Iris Ceramica Group dresses a former chapel turned restaurant
Presented at Casa Decor 2026, the Italian brand transforms a deconsecrated chapel in Madrid into a refined restaurant through bespoke ceramic surfaces conceived as a tailored architectural skin.
From April 9 to May 24, 2026, Iris Ceramica Group took part in Casa Decor 2026 by transforming the former deconsecrated chapel inside the historic palace at Calle San Agustín 11, in Madrid’s Barrio de las Letras, into a space where historical memory and contemporary design coexist in careful balance. Now in its 61st edition, Casa Decor stands among Europe’s leading platforms for architecture, interior design and decorative arts, annually inviting international designers and studios to reinterpret a historic building in the Spanish capital through immersive installations and site-specific environments.
For this year’s edition, Iris Ceramica Group commissioned interior designer Raúl Martins to create The Silent Chapel, a refined restaurant conceived within the building’s former chapel. The project establishes a dialogue between the space’s strong historical identity and the understated language of contemporary ceramic surfaces, treated simultaneously as an architectural and decorative material.
Gallery
Open full width
Open full width
Iris Ceramica Group – The Silent Chapel:
Iris Ceramica Group reimagines a historic chapel
The building hosting Casa Decor was originally constructed between 1892 and 1895 as the residence of the Marquises of Los Vélez and the Counts of Niebla, following the architectural language of Madrid’s aristocratic residences of the period. In 1926, the palace was converted into a school and convent, while the former carriage stables became a place of worship. Today, the deconsecrated chapel still retains the charm of its Spanish Neo-Renaissance character, enhanced by the original skylight that floods the interior with natural light and heightens its intimate atmosphere.
Raúl Martins approaches the project with restraint, allowing the existing architecture to breathe while layering contemporary materials without altering the building’s identity. Iris Ceramica Group’s ceramic surfaces introduce a renewed material expression without overpowering the historical elements, instead establishing a carefully calibrated dialogue with floors, columns, walls and the fireplace. The concept combines classical references with contemporary sensibilities through mosaic-inspired flooring, geometric motifs, perspective effects and mix-and-match compositions that flow naturally throughout the space.
Within The Silent Chapel, ceramics take on the role of a tailored architectural skin. Floors, columns, fireplaces, tables, shelving and bespoke furnishings were all custom-designed in collaboration with Mogno Woods, the Galician woodworking company specializing in handcrafted timber solutions. The result is a cohesive sequence of material elements that merge ceramic surfaces with artisanal woodwork, from shelving and storage units to bespoke furniture and the reception desk, creating a refined language where technical precision meets tactile richness.
The octagonal table: A monumental ceramic centerpiece
At the center of the restaurant, directly beneath the historic skylight, stands the project’s most theatrical element: a monumental octagonal table that immediately commands attention through its sculptural presence and material purity. Illuminated by a cone of natural light that amplifies its visual impact, the table becomes the focal point of the entire space.
Entirely clad in large-format Selenite White ceramic slabs with a thickness of 6 mm, the piece perfectly embodies the concept of ceramics as a “tailored garment”. The material was cut, shaped and tailored around a large central tree that rises through the middle of the table and appears to stretch toward the chapel’s glazed ceiling. Every side of the octagon has been resolved with remarkable precision, from the tabletop to the vertical cladding and the finely crafted edges and corners, transforming the ceramic surface into a monolithic and seamlessly continuous volume.
The light filtering from above enhances the Jewel finish of the Selenite surface, accentuating its crystalline reflections and layered material depth. Inspired by the natural stone from which it takes its name, Selenite features a luminous, translucent texture composed of delicate crystalline layers that generate shifting visual effects throughout the day. The surface captures and reflects light with subtle intensity, giving the material a vibrant, ever-changing quality that reinforces the immersive character of the interior.
Alongside its aesthetic research, the project also integrates discreet yet highly sophisticated technology. The table incorporates the Hypercharge system at each of the eight seating positions, allowing guests to wirelessly charge their devices through induction technology. The system remains completely invisible, preserving the visual continuity and formal purity of the ceramic surface while seamlessly integrating contemporary functionality into the design.
A tailored approach to ceramics
Beyond The Silent Chapel, Iris Ceramica Group’s surfaces also appear throughout other spaces within Casa Decor 2026, contributing to a broader narrative articulated through different design languages and architectural contexts. In “Orbita e Materia”, designed by Rebuelta Domecq for ITA – Italian Trade Agency, Sapienstone Fior di Viola surfaces define the material palette of floors and furnishings, while Fiandre’s Alpi Chiaro Venato Polished and FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti’s Onice Rosa Polished enhance the immersive quality of the interiors.
In the kitchen installation “Arquitectura del sabor”, designed by Mar Gausachs for Bauhaus, Fior di Viola 4D Cashmere and Marsala Red Natural transform the worktop and sink into bold architectural elements. Meanwhile, in the concept space “El valor de lo invisible”, designed by Cano y Escario Arquitectura for Mapei, Breccia Imperiale Natural clads both the central table and interior walls, creating continuity between horizontal and vertical surfaces, while Patagonia slabs by FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti introduce rhythmic variations without disrupting the project’s compositional balance.
Through its intervention at Casa Decor 2026, Iris Ceramica Group reaffirms its exploration of ceramics as an architectural material capable of operating across different scales, functions and design languages. From architectural surfaces to bespoke furniture pieces, the project presents ceramics as a material capable of dressing space with precision, tactility and contemporary character, establishing a continuous dialogue between history and innovation.
