Expanding the possibilities of matter with Tratto
Piero Lissoni’s new collection for the Italian brand goes beyond the traditional uses of porcelain stoneware, revealing that novelty can come from a simple shift in perspective.
Porcelain stoneware is a material that many designers would call a “surface” material, generally used for tiles and coverings, for its aesthetic qualities. However, it has been an interesting challenge for companies to experiment with other uses for this technological material, extending into the three dimensions. The industry’s latest experiment is Tratto, a product collection designed by Piero Lissoni for Atlas Concorde. The collection is part of the brand’s broader One Space initiative, which aims to create coordinated ceramic ecosystems, spanning surfaces, furniture, and decorative objects.
Tratto’s key principle is rooted in its use of the porcelain stoneware material. Rather than limiting it to a surface application, Lissoni has integrated it to structural and decorative roles typically reserved for plastic materials. Additionally, the pairing of the material with other counterparts, such as glass, wood, and metal, creates more movement and visual contrast that is not present when ceramics are used in isolation.
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The collection is divided into three main categories: furniture, storage and displays, and home accessories. The furniture line stars Giotto, a table that combines porcelain stoneware tops with glass structures, designed for indoor and outdoor use. Arco is a bench made from bent and painted aluminium with external porcelain stoneware covering. The Hashtag planter uses a welded and painted metal frame covered with 6mm porcelain stoneware.
The storage line includes Libra, a multifunctional console with glass and mirrors; Torre, a shelf and storage element; and Omega shelves, which are designed as complementary elements to the other pieces, in line with the One Space philosophy. The accessories feature Quadro and Disco, serving trays which combine porcelain stoneware with solid ash wood frames; Trama, a minimalist centrepiece; and Filo, a cake stand that can also be a serving tray.
Tratto’s mother company, Atlas Concorde, was founded in 1969 in Modena. It is one of the major players in the global ceramic industry, employing over 2,500 people and with a presence across five continents. Beyond standard ceramic tiles, Atlas Concorde has developed specialised divisions like Atlas Plan, for large format slabs, and Atlas Concorde Habitat for bathroom and furnishing elements, which comprise Tratto.
Piero Lissoni is an Italian architect, art director, and designer who has developed projects worldwide for over thirty years. He serves several high-end Italian furniture brands, including B&B Italia, Boffi, Living Divani, and Lema. Recognised as a master of contemporary design, his collaboration with Atlas Concorde definitely puts the brand on the map as a curated and innovative design production.
Tratto represents a calculated expansion for the ceramics industry, leveraging material possibilities that were previously not in sight. Instead of creating new complex composites for often unnecessary specific functionalities, Tratto’s approach uses an existing material and expands its realm. Tratto is an act of invention, not by addition but by revelation, done by choosing to listen better to what already exists.
