Water Jet Cutting Ceramic Tiles For A Public Art Competition In Switzerland

We have written in the past just how versatile water jet cutting can be but often there is no better way to demonstrate this than by picking out one fascinating case study.

A happy customer got in touch recently to tell us how the ceramic tiles we had cut for them were used. 

This wasn’t a public bathroom, or other common usage, this was to help renovate a beautiful building in Switzerland, we are proud to know that our tiles are key to a renovation that is also a piece of art, a project known as Queen to Bishop; A Rite of Passage.

Those working on the project were kind enough to send us some pictures through and also give details of the project – we will use their words to help show how an artist’s vision can be turned into reality through water jet cutting.

On a personal note, as a company, we are also delighted to be able to serve clients around Europe, Switzerland and nearby France and Germany of course have some fine water jet cutting companies so it is humbling that an increasing number of European companies are using our services at TMC Waterjet. 

We believe our reputation for quality and our use of the very latest technology gives us a competitive advantage.

The Project

The building 

The new building, designed by architects Bak Gordon & Maurer, includes an enclosure with a study room and garden at the core of the building. From here, a U-shaped corridor connects this inner area with the classrooms and existing building. 

This corridor zone is reminiscent of a cloister gallery and the building has a comparably minimal aesthetic.

An independent contrasting element in the building is the wooden screen to the study room, which partitions the study area and garden from the corridor with a diamond-shaped grid.  

This creates a central hall that focuses on quiet and concentrated study.

(please note: All the photographs are copyright of the artist, Rachel Lumsden)

 

 

The tiling project- a dialogue with the building.

Ceramic tiles were decided upon to introduce accents of intense, lustrous colour. 

The designers proposed relatively small tiled surfaces to offset and enhance the building rather than to compete with the prevailing aesthetic of the architecture. 

The areas ideally suited to the addition of ceramic tiles were the light wells and staircases, which can act as both “picture-plane” to convey the pattern as well as natural framing to the building’s features with their demarcated surfaces.

 

 

Commenting on the precise nature of the cut, the customer mentioned:

The proposed pattern for the project was based on trapezoidal shape cut very precisely by means of water jet and repeated in a three-colour-way scheme in jade green, deep red and eggshell white. 

The grout joints, also in eggshell white, are regarded as an intrinsic part of the ornament.

 

Why Use TMC Waterjet

The completed building looks stunning and we are proud to have played a part in this project, acting as a facilitator who makes the vision possible (we would never claim to have the artistic insight of those designing the project!).

The project fits perfectly with our ethos of doing a superb job every time, whatever the project – we have worked with huge industries, we also work with individuals who need us for a one-off job. As long as our machines are busy water jet cutting, we are happy.

We have decades of experience, the latest technology with XD Cutting (this is technology that can cut three-dimensional shapes in one process) and can also manage the logistics to ship globally.

However, we remain a business that is family-run – you can see our team by heading this way. 

If you require parts cutting, whether that is for industry, an art installation or anything in between, please do get in touch so we can discuss your bespoke requirements.