EARTHIC® LAB, the immersive installation that Cosentino presented last week at Milan Design Week, has been awarded the Special Mention in Technology at the 3rd edition of the prestigious Fuorisalone Award 2024. Conceived together with the Formafantasma studio, the project challenges the conventional approach to design, emphasising the importance of production processes over mere aesthetic varnish. The main objective of EARTHIC® LAB X FORMAFANTASMA is to take the visitor on a transformative journey, showing the painstaking process of creating the new Silestone®XM collection, EARTHIC®, highlighting the importance of truly sustainable design.
This real example of the union between technology, innovation and sustainability has been recognised by the organisers of FuoriSalone, the agenda of exhibitions and proposals that fill the streets of Milan every year to celebrate design and art in style. This year the event has once again set record figures with 1,125 events in the Guide with 838 connected brands, as well as an online audience of 630,000 users (23% more than in 2023) from 162 countries. For the past three years, the Fuorisalone Awards have been selecting the most memorable installations or projects exhibited and of great interest to the international design community.
Apart from the main prize for the best installation, the Technical Committee and the Fuorisalone editorial team seek to highlight the most relevant projects for the world of design, which compete for four Special Mentions (Interaction, Sustainability, Technology and Communication). With these awards, Fuorisalone wants to emphasise the value of Design Culture, which does not necessarily manifest itself only in its physical and aesthetic expression, but also in its deeper content, producing value and offering alternative and more avant-garde visions.
In the case of the Technology category, and this edition specifically about EARTHIC® LAB X FORMAFANTASMA, the award distinguishes Cosentino’s project for «leading innovation by restoring a balance between human beings and their environment, highlighting the use of technology as a fundamental pillar in the protection of the planet». The installation was selected from among hundreds of installations that congregate during Milan Design Week, winning in this modality against proposals from companies such as Google, Samsung or KIA, among others.
«This recognition is a turning point in our long history with Milan Design Week, and confirms that our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, embodied in both the installation and the EARTHIC® series, is valued by the international design and architecture community. I would like to extend my sincere thanks, and that of the entire company, to all those who have contributed to making this achievement possible: to the Formafantasma team for their creativity and vision of sustainable design. To our collaborators, clients and suppliers. And especially to Cosentino’s Marketing team for their effort, dedication and attention to every detail», says Damián Granados-Lorca, Cosentino’s VP Global Marketing.
The jury in charge of the Special Mentions was formed by different personalities from the world of art, design and architecture such as Francesco Zurlo, Dean of the School of Design of the Politecnico di Milano; Nicola Ricciardi, Artistic Director of Miart; Federica Sala, Curator and EIC of The Good Life Italia; Giada Daniele, architect; and Caroline Corbetta, Curator of Contemporary Art and Director of Il Crepaccio, among other professionals.
EARTHIC® LAB exhibits the creation process of EARTHIC® by Silestone®XM, the capsule collection, whose official launch will take place next May, which translates into a new generation of sustainable surfaces with a composition of up to 30% of non-conventional and recycled materials, and with a maximum of 10% of crystalline silica. The collection is also endowed with a unique aesthetic that is born from within, as a result of its production process, and materialises Cosentino’s vision of a sustainable surface design that does not compromise on quality and performance.
