Terrazzo is a mix of a concrete mixing base with natural stone fragments; it is characterized for being an extraordinarily resistant and versatile material. Since its frequent use some decades ago, this material has been rediscovered by architects and is used more and more often in works nowadays. Aside from the natural stones, this cement mixing base can include unused elements from construction – nails, bricks, and chunks of wood – resulting in very interesting final products.
The architecture office Apt, based in Clerkenwell, and the Spanish tile manufacturer Huguet, joined forces to explore different ways of re-introducing these materials in new constructions, thus fabricating prototypes for a reception counter, a floor finish, and a kitchen or bathroom countertop, plus some custom-made furniture pieces.
This collaboration produced three types of terrazzo complemented by a pallet of soft colors, presenting their three main products in a bench that serves as an example for future applications. Each piece is truly unique; the fossilized fragments within the polished terrazzo make it possible to showcase materials that in other cases would be thrown away.
