Variazioni sul tema

Le forme e le funzioni dei muri si sbizzarriscono modificando la percezione degli spazi e prestandosi a nuove funzioni. Qualche esempio? Una parete formata da mattonelle di cotto, di solito utilizzata come sostegno per impedire al terreno di dilavare, si improvvisa fioriera, lasciando crescere nei suoi interstizi macchie di piante diverse.
Un semplice muro di cinta, invece, diventa lo sfondo ideale per pranzi all’aperto se gli viene applicata una decorazione a piastrelle di azulejos.

Walls come in all different shapes and sizes. They alter our perception space, and can be used for innovative purposes. For example, a wall made of terracotta bricks, otherwise used as a support to prevent the terrain from washing away, turns into a flowerbox with various plants growing in between the joints. A simple boundary wall, on the other hand, becomes an ideal backdrop for open-air lunches if it is decorated with azulejos tiles.

Essendo materiali di origine naturale, i mattoni accostati tra loro creano superfici dalle cromie variegate, con
sfumature di colore calde e sempre diverse.

Given that bricks are made of natural material, when placed together they produce beautiful surface effects
with warm and changing shades of colour.

In vogue more than ever before, brick is one of the most widely used materials for building walls. It withstands the test of time, does not require much maintenance, and its colour brings out the green of every garden. Bricks are made from a mixture of selected clays that are dried in special moulds and then baked at more than 1000°C. The baking
makes the brick resistant to atmospheric agents, and it gives it that warm colour that can go from pale yellow to the more traditional red or brown. Sizes and shapes depend on where the clay comes from, but generally speaking a brick is about 5.5cm thick, 12cm wide, and 25cm long. Facing brick needs to have certain aesthetic (surface quality, uniformity) and technical (stability, strength, durability) characteristics that will guarantee its performance for many years to come. Today’s production meets these requirements, especially handmade bricks.

Muri “trasparenti”
Con gli elementi in cotto è possibile ottenere murature che separano lo spazio senza chiuderlo alla vista. Spesso sono sfruttate come recinzioni o come sostegno per le piante rampicanti. Pur mantenendo la loro primaria funzione di barriera fisica diventano strutture decorative. A destra una quinta in cotto che, combinata a colonne quadrate è l’elegante muro di cinta di un giardino. Fornace Ballatore

‘Transparent’ Walls
Using terracotta you can create walls that separate space without blocking the view, and often they are used as fences or supports for climbing plants. Although maintaining their primary role of physical barrier, they also become decorative structures. Shown right is a terracotta wall which, combined with square-shaped columns, creates an elegant boundary for the garden. Fornace Ballatore.