snarkitecture excavates installation of raw altered states for caesarstone

once upon milan design week 2018, caesarstone + snarkitecture excavated a showroom into an amphitheater. the graceful homage is in dedication to the center stage of the home: the kitchen island.

it is around this culinary space that we share laughs, sprinkle spices and absent-mindedly confront raw elements — ice, water, and steam. from april 17 until april 21, this appropriately-named installation, ‘altered states’ will shed spot lights on these naked elements, so they may speak candidly with the guests.

image by david zanardi

in the courtyard of palazzo dell’ufficio elettorale di porta romana, variously-arranged basins guide viewers through an archipelago, encouraging them to stop, caress, and listen to the many different stages of water. each of these interactive islands are constructed from a unique caesarstone color; vanilla noir, alpine mist and white attica. freezing, kissing, dripping — the ice, mist, and water are personified as a series of little interactive landscapes.

image by david zanardi

‘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,‘ comments snarkitecture.

image by david zanardi

under the cupola of the interior, the holy grail of kitchen islands drips life from its faucet. a thin layer of liquid collects like crystals atop a large, round kitchen island — caesarstone’s white attica. a dark, contrasting faucet stands elegantly out of the white counter, between two spheres of ice that seem to melt without losing shape. but around this baroque kitchen island is the greater homage.

image by david zanardi

‘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 eli feiglin, VP of marketing at caesarstone. ‘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.’

image by david zanardi

as the island stands center stage, surrounding it, a theater of metal mesh and monochromatic gradients carve the space open, into something much larger. caesarstone’s metropolitan collection — cloudburst concrete, airy concrete, and rugged concrete — wrap and top the room’s elements in nice, textured shades.