Cruise ships Caesar Ceramics USA, Tiles, slabs and technical solutions

Knowing how to stand out in the world of design really makes a difference. The key to a company's success is offering tailor-made solutions for each customer, combining aesthetic and functional requirements, in a constantly growing and increasingly competitive market. The constant leitmotif is the attention to detail, an important quality for completing each project in a unique and personal way.

Caesar believes in the uniqueness of design and has long had an in-house technical division - CaesarTech Solutions - dedicated to the satisfaction of special requests from designers and firms, offering them not only consulting services and professional solutions, but also the possibility to create tailor-made projects. Caesar porcelain stoneware is the ideal material in this respect: resistant, durable, easy to install and to clean; it is also extremely flexible, meaning that it is a customisable product, suitable for any style, capable of diversifying spaces, giving aesthetics and a sense of well-being to any setting.

Following this corporate philosophy, Caesar was chosen as a partner of excellence in the realisation of two special projects on behalf of ABL-Laatat, a historic Finnish retailer of ceramic tiles keen on architecture and design.

Why Caesar specifically? Certainly for the well-known professionalism of the Fiorano Modenese ceramic company, recognised throughout the world for the culture of the material that is peculiar to Caesar - hence the quality, typical of Made in Italy, and the attention to processes and sustainability - and for the design value to which it was brought. Certainly also because of the long-standing and mutually respected professional relationship between Caesar and ABL. And last, because of the trust which stems from professionalism and the working relationship, and the ability to work as a team. The great ability that Caesar shows in listening to and accepting input not only from the market, but also from stakeholders, leads it to create a really strong network of collaboration and consultancy.

ABL therefore involved Caesar for the development of flooring with a completely customised design for the central lounges of two Costa Cruise ships: uncommon locations which, however, demonstrate all the versatility of the ceramic company and its CTS division, capable of responding to highly technical requirements with customised solutions, while at the same time ensuring a high aesthetic value.

Two bespoke solutions, therefore, the first of which was completed in May 2019 for the cruise ship Costa Smeralda. In the beginning, the project envisaged the use of marble: the noblest of stones and highly aesthetic, but with significant textural characteristics and heavy. To overcome these problems, porcelain stoneware has proved to be the most valid alternative, satisfying all kinds of demands. Indeed, Caesar team, cooperating with the architect, technicians and designers in charge, pointed out that ceramics was suitable to develop the same curved geometry required with a thickness of only 9 mm. As you can easily guess, the possibility of reducing the total weight of the supply proved to be the winning choice, especially for a ship that has to undertake long sea voyages. This was further strengthened thanks to the special features of porcelain stoneware: high resistance to chemicals, to the salinity of the environment, as well as to foot traffic. Functionality, therefore,but also practicality: the product is easy to clean and maintain and is certainly more hygienic than many others.

In such cases, having a well-defined working method can only lead to remarkable results: Caesar knows that for all projects, and even more so where customisation is dominant, it is necessary to concentrate on every operational detail to optimise customer service above all. For this, all pieces were numbered after water jet cutting and each was assigned a specific position in the floor layout. The packaging has also been specially designed, making installation as easy as possible and thus minimising the risk of error. In doing so, CTS has created a truly exclusive grand lounge, which stands out for its naturalness and brilliance and enriched with dark brown decorative textures that give it both elegance and stylistic rigour.

Anima was the Caesar collection chosen to dress the lounge: one of the leading collections in terms of its ability to interpret precious marbles in ceramics. It stands out right because of the many chromatic opportunities it offers. The whiteness of the Anima Bianco Arabesco shade, finely decorated with grey veins, and the intense strength of the brown of Anima Dark Emperador were the two shades that interpreted the stylistic idea of the Costa Smeralda approximately 2800 curved pieces and more than 400 unique shapes.

The success of the Costa Smeralda and the collaboration between Caesar, ABL and the Costa Cruise design team, including the ship's architect Adam D. Tihany, resulted in the new customisation for the Costa Toscana which was completed in February 2022. This is the company's flagship, equipped with a wonderful spa, entertainment areas, refreshment areas, themed bars and 21 restaurants. And it is one of the restaurants to be redesigned again.

Once again a flooring based on curvilinear geometries but characterised by a mosaic in the middle: in an area of about 130 m², more than 1700 unique pieces with curved sides in two colours and more than 1000 rhomboidal pieces in three colours were installed, for a design solution having a different appearance from the previous one, but stimulating the same emotions.

The dominant inspiration - as the ship's name suggests - was Tuscany, with its colours, nature and beauty. The Anima collection with the marble look does it justice. This time it has played with the clear white of Statuario Venato, one of the most sought-after Carrara marbles, that can be recognised by its large light-dark grey veins, and the elegant grey of the Iranian Graphite variant, whose white streaks provide light and movement.

Anima was joined and contrasted by Alchemy, a rigorous interpretation of metal whose beauty is explored in a variety of finishes and colour variants. On Costa Toscana Alchemy was used in the vivid Copper colour.

The end result was a surface that is striking at first glance, with a colourful and 3D texture, arisen from the creativity of CTS. This project made CTS stand out once again, giving a "tailor's cut" to its realisation.