7,600 square metres of porcelain for an Australian hospitality venue

The award-winning The Star complex in Sydney is a sixty-floor skyscraper designed by the Australia- and UK-based architecture firm FJMT (Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp) in accordance with the criteria of organic architecture. The buildings stand out for their sinuous and sculptural forms and for the use of solutions that reflect the geometries of nature while reducing environmental impact and adopting efficient, low-energy systems consistent with the highest Green Star rating.
The complex includes a series of public spaces and parks, research centres and municipal meeting areas, as well as hospitality and dining venues.
This is the backdrop to the interior design project for the Astral Tower hospitality facility, carried out by the Melbourne-based practice Lombard&Jack, who explained their compositional philosophy as follows: « Our portfolio reflects the diverse nature of our work, which currently includes hospitality, commercial and residential projects. We approach each project individually and constantly seek new and innovative solutions for each design. Our creative and discerning eye leaves our clients confident that the attention to detail and the quality of the design will be maintained throughout the entire project. »
The creative process is organised in a series of stages on different scales, from the architects who designed the overall complex to the designers responsible for the interior design, and finally to the furnishings of the Astral Tower hotel bathrooms.
For the important choice of surface coverings, the architects from Lombard&Jack opted for the Geostone porcelain tile collection from Ceramiche Piemme. Available in various sizes, it offers plenty of freedom in terms of design and composition, and stands out for a sophisticated texture created through intense R&D work. Based on innovative digital printing technologies, the surface finish combines a uniform, consistent colour with a variety of vein effects that make each tile unique. Thanks to this technology, Geostone offers an ultra-realistic impression of natural stone, complete with the irregularities typical of stone cutting operations.
Some of the slabs chosen for the bathroom have a 3D Velvet texture that adds surface grip, making them particularly suitable for use in wet areas.
The porcelain slab production process is also consistent with the eco-sustainable philosophy of FJMT’s project. Recyclable, durable, low-maintenance and created using an industrial process optimised for minimal environmental footprint, the 7,600 square metres of Ceramiche Piemme porcelain tiles together with the other design elements were awarded Greenguard certification.