QUADRI
TILES
Project specifications
Launching - 2019
Team
Authors - Fernando Forte, Lourenço Gimenes, Rodrigo Marcondes Ferraz, Gabriel Mota
Contributors - Desyree Niedo, Lucas Lima
Photographer - Fran Parente e Pedro Ocanhas
The Quadri hydraulic tile collection is based on a single graphic element that is repeated and shifted across the surface of each tile. The collection includes tiles featuring three, two, one, or no graphic elements, 2 × 2 cm squares.
Hydraulic tiles are far more than a construction material; they are products intrinsically connected to design and the visual arts. Thanks to their cement-based composition and serial, albeit semi-handcrafted, production process, they remain an accessible and affordable surface solution for a broad audience. By simply adding or subtracting a single graphic element, the collection generates an extensive range of visual compositions.
The pursuit of orthogonality and geometric precision was a fundamental premise in the design of this collection. Not only was the square shape of the graphic element essential to this objective, but so was its alignment within each tile. Equally important was carefully calibrating the scale of the element, both individually and across larger compositions, always aiming to achieve a refined and understated graphic language.
Establishing a visual balance between the printed "positive" elements and the "negative" background was crucial, allowing viewers to perceive the underlying alignments while simultaneously introducing a more dynamic and deconstructed rhythm across the overall pattern. This sense of movement, achieved solely through orthogonal elements, became one of the collection's defining qualities, contributing to its enduring visual relevance over time.