Innovative AI-Driven Sustainable Marble Design Unveiled at Milan Design Week
Courtesy of Reply, ACPV ARCHITECTS
Premiering in Milan during Design Week, “A new AI generation Marble”, where technology, design sensibility and sustainability come together, opening up a future full of new possibilities.
The collaboration between Reply, Marazzi and ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel redefines a new connection between technological innovation and environmental sustainability through the production of innovative ceramics whose design is also generated through Artificial Intelligence algorithms.
A concrete step forward in the adoption of innovative sustainable technologies in industrial production where the integration of generative algorithms, inspired by principles of biomimesis, has made it possible to create patterns that combine the organic uniqueness of the natural world with the algorithmic precision of the digital one. The project, which started in 2023 as an interdisciplinary experimentation between the three realities, now sees the realization of a special production of generated marbles, large stoneware slabs intended to configure some spaces of Reply’s new headquarters in Turin, at the former Caserma De Sonnaz, designed by Reply and ACPV ARCHITECTS.
“We aimed to integrate innovation technology, creativity and interdisciplinary research, in line with Reply’s mission: to apply digital skills and Artificial Intelligence to transform and innovate established processes. The synergy between our team specialized in artificial intelligence and machine learning with those of Marazzi and ACPV ARCHITECTS has made possible the creation of new ceramic surfaces that reinterpret natural marbles.” comments Tatiana Rizzante, CEO of Reply.”
For Patricia Viel, CEO and Co-founder of ACPV ARCHITECTS, “This project is an example of how artificial intelligence, nurtured and guided by the architectural vision, can amplify human creativity and redefine production processes. The ceramic surfaces resulting from this collaboration are not simply coverings, but unprecedented marbles, where technology and design sensibility come together.”
One of the main challenges faced by the team of Machine Learning Reply, Reply Group company specializing in Artificial Intelligence, and ACPV ARCHITECTS was to reproduce marbles on a large scale, without creating an optical hallucination effect and maintaining realistic effectiveness applicable on large architectural surfaces, up to 3.2 meters in height.
Paolo Mazza, Architect Partner at ACPV ARCHITECTS, leading the project and Reply’s new headquarters, confirms, “The innovation is also in the method: thanks to our Digital & Design Technology department, and the Reply team, we used advanced generative AI models, combining denoising and super-resolution algorithms with architectural expertise to create large-scale ceramic surfaces capable of evoking natural aesthetic quality without affecting the geological heritage. A process that expands creative possibilities and places design in a field of continuous experimentation.”
The adoption of these “generated marbles” is part of a path that opens up new creative possibilities and, at the same time, allows for the optimization of key steps in the production process, such as material procurement and logistics. Marazzi, a major player in the industry, applies these algorithms to develop high-performance surfaces, integrating the technology into more efficient and resource-conscious production.
Mauro Vandini, CEO of Marazzi and President Mohawk Global Ceramic, comments, “Our mission has always been to innovate and improve production processes while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability. This project demonstrates how generative AI can transform ceramic design, creating surfaces that not only respect the environment, but also elevate the aesthetic and functional standards of the industry.”
The application of these products within the regeneration project of the former Caserma De Sonnaz transforms the new Reply hub into a laboratory for the future, demonstrating how design mastery and cutting-edge technology can complement each other in perfect synergy.
Generative AI expands the creative potential of design beyond traditional limits and paves the way for potentially infinite solutions, enhancing Made in Italy craftsmanship skills and environmental protection. A challenge that engages not only the world of design, but redefines the the paradigm of industrial production.
