peter van der jagt + erik jan kwakkel + arnout visser: dtile

a bathroom composed of ‘dtiles’

the ‘dtile’ system is an integrative collection of tiles designed for the seamless blanketing of spaces and objects, with as much of an eye towards practicality as towards aesthetics.

created by dutch designers peter van der jagt, erik jan kwakkel, and arnout visser of the studio dtile, the tiles come in a range of shapes and functionalities developed to address every household need within the framework of tile.

shower installation of dtiles

‘we love this grid that tilework produces,’ the designers explain, ‘and do not want to interrupt it for any reason. not because one might need a function, or for the fact that the world is three dimensional and tiles are not.’

the faucet, shower, and drawer pull components are each integrated into their own ‘dtile’

the project began here at designboom, when the designers entered our 2004 ‘kitchen is the heart of the home’ competition and then exhibited their work at our 2005 exhibition at imm cologne. originally unable to find a manufacturer to mass produce the pieces, the team began production independently, and is now expanding its distribution.

detail of tile grid

rounded ‘dtiles’ create smooth, seamless edges in place of hard angled joints

towel hook ‘dtile’

the aesthetic drive to create seamless tile spaces was accomplished relatively simply by the creation of rounded and curved pieces that would prevent the need for angular joints.

to address the practical needs of living spaces, the trio began integrating necessary functionalities directly into their tiles, some of which are three-dimensional. hooks, outlets, shelves, drawers, gaskets, control dials, plugs, and vents are just some of the many varieties of ‘functional tiles’ available. entire sinks, showers, and bathtubs are formed from simply assembling the requisite component pieces.

‘dtile’ boxes offer shelf functionality without interrupting the tile grid

‘dtile’ pullout square drawer

bathroom vent ‘dtile’ for wall or ceiling

bath plug ‘dtile’ for floor

moving forward from kitchens and bathrooms, the dtile team is currently expanding into tiling woodstoves, buildings, market stalls, and even vehicles.

a ‘dtile’ kitchen

detail of kitchen appliances in use

gaskets, shelving, and stove controls are each all built directly into ‘dtiles’

left: detail on hooked wall shelf right: detail on stove dial

faucet, sink, and drain

indented ‘dtiles’ create space to place a cutting board, while above, magnetic ‘dtiles’ store knives, and shelves hold books and plant pots

sink and drying rack

this ‘dtile’ is designed as a mortar

ceramic plant pots are built directly into these ‘dtiles’

blackboard tiles, one with integrated chalk shelf

full view of a demo ‘dtile’ kitchen

profile view of the kitchen

the designers discuss the ‘dtile’ system