Walker Zanger: New Style from User Contest
LOS ANGELES – Aybars Asci, president/founder of Efficiency Lab for Architecture in Brooklyn, N.Y. is the winner of the inaugural Kaza Design Competition by Walker Zanger with his original design of “Liquid Forms.”
Click photo to enlargeThe competition was conducted in partnership with Architectural Digest and ran from last May through September, with participants with creating an all-new decorative concrete tile to complement Walker Zanger’s existing Kaza collection.
The winning dimensional design was inspired by the masterpieces of Italian sculptor and architect Bernini, and features an elegantly simple rectangular shape combined with asymmetric surface articulation to generate multiple tiling patterns.
“Liquid Forms tile is aesthetically versatile,” said Asci. “The soft curvilinear design has a tactile quality that suggests sensuousness and luxury. It is a single tile design that can generate multiple patterns, which is very well suited for residential and hospitality projects.”
Liquid Forms will complement the existing Kaza collection with the smoothness of the concrete combined with its shape giving it a sleek, modern simplicity that is refined and almost aerodynamic. It will be manufactured by Kaza Concrete exclusively for Walker Zanger’s Kaza collection in three colorways, including a metallic.
“Liquid Forms is a uniquely exciting contemporary design that really takes advantage of the plasticity of concrete,” said Jared Becker, Walker Zanger vice president of design and marketing. “Because of the numerous designs you can create with just one piece, it allows designers and architects to use the tile to create many exciting sculptural patterns.
“Aybars’ realization of the three-dimensional possibilities allowed by Kaza’s unique manufacturing process was exemplary.”
The judging panel included prominent figures in architecture and interior design: Rafael de Cárdenas, Stephanie Goto, Victoria Hagan, Ryan Korban, Jennifer Post and Nathan Turner.
“I really love the sinewy fluidity of the form and how it would dematerialize a wall with its unique play of light throughout the day into night,” said de Cárdenas. “Though static, its surface suggests fluid animation.”
“The softness of the form and its many possibilities is very seductive,” Hagan added.
In addition to receiving royalties from sales, Asci will travel to Budapest, Hungary, to tour the factory where Kaza tiles are manufactured.
Get the news of the industry with Slab & Sheet, the e-newsletter from Stone Update. Sign up for free delivery here.
For the latest industry info, check Stone Update on Twitter and Facebook.
