A masculine concept of architecture

Designing a home in Bel Air is always a challenge, as the architects from the DI Group will confirm after inaugurating the Tigertail mansion in 2021, one of the latest high-end properties to be built in the area.
The elegant Bel Air neighbourhood was founded in 1923, when businessman and tennis champion Alphonzo Bell discovered oil under his farm. He bought a ranch, then divided up the property and developed it as large residential lots. The neighbourhood was planned as part of the so-called «Golden Triangle» together with two other luxury areas, Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills.
Frequently mentioned in gossip columns, Bel Air is a residential area renowned for its luxury mansions surrounded by extensive grounds. Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Aniston, Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift are just a few of the celebrities who over the years have chosen to make their homes in this neighbourhood in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains and less than twenty kilometres from Los Angeles.
The investor wanted the Tigertail residence to have a strongly masculine look, with an ultra-modern architectural design combined with a colour palette dominated by dark wood.
Alongside wood, the home features a wide variety of stone-inspired surfaces as well as inserts that clearly reference the raw look of Brutalist concrete, all of which combine to give a very clear and distinctive feel to the large spaces of the house.
Thanks to these distinctive features and its meticulous design, the home was chosen as the Single Family Residential category winner in the Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition 2022.
Marble and stone-effect ceramic tiles were not only chosen for the walls but were also used extensively on the furnishings and in the bathrooms, as well as on the fireplaces and exterior walkways.
The use of numerous Italian stone-look collections in a compelling mix-and-match approach has created highly customised spaces while giving a clear identity to the overall design.
Around 9,000 tiles were used as surface coverings and furniture cladding throughout the entire project.
The Epika collection from Supergres, chosen in the Shell version inspired by a French limestone, was used for the exterior paving around the perimeter of the home and much of the flooring in the living and kitchen areas.
In the interior, tiles from Imola Ceramica’s Genus collection in the colour Black were specified for large sections of the walls. Dark colours were also used for the large shelves and storage units in the kitchen, where tiles from Laminam’s I Naturali collection in the Nero Greco version inspired by marble from the Caucasus region were chosen for their powerful visual impact.
Marble again served as the inspiration for the Nero Marquina tiles from the Infinity brand used for the wall inserts which also accommodate the living room fireplace.
The dark matt colour scheme continues in the bathrooms with the H.24 Dark collection from Supergres, Grey from Imola Ceramica’s Muse collection and Raw Grey in the brutalist look of Refin’s Design Industry series. The Form collection from Sant’Agostino used on the bathroom walls is also inspired by exposed concrete. An equally unconventional effect is achieved on the walls using tiles from Refin’s Overlay collection, Real Alley version, inspired by a series of abstract works by contemporary artist Toti Scialoja. These powerful tones and textures are softened by the contrast with the light shades White from Imola Ceramica’s Muse collection and Snow from Refin’s Tune collection.