When it comes to premium aesthetics, few natural surface materials can match the depth and variety of cork and Granorte has become a master in manipulating it into a range of extraordinarily beautiful surfaces and objects.
As man-made waste and the impact of plastics on the environment become an ever-flowing stream in the consciousness of businesses and consumers; designers are tasked with finding materials that can rival synthetic materials in terms of usability, but that have a far less damaging impact on the environment. In many circumstances, when it comes to the interiors of homes and businesses, cork is the answer. With excellent thermal and acoustic properties and the ability to be turned into floors, walls, fabrics, furniture and even sanitaryware; the natural and renewable material has a multitude of uses.
Granorte is at the heart of cork revolution, driving change through applying state-of-the-art manufacturing and innovative thinking to how the material can be worked and transformed into objects that are not only usable, but offer a range of advantages over synthetic alternatives. Take for example, Granorte’s incredible NuSpa range of sanitaryware. Machined from a solid block of agglomerated cork by a seven-axis robotic milling machine, the collection is not only an impressive feat of engineering; but it offers better thermal performance than metal and acrylic. The same is true of flooring and walls too, where cork’s excellent ability to deaden sound, stay warm and remain looking good puts it ahead of alternatives.
Paulo Rocha, product and R&D manager, Granorte: “Cork is an exceptional material, not just for its abilities to seal wine bottles, plug gaps and work as a material to reduce the weight of rail rolling stock; but as a serious and proper alternative to synthetic surfaces in commercial and domestic interiors. We simply love working with this fantastic material and finding novel ways to exploit its properties.”
Granorte’s 3DFORMS wall tiles are a prime example of this, with the Portuguese manufacturer crafting five three-dimensional tile structures that can be used to create dramatic walls that still observe a natural aesthetic. Using 100% post-industrial recycled natural cork, the tiles come into their own in busy restaurants, bars and other businesses where an ability to soak up sound quietens rooms and lowers conversation noise levels. Finished with Corkguard, 3DFORMS is also durable enough to withstand use in commercial environments and requires minimal maintenance.
For designers looking for materials that are natural and renewable while remaining entirely functional and practical for everyday interiors, than cork has to be first on the list.
For further information visit granorte.co.uk, or call 01785 711131
