Ariostea’s Italian ceramics bring timeless elegance to Switzerland’s sweetest icon
The Lindt Home of Chocolate in Zurich, designed by Christ & Gantenbein, is more than a museum—it’s a cultural experience. Ariostea’s Italian-made Statuario Altissimo slabs form the elegant architectural canvas for a space where history, immersive storytelling and sensory design converge.
Among the many elements that define the architectural language of the Lindt Home of Chocolate in Zurich, one material plays a particularly significant role in shaping its atmosphere and identity: Statuario Altissimo by Ariostea. This sophisticated porcelain stoneware, inspired by the timeless allure of Carrara marble, is not just a decorative choice but a key contributor to the building’s character. Its pristine white surface and bold gray veining bring a classical gravitas to the space, while its technical qualities—resistance to wear, impact, and chemicals, as well as impermeability and hygiene—make it ideally suited for a high-traffic public environment.
But how did Switzerland—a small mountainous country nestled in the heart of Europe—become synonymous with chocolate? And what does ceramic technology have to do with it? At the Lindt Home of Chocolate, both questions find their answer in a beautifully orchestrated architectural experience, where design and material innovation play as crucial a role as storytelling and sensory appeal.
More than just a museum, the Lindt Home of Chocolate is a comprehensive cultural destination. Located adjacent to the Lindt & Sprüngli headquarters and its historic 1899 production facilities, the project celebrates Swiss chocolate heritage through an immersive journey into confectionery history, innovation, and artistry. Seamlessly blending museum, research center, and interactive showroom, the building transforms knowledge-sharing into sensory delight. Upon entering, visitors might expect the whimsical landscapes of Roald Dahl’s chocolate factory. Instead, they encounter the clean lines and bold materiality of contemporary architecture—where the refined surfaces of Ariostea’s Statuario Altissimo provide a luminous, sculptural backdrop to the narrative.
Statuario Altissimo: when Carrara marble meets modern ceramic innovation
Founded in 1961 in Emilia-Romagna—the epicenter of Italy’s ceramic industry—Ariostea represents a flagship brand within the Iris Ceramica Group. The company has built its reputation on high-performance porcelain stoneware that marries Italian savoir faire with cutting-edge technology, producing surfaces that deliver both durability and sophistication.
For the Lindt Home of Chocolate, Ariostea supplied over 3,000 square meters of Statuario Altissimo Silk slabs in 300×150 cm format, subsequently cut to specification. Of this total, 2,168 square meters grace the museum’s floors, while 832 square meters clad the staircase areas. The installation follows a running pattern using 300 cm-long slabs in varying widths, creating seamless visual rhythm and refined material continuity throughout the interior.
Monumental minimalism: Christ & Gantenbein’s industrial cathedral
Swiss architecture firm Christ & Gantenbein designed the Lindt Home of Chocolate with refined minimalism that echoes the industrial language of Lindt’s production facilities. A dramatic concave void carved from the building’s southeastern corner defines the entrance and creates a public plaza, establishing strong visual dialogue with the surrounding industrial architecture.
The project’s heart lies within a monumental atrium spanning 64 meters in length, soaring 15 meters high, and stretching 13 meters wide. This light-filled cathedral of space features mushroom-shaped concrete columns, cascading walkways, and generously proportioned spiral staircases that weave together in intricate choreography. Visitors are immediately drawn into this theatrical environment, dominated by a spectacular nine-meter-high golden chocolate fountain that sets the tone for the multisensory experience ahead.
“Almost reaching an ancient Roman scale, we’ve created an exaggeration of industrial production with a certain tension,” explain architects Emanuel Christ and Christoph Gantenbein. “This tension gives strong presence to the architecturally distinct elements that define the interior, bridging the gap between commercial atmosphere and classical grandeur.”
Within this ambitious architectural framework, Ariostea’s Statuario Altissimo slabs assume a pivotal role. Their classical elegance and modern resilience provide a timeless foundation that enhances the building’s vision. The ceramic surfaces elevate the space’s aesthetic appeal while ensuring functionality—delivering durability and easy maintenance in this high-traffic environment.
Beyond the surface: structural innovation in cultural architecture
Behind the Lindt Home of Chocolate’s apparent simplicity lies remarkable structural complexity. The building functions as an architectural hybrid where aesthetic refinement and engineering innovation work in concert. Its load-bearing external shell and column-free interior volume ensure maximum flexibility for diverse programming—accommodating exhibitions alongside a research and development center, production plant, retail store, café, and chocolaterie for workshops and events.
This multifunctional approach reflects the space’s diverse mission: to educate, entertain, and inspire. Visitors can discover how cacao beans once served as currency, explore ancient chocolate-making traditions from Central America, or learn about innovations that transformed chocolate into a global phenomenon. Every corner contributes to this narrative—and Ariostea’s surfaces play an integral role in this storytelling, helping shape environments that feel both immersive and timeless.
A new landmark paradigm
Christ & Gantenbein’s design successfully elevates a commercial brief into something approaching civic monumentality. Their thoughtful use of space, structure, and material creates an environment where chocolate transcends mere consumption to become an object of contemplation, celebration, and understanding. In this context, the Lindt Home of Chocolate emerges as a cultural landmark that honors tradition while embracing innovation.
Here, Ariostea‘s Statuario Altissimo becomes part of the larger narrative. Its classical heritage and technical resilience make it the ideal complement to an architectural vision that is both enduring and elegant. Perhaps this represents the project’s true alchemy: transforming raw ingredients—whether cacao beans or ceramic particles—into something lasting, immersive, and exquisitely crafted.
