to-date computer systems, and wireless and Wi-Fi connections.