Altered States, an installation created by Snarkitecture for Caesarstone

For the 6th time, leading quartz manufacturer Caesarstone returns to Milan’s Fuorisalone, this year to unveil Altered States, the highlight event of their 2018 designer collaboration programme with New York-based collaborative practice Snarkitecture.

Being this the year of Eurocucina, which takes place biennially, this year’s collaboration explores the core theme of the kitchen island.

“Our starting point was the Kitchen Island, which has transformed from a functional cooking area into the hub of the modern home, a space for entertainment, social interaction and performance.” says Raanan Zilberman, Caesarstone CEO.

“We asked Snarkitecture to create an installation that will inspire architects and designers to think about the future of the kitchen and use our material in new ways.”

Snarkitecture looked at water as the most important “ingredient” in the kitchen, drawing inspiration from its changing states in nature (glacier, river, geyser) and in the kitchen (ice, water, steam) to create Altered States.

Alex Mustonen and Ben Porto of Snarkitecture, Image by Alex Lukey

Showcased at the faded grandeur of Palazzo dell’Ufficio Elettorale di Porta Romana, open to the public for the first time during Milan Design Week, the installation guides visitors through an immersive experience of a conceptual kitchen island. At the centre of the space, a large circular kitchen island, made of Caesarstone White Attica, explores the changing states of water - ice, liquid and steam - stations. Caesarstone surfaces are used in layers, referencing natural topography as a metaphor for nature. Surrounding the main “arena” is an amphitheatre of over 250 Caesarstone and metal mesh pedestals using three different Caesarstone colours from their new industrial collection, Metropolitan: Cloudburst Concrete, Airy Concrete and Rugged Concrete to create a white to grey, monochromatic gradient, rising to emulate the appearance of a natural landscape. "Our aim for the Milan version of Altered States is to use ice, water and steam to create a mesmerizing collective experience around a kitchen island that has been designed around these simple elements. We took Caesarstone surfaces and turned them into something voluminous and engaging, further highlighting the strength and flexibility of the material. We look forward to inviting visitors to an incredible site in Milan, to explore, and interact within an unexpected and memorable environment." Snarkitecture

Address: Palazzo dell’Ufficio Elettorale di Porta Romana Corso di Porta Romana 10, 20122, Milan