From Italy: Urquiola for Mutina

On day two at Cersaie—a very warm, sunny day in Bologna—the booth of tile manufacturer Mutina hummed with excitement over a visit from design celeb Patricia Urquiola (whose work is featured in the new issue of Dwell). This is the second year Urquiola has worked with Mutina designing a line known as Déchirer (meaning "to tear" in French).

Déchirer, which comes in styles for both floor and wall applications, is a beautiful take on traditional bas-relief—subtly raised patterns on a neutral palette of stoneware. The texture is complemented by laser cut patterns that look like industrial lace, creating shapes with vacant space that match the relief work. This was almost certainly my favorite of the many [many!] tiles we saw during the week. It's a mesmerizing union of old and new—evoking the weight of historic craft, yet possible only through the technological tools of the present. Many more photos below.