Embedded Files
The arbitrary fourth, placed in alphabetical order, of a series of four pages titled ‘Cairo Tiling As’ …, in which instances are shown as architecture, flooring, paving (exterior to Egypt) and here as wall tiles of various types. Typically, these are commercial. If any reader knows of other instances, I would be more than delighted to receive details and include them on these pages.
The format for each entry, in which I strive for consistency, is a follows (which has evolved and will likely continue to do so):
1. Beginning with the company name and country, I then discuss the marketing name (if any), such as Penta, or Pentax, or similar, or indeed dissimilar, amid a general discussion. Other matters, such as history, contact, is discussed elsewhere as a separate entity.
2. Contact with the company for picture permission and background details, with picture/s, if permission has been granted. Typically, if so, I show one or more pictures. Further, the favoured format is in two aspects; first, a picture of the overall scene, to better put the paving in context with the surroundings, and then second, a detailed, close up view of the pentagons, to better view the geometry. However, this ideal is not always realisable; sometimes not both of the ideals are available, with only one or the other picture available. When picture permission is not forthcoming, the picture is omitted, with just a text entry only. However, I do not always receive a reply! Typically, the bigger the company, with branches worldwide, the less inclined they are to reply. In years gone by, upon an initial failure in response, I would try again after a definite break, upon which if no reply was received I would thus give up on the company. However, now, with time running out for me at the age of 60, I limit my enquiries to a single mail. In a sense, although galling to an investigator such as myself, a lack of response is understandable to a degree in that I am not purchasing the tiles; the information is not ‘vital’ in a commercial context! Although that said, I do indeed offer good publicity!
Further, with experience gained on major companies, on occasion I think the better of it, for better or worse, and simply do not bother. If any companies reading this who have not responded, or have not been contacted and would like to correspond, I would be delighted to hear from you!
3. The year when introduced, if known, into their range, and so establishing a history. As a broad premise, the older the instance the better, although ‘old’ examples are few and far between. Typically, this is generally omitted, especially in a commercial context. In short, knowing this will permit a history of sorts, albeit of a bare minimum. As such, of most interest are older instances, loosely defined. Most of the instances seen are of recent times, in the 2000s. Of a date to define ‘early’, the 1970s, and the earlier the better!
4. Whether the Cairo connection is made. Is the manufacturer/stockist familiar with the Cairo (city) association? Typically, this is not stated, of which whether the manufacturer is aware is left open-ended and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling, is thus unknown. However, as the Cairo tiling is indeed a rare named association of a tiling, this, to me at least, gives added interest, and so ideally would be included, even if just mentioned in passing.
5. The geometry. As discussed elsewhere, the geometry can vary, from a pentagon that is a ‘near square’ to a ‘near rectangle’ and everything in between, albeit typically, the instances are of a ‘mid-range’ pentagon. On occasion, such details are to be found in the catalogue.
6. Company background. Some brief details of the company, for general interest.
7. Links to the sightings, typically of the company.
8. Acknowledgements, if a response from the company was forthcoming.
The reason for this compilation is threefold, in order of importance:
1. A simple documenting of all instances, for the sake of general interest.
2. Any interested reader who desires a Cairo tiling for their home (wall or floor) can find the nearest stockist with relative ease. Of course, this is also certainly restricted to one’s home country, as otherwise the cost of shipping would be disproportionate as to the project. I make no recommendations here as to the quality of the goods offered.
3. A nod to the ‘mathematical tourist’, who upon visiting any of the towns and cities here may want to pay a visit. For obvious reasons, not all sightings here are visitable, being on private property. Although most have been sufficiently identified for this purpose, I will provide more exact details upon request (if available). In particular, I would like to add to my collection where photo permissions have been refused. Do send me something if seen on your travels!
A collection of instances of wall tiles, invariably of a commercial nature, mostly ceramic tiles, mostly used as interior design, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Quite how best to order these is subject to review. As a broad statement, these are commercial products, with the company, if of a large concern, typically exporting worldwide. Should it be placed under the country of the manufacturer, or where so found? There are pros and cons to both. For now at least, I place under the country of installation.
As such, it is not always a straightforward task as may otherwise be thought to attribute a certain tile to a specific company and thus country of origin! In short, some companies seem to stock other companies tiles! For instance, the Tileworks company of Northern Ireland market ‘Pentax’, also marketed by HRG Heragi. Bedrock tiles market ‘Penta’, also by HRG Heragi! And they in turn…? Therefore, at times, considerable confusion and doubts arise. I can only do my best, with details here to be presumed as correct as can be.
The Listing
Stone Concepts Oz Company (Australia), Quanzhou Guanpeng Trading Company (China), Xiamen Just Stone Co., Ltd, (China), Laattakeskus (Finland), Normandy Ceramics (France), France, Caro Centre (France), OBI (Germany), Rajdhani Marble & Tiles (India), Gigacer Ceramics Company (Italy), Marca Corona Ceramics Company (Italy), Pastorelli Company (Italy), Refin Ceramiche Company (Italy), Casalgrande Padana Company (Italy), Ceramica Colli di Sassuolo S.p.A. (Italy), Casabella Ceramiche (Italy), Artis Visio (Poland), Ceramika Nowa Gala (Poland), First Base Pizzeria (South Africa), Ceraspaña International 39’ (Spain), Cerámica Decorativa (Spain), Almera Cerámica (Spain), Kutahya Seramik Company (Turkey), Termal Seramik (Turkey), Arndale Shopping Centre (UK), Daniel Ogassian (US), Lea Nigel Studios (US), and Augmented Architectures (US).
Australia 1/1, Stone Concepts Oz Company
Stone Concepts Oz, of Sydney, Australia, is a relatively small company that describes itself as ‘stocks only the highest quality natural stone finishes and the latest styles’. From this, they are thus best described as suppliers rather than manufacturers, as the stone is outsourced from India. They have a website, but it is not searchable. They market the Cairo tiling as both wall and floor tiles, simply titled ‘Pentagon Series’, in stone, although there is only the one pentagonal (Cairo) tiling in their range. This is available in three colour variations, Himachal Black (black slate quarried in India), Silver and Copper. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association. The angles and dimensions of the tile are not known, although the thickness is 11 mm and 18 mm (likely of the wall and floor, respectively).
I did not contact the company, judging that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, to a foreign, non-commercial query.
https://www.stoneconceptsoz.com.au/pentagon-series.html
https://www.stoneconceptsoz.com.au/images1/pentagon-1-4.png (detail)
China 1/2, Quanzhou Guanpeng Trading Company
Quanzhou Guanpeng Trading Co. is a major Chinese company (with a billion US dollar turnover) that describes itself as both manufacturing and supplying tiles, wall and floor, of all types, such as ceramics, terra cotta, and others. They have a presence on the Hi-Supplier business-oriented website, in English. Their main markets are Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America and many other countries. They market the Cairo tiling as wall tiles only (not floors), oddly titled ‘Star Shaped Design Pentagon’. There are seven versions, albeit of a like nature, broadly differentiated by colour and a mottled appearance. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range, but seeing as the company began in 2004, it is relatively recent.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, judged a major foreign conglomerate, with no obvious point of contact for a non-commercial query.
China 1/2, Xiamen Just Stone Co., Ltd.
Xiamen Just Stone Co., Ltd, of Xiamen, Fujian, China, is a company that describes itself as a ‘large-scale stone business company and quarry owner, factory, importer, and exporter’. They have a presence on the web portal Stone Contact site, in English. They market the Cairo tiling as a ‘Mosaic Tile for Hotel, Kitchen, Bathroom Decoration’. It is not clear if this is a wall or floor tile, or possibly with dual-use. The tiles are not titled with a trade name as such, but rather by a letter and number description (as with others in their range), namely W42. The stone is of Grey Foussana Limestone, a kind of grey limestone quarried in Tunisia. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
The angles, dimensions and thickness of the tile are not known. No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged, fairly or unfairly, that they would likely not respond to a non-commercial query of foreign origin.
Finland, Laattakeskus Company
Laattakeskus of Vantaa, Finland, is a company that describes itself as a ‘Specialty store for wall and floor tiles’. It would appear that they are suppliers rather than manufacturers. They have a website in both Finnish and English and are searchable, and have a minor presence on Facebook. They market the Cairo tiling as both a wall and floor tile in three colour versions, accordingly titled ‘Pentagon Grey’, ‘Pentagon Light Grey’ and ‘Pentagon White’, imported from Indonesia. The Cairo tiling was introduced into their range in 2019.
The angles and dimensions of the tile are not known, although the thickness is 10mm.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling, is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I contacted the company for further details, but they did not respond.
https://laattakeskus.fi/tuote/5-m2-outlet-pentagon-grey-150x100-mm-kivimosaiikki-400-koko-era/
France, Normandy Ceramics
Normandy Ceramics, of Normandy, France, is a seemingly small, artisanal company that describes itself as a ceramic tile manufacturer. They have an extensive website in French, with an English option only, but it is not searchable, as well as a social media presence, with Facebook and Twitter. They market the Cairo tiling seemingly for wall tiles only (and pictured as such). The Cairo tiling is titled, among their collection range, as ‘Cairo Pavers’, and so they are aware of the City connection, although the connection is not described in any great detail, with simply ‘paved from Cairo’, and nothing more. It is seemingly available in nearly 150 (sic) colours. The angles and side lengths are not stated (albeit given as height and width in the specifications), although the thickness is, of 10 mm. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
For once, for the mathematical tourist, I have exact details of the locations of two installations, both seemingly possible to visit, or at least ask to inquire first. Both are in Paris:
1. Wayo - School of Traditional Dietetics and Japanese Cuisine, seemingly a restaurant
2. Keeze House, seemingly a hotel, near the Champs-Elysées.
I contacted the company, and although I received an initial helpful reply from Bertrand Foucher, promising pictures upon contact with the designer, this has not been forthcoming.
https://www.normandy-ceramics.com/catalogue/pave-du-caire/restaurant-wayo--paris-135.html
https://www.normandy-ceramics.com/catalogue/collections/paves-du-caire-136.html
https://www.normandy-ceramics.com/catalogue/realisations/bureaux--paris-196.html
France, Caro Centre
Stockists
Background
Born into a family of tilers, the creator of Caro-Centre has spent almost his entire life in the tiling industry since 1962.
In the family business, where development had led to the creation of several tile stockists in Orléans, the first tile discounter in Europe (Raboliot) was born, at the same time as the first DIY discounter (Monsieur Bricolage).
Greycale
https://www.caro-centre.fr/catalogue/refin/mosaico-penta-soft-ret-21760
Germany, Wermelskirchen, of OBI Company
OBI, of Wermelskirchen, Germany, is a major company that describes itself as a home improvement and DIY store. They are the largest DIY retailer in Europe, and the third-largest in the world, behind The Home Depot and Lowe's. That said, it was only during this research that I had heard of them (and for that matter Lowe’s too) - they are unknown in the UK!
They have an extensive website in German, which auto-translates into English and is searchable. They market the Cairo tiling as wall tiles only, distributed widely around Germany and Eastern Europe, with 650 stores. Germany has 354 stores, with Italy the next, with 56 stores, but oddly none in the UK or France! The Cairo tiling is titled, curiously, as ‘Berlin Penta’. It is available in three colours: black, grey and white. The angles and side lengths are not stated, although the thickness is, of 9mm. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
Oddly, I could not find any reference to the tiling on the native German site, but rather it was initially found on an Italian site! Searches for ‘Berlin’, ‘Penta’ and the German translation for wall tiles ‘Wandfliesen’ proved fruitless. But it must surely be there! Pictures are at a premium, and only show close-up detail, rather than as an actual wall tile in context with the surroundings. Given the widespread nature of the company, one would expect the tiles to feature in many homes, not just in Germany, but if so, I have not seen any.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, judged a major foreign concern, with no obvious point of contact for a non-commercial query.
India (1/1), Rajasthan, of Rajdhani Marble & Tiles Company
Rajdhani Marble & Tiles, of Vishwakarma Industrial Area, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, describe themselves as a manufacturer and supplier of ‘Sand Stone, Lime Stone, Tiles & Slab, Marble & Granite, Elevation Stone’. They market the Cairo tiling as marble stone in two varieties, ‘white pentagon’ and ‘small pentagon’, stated as dual-purpose wall and floor tiles. This is marketed on IndiaMART, India's largest online marketplace. Each page has the bare minimum of detail, restricted to product detail and commercial matters. It is unknown when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
Upon an August 2019 request for background details of the reasons for the choice of tile and photo permissions, they did not respond.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/white-pentagon-stone-mosaic-tiles-20480425773.html
https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/small-pentagon-stone-mosaic-tiles-20480379688.html
Italy (1/7), Gigacer Ceramics Company
Gigacer, a major Italian ceramics company based in Faenza (of historical significance to pottery, detailed below), has used the Cairo tiling in two ways, as flooring and wall coverings. (As this is a dual-aspect sighting, the former is also discussed on the ‘As Flooring’ page.) These are marketed under the ‘Argilla’ range. The instigation and reason for the selection of the Cairo tiling are unknown. Likely, this is ‘modern’, loosely defined; I have seen these marked at a presumed trade fair of 2015, and it appears to have been launched in 2016. The tiles are made from quartz.
I have not been able to find any reference to the Cairo tiling on the company's site, or on related architecture sites, where it features quite heavily. However, the angles 123° (2), 90° (2), and 114° are indeed given, as well as the lengths, with a base of 490mm and sides of 842mm.
Argilla
Argilla
Italy (2/7), Pastorelli Company
Pastorelli, of Modena, Italy, describe themselves as ‘in the construction of floor and wall tiles’. They have a website, in Italian as well as English, French and German. They market the Cairo tiling as porcelain stoneware, wall and floor tiles, simply titled ‘Vanguard Pentagono’ in three versions, ‘light, rust, and smoke’. The tiles are of two types, ‘plain’ and with a secondary design of chevrons of sorts, which seems somewhat odd.
It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range. No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association. The side lengths and angles are not detailed. Presumably, one can order directly from the company, but another supplier is Sorgente s.r.l.
I did not contact the company, judging that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, to a foreign, non-commercial query.
Italy (3/7), Refin Ceramiche Company
Refin Ceramiche, of Casalgrande, Italy is a major company who describe themselves as an ‘innovative tile company’, offers a wide range of Italian porcelain tiles and Italian ceramic floor tiles. They have an extensive website in Italian and an impressive seven other languages(!), and a like social media presence on Facebook. They market the Cairo tiling at least as wall tiles and possibly floors too (although only pictured as wall tiles) suitable for the bathroom. Unfortunately, this is titled in a most confusing way, with a variety of names, of varying degrees of depth. As best as I can make out, this is titled ‘Penta’ in the ‘Greycale’ range, also subtitled ‘Breezy Charme’ (sic). Another instance is ‘Mosaico Penta Soft’. It is available in six colours, or more exactly shades: Ghiaccio – ice, Acciaio – steel, Grafite – graphite, Fango – gray-brown, Sabbia – sand, and Crema – beige) without any interior decoration. The angles, side lengths and are not known, although the thickness, is, of 9.5 mm. This relatively thin tile thus presupposes wall tile use only. Although not stated as such, the pentagon can be seen to be equilateral. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range, but is likely relatively recent, as it was exhibited at the Cersaie trade event in 2017, rather than at the inception of the company, in 1962, detailed below.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, judged a major foreign conglomerate, with no obvious point of contact for a non-commercial query.
Italy (4/7), Casalgrande Padana Company
Casalgrande Padana, of Casalgrande, Italy is a major company who describe themselves as producer of glazed stoneware products. They have an extensive website in Italian, with English, French and German options and a like social media presence on Facebook, although their site is not particularly conducive to viewing. They market the Cairo tiling for both wall tiles and floors (although only pictured as wall tiles). This is titled ‘Mosaico Penta’ in the ‘Resina’ range, available in three colours, light brown (Tobacco), dark brown (Havana), and black (Black). The angles, side lengths and are not known, although the thickness is, of 11 mm. This relatively thin tile thus presupposes wall tile use only. Although not stated as such, the pentagon can be seen to be (almost certainly) equilateral. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
Casalgrande Padana
No mention of the connection as to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, judged a major foreign conglomerate, with no obvious point of contact of a non-commercial query.
Company details and background
Casalgrande Padana, founded in 1960, is the first Italian company that focused its production on stoneware.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, judged a major foreign conglomerate, with no obvious point of contact for a non-commercial query.
https://www.casalgrandepadana.com/en/product/resina/ (see second picture)
https://www.neptuno-carrelages.com/media/carrelages/PADANA%20RESINA/Granitoker%20-%20Resina_0.pdf (see pp. 17, 19, 23)
https://tile.expert/en-us/tile/Casalgrande-Padana/resina/a/10824423-mosaico-penta
Italy (5/7), Ceramica Colli di Sassuolo S.p.A.
Ceramica Colli di Sassuolo S.p.A. (of the Vallelunga & Co group), of Fiorano Modenese, Modena, Italy is a major company who describe themselves as tile manufacturers. They have an extensive website in Italian, with English, French and German options and is searchable. They market the Cairo tiling for both wall tiles and floors (and pictured as such), distributed around the world. The Cairo tiling is titled, among their 19-tile collection range, curiously as ‘Preston’ (amid other such arbitrary titles), and oddly without any reference to a pentagon (albeit referred to as ‘Penta’ in the specifications of the catalogue)! It is available in four muted colours: Grigio, Bianco, Nero and Greige (grey, white, black and grey). The angles and side lengths are not stated (albeit given as 16” x 12” in the specifications of the catalogue. A secondary source, Decor Tiles & Floors, of the UK, gives 310 x 410 mm), although the thickness is, of 9.2 mm. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
No mention of the connection as to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, judged a major foreign concern, with no obvious point of contact of a non-commercial query.
Geographically, the Sassuolo district produces eighty per cent of all ceramic tiles in Italy, with more than 300(!) ceramic factories operating. The city is currently the centre of the Italian tile industry in the world.
http://www.colli.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Catalogo-Preston-LOW.pdf (see pp. 1 (wall), 10 (floor), 12 (wall), and minor technical details: 17, 19, 21, 23–24
http://www.colli.it/collezioni/preston/?lang=en
Italy (6/7), Marca Corona Ceramics Company
Marca Corona is a major Italian ceramics company based in the (famed) Sassuolo district (discussed below), with a long-standing history, producing designer Marca Corona tiles and porcelain stoneware since 1741, and is, perhaps not unexpectedly, the oldest ceramics company in the Sassuolo district. The Sassuolo district produces eighty per cent of all ceramic tiles in Italy, with more than 300(!) ceramic factories operating. The city is currently the centre of the Italian tile industry in the world.
Background details on the Cairo tiling here are sketchy; I have not been able to find this on their website, although others seemingly have! The catalogue serves admirably, though. It appears to have been instigated in 2015 at the Cersaie 2015 exhibition (the world’s largest exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings), possibly titled New Luxe, which included other tiles.
No mention of the connection as to the Cairo association is made in the catalogue (and presumably the site too), and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this.
http://www.halmannvella.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Newluxe_HalmannVella_MarcoCorona.pdf
See pages 5-7, 23, and 27.
Italy (7/7), of Casabella Ceramiche
Casabella Ceramiche is seemingly an offshoot in some capacity of Ceramica Colli di Sassuolo, although much here remains unclear, and indeed, is frustrating and trying at times to unravel. They share a common framework website, as does Ceramica Colli’s parent company, Vallelunga & Co group. Therefore, as I detail below, whether this can be truly considered as a distinct entry is not clear. The similarities all round are obvious. However, although I consider it fully justifiable to include in combination with the Ceramica Colli entry, erring on the side of caution, I thus include it as a separate company.
Casabella Ceramiche describes itself as a ‘Colli Ceramiche di Sassuolo Spa’ brand specialized in the commercialization of ceramic wall and floor coverings for indoors, outdoors and public spaces. They have an extensive website in Italian, with English, French, German and Spanish options and is searchable. They market the Cairo tiling for both wall tiles and floors (although only pictured as wall tiles), distributed around the world. They seemingly market the same Cairo tiling, titled ‘Mosiaco Penta’, with more or less the same colour description (Bianco, Grigio, but with Anthracite rather than Negro), but under a different name, or collection, ‘Regio’ (which translates as ‘King’).
The Cairo tiling is titled, among their 19-tile collection range, curiously as ‘Regio’ (amid other such arbitrary titles), and oddly without any reference to a pentagon (albeit referred to as ‘Mosaico Penta’ in the specifications of the catalogue)! It is available in three muted colours: Grigio, Bianco, and Anthracite (grey, white, and black). The angles and side lengths are stated as 16” x 12”, which echoes the specifications of the Ceramica Colli catalogue. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, judged a major foreign concern, with no obvious point of contact for a non-commercial query.
As to the company background, there is next to no detail. Likely, as an (almost certain) offshoot, it is more modern than the parent company, Ceramiche Colli. The founder’s name is not given. No other relevant detail is given.
http://www.casabellaceramiche.it/collezioni/regio/?lang=en
http://www.casabellaceramiche.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Volantino-Regio.pdf
Poland, 1/2, Artis Visio Company
Artis Visio, of Bielsko-Biała, southern Poland, specialise in architectural and decorative products made of concrete, as well as other materials, such as ceramics and wood. They appear to be both manufacturer and suppliers. They have made extensive use of the Cairo tiling, with no less than four different appearances, as concrete, titled ‘Killi’ and solid wood oak, titled ‘Tercio’. The circumstances behind such a quadruple use have yet to be determined; it can hardly be coincidental! On the use of the pentagon, they say, rather vaguely:
It’s difficult to describe the shape clearly, it’s a pentagon, but the proportions of length and sides that make it close on the surface. This is, of course, the basic condition for designing wall tiles. We already know that it was a very successful project. It enjoys great popularity, not only in Poland.
This possibly alludes to the Cairo association, but it's far from certain. No explicit mention of the connection as to the Cairo association is made on their (extensive) website, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is not clear. Upon a request for more details the company responded, telling me that this was a generic pentagon, them being unaware of the Cairo association.
One notable installation at the Manchester Arndale Centre, UK (see under the UK entry), a renowned mall, the largest (with over 240 retailers) of a chain of Arndale Centres built across the UK in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the sighting here is not from that time; rather, this is more modern, of 2017. There is another sighting at Christchurch, New Zealand, at an ‘office facility’, although the exact building was not identified.
© Artis Visio
Artis Visio produces high-quality architectural and decorative products made of concrete. They have completed nearly 2,700 projects for their customers. Patterns of wall tiles of concrete tiles were made in technology, architectural concrete GRC. It’s a technology that gives very high strength material with decorative wall tiles that have minimal base thickness (the concept of such concrete wall tiles was new to me!). Artis Visio products can be purchased in 15 countries around the world. No date is given for the company's beginning.
https://artisvisio.com/cement-3d-tiles/kili-kilis/
https://artisvisio.com/carballo/oak-wood-tile-tercio/
Acknowledgments
Paulina Lenartowicz, of Artis Visio, for background details.
Poland, 2/2 , Ceramika Nowa Gala Company
Ceramika Nowa Gala, of Końskie, Poland, is a company who describe themselves as ‘specializes in the production and sale of porcelain stoneware tiles that are used outside and inside buildings, apartments and public utilities’. It would appear that they are both manufacturers and suppliers, although the latter is a little uncertain. They have a website in both Polish and English and is searchable. It is not entirely clear if this is a wall or floor tile, or both; the only pictures show a close-up detail, without context. They market the Cairo tiling under the brand ‘Aquamarina’, along with other tiles of various shapes, available in white and black. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range.
The angles, dimensions and thickness of the tile are not known. No mention of the connection to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company for further details.
Russia 1/1 Suppliers
StroyPokupka Company
https://torgsp.ru/otdelochnie-materiali/plitka/mozaika/rustic-r-308/
South Africa 1/1, First Base Pizzeria
Another, so far unique instance, at least in combination, is that of flooring and wall tiles from First Base Pizzeria, of the Paddocks Shopping Centre, Cape Town, South Africa. This is a splendid sight indeed, of a multiple six-colouring, albeit without any apparent structure and appears to be of a modern-day installation, of 2016. This was designed by Inhouse Brand Architects, although the story behind its installation is unknown.
Spain (1/3), DSIGNIO, and Peronda Group
As such, this instance is a collaboration between two Spanish concerns, DSIGNIO, an integral design studio and Peronda Group, a manufacturer of ceramic wall and floor tiles. In short, DSIGNIO did the designing, whilst Peronda Group did the manufacturing. In more detail, DSIGNIO is a Madrid, Spanish, integral design studio, starting its activities in 2002, and has received several awards and mentions. Peronda Group is a manufacturer of ceramic wall and floor tiles. This includes the brands Peronda Ceramicas, Museum, Harmony, Duomo and Kerum. The group has sales offices in Spain and abroad. Their origins date back to the 19th century. However, this joint production is of a more modern nature, of 2015.
© Patxi Cotarelo, DSIGNIO, KIN ceramics
© Patxi Cotarelo. Detail
Spain (2/3), in ‘Ceraspaña International 39’ Magazine
As such, a somewhat curious and obscure instance from Spain in ‘Ceraspaña International 39’ is to be found on the front and back covers of a German edition tile catalogue titled ‘Das Magazin für Spanische Fliesen. Herbst 2006’ (Translated: ‘The magazine for Spanish tiles. Autumn 2006'). However, much of the background here is decidedly unclear! What is known (or can at least be inferred) is that this was shown at Cerasaie 2006 (the world’s largest tradeshow for ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings, which is held in Bologna, Italy each year). First, there are uncertainties as to the manufacturer. There is a reference on the cover to three companies: TAU Cerámica, Cerámicas Aparici and Gayafores. An ‘appropriate’, but not an exhaustive search of all three company websites, as well as a ‘general’ search proved fruitless, and so who would thus appear to be the company concerned remains unknown. Perhaps the three companies above have no connection and are simply the main sponsors in some way? 35 companies exhibited at the event! Further, finding this is fraught with difficulty in terms of time; the reference was thirteen years ago, and so it may have been discontinued. Second, I cannot find any reference in the catalogue to the pentagonal tiling on the front and back covers! It’s all most mysterious. Third, the title page gives ‘Ceraspaña International 39’, obviously of a Spanish root, which is Tile of Spain's quarterly magazine, which further confuses the overall picture… Can anyone shed any light on this?
Front cover of catalogue
Spain (3/3), Cerámica Decorativa
Background details of the company are most sparse indeed, with two mails unanswered. Indeed, even the country of origin is unclear with various uncertainties; although seemingly of a Spanish concern, there is also a Serbian company with the same name. However, likely, indeed certainly, with trade company details, detailed below, it is Spanish. Further, whether the company is still in business is unclear; Google reports that the business is permanently closed and their home page, from a Kompass link (Kompass is a business directory, with access to more than 35 million companies in more than 70 countries), is no longer operative. From what little detail is available, their business is, or was, the manufacturer (and presumably selling) of ceramic tiles.
‘Floor Daily’, of 2007 on ‘Exhibitors Readying Their Coverings 2007 Rollouts’ gives, in ‘New in Tile & Stone’:
Decorativa (Booth 5908) plans to debut the Aichi Series, colorful pentagon-shaped tiles with raised imprints on each adding a chic, modern, one-of-a-kind, playful feel. The color range includes a choice of brights, such as orange, pistachio, red, turquoise, white and brown, among others.
Joanne Furio, of SFGate, on a piece on ceramic tiles titled ‘Tile marches after fashion / Ceramic tiles sport sleek metallics, texture, bold patterns and colors, as trends more quickly jump from Europe to America’ states, briefly, of 2007:
Aichi tile is pentagon-shaped.
Aichi’ would thus appear to be a brand or range name, possibly made up. Aichi is a prefecture in Japan. But there is no apparent connection here. This at least puts a date on the instigation of the tile, and so is thus ‘modern’, loosely defined.
Cerámica Decorativa
There is only one known picture. Does anyone know more about this company and the tiling?
https://www.floordaily.net/floorfocus/exhibitors-readying-their-coverings-2007-rollouts
https://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Tile-marches-after-fashion-Ceramic-tiles-sport-2584447.php
SFGATE is the Hearst-owned website sister-site of the San Francisco Chronicle and the go-to online source for all news and entertainment related to the Bay Area.
Turkey (1/2), Yigit Ozer and Kutahya Seramik Company
An interesting instance with the Cairo tiling is shown by Yigit Ozer, a Turkish designer, in conjunction with the ceramic company Kutahya Seramik, who are a major ceramic tile producer and outlet in Turkey. The company, of 2012, marketed a related range called Nexus, of hexagonal tiles that are cast with two relief designs: Penta comprises four pentagons, and Hexa comprises two hexagons and two diamonds, in combination with a Cairo tile. However, whether this is still available is unclear; I cannot find this range on their website; possibly it has been discontinued; all the references are seemingly from 2012-2013, although on their Facebook page from 2018, it is still seemingly available.
The tiling has attracted much critical acclaim and has been awarded the Red Dot Design Awards, one of the most prestigious design awards of the world, with its Nexus series, which is defined as the 'future of ceramics'. Further, the Nexus series has previously received three awards from GOOD DESIGN, organised by the Chicago Museum of Architecture and Design. It is also much discussed in Turkish magazines and journals.
No mention of the connection to the Cairo tiling on the Dezeen link above, or elsewhere, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling, is unknown.
There is seemingly little detail on Yigit Ozer himself; his website is down for maintenance as of this writing (2 August 2019). However, he does appear to have some reputation in the world of design.
https://www.dezeen.com/2012/06/30/nexus-by-yigit-ozer-for-kutahya-seramik/
https://www.ngkutahyaseramik.com.tr/basin-haberleri/26032013-ng-kuetahya-seramik39e-bir-oeduel-de-red-dot39tan
Turkey (2/2), Termal Seramik
Termal Seramik (Thermal Ceramic), of Istanbul, Turkey, describe itself as tile manufacturer. They have a website in Turkish only, but is automatically translatable, but is not searchable. They market the Cairo tiling for both wall and floor tiles, of which this is not transposable. The Cairo tiling is titled, among their extensive range, as ‘Pentagone’. For wall tiles, it is available in four colours: bone, grey, brown and blue, and in combination, of all four. The ‘combination’ appears to have additional interior decoration. This is available as a 22.5cm x 60cm (9” x 24”) tile. For floor tiles, it is available in two colours: bone and grey. This is available as a 45cm x 45cm (18” x 18”) tile. However, neither does not correlate with a single pentagon tile as such. Possibly, rather than a single tile, this is rectangular and square, with ‘many’ pentagons. The angles, side lengths and thickness are not stated. It is not known when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range, but as the company was formed relatively recently, in 1995, it is thus not ‘old’.
Termal Seramik
No mention of the connection as to the Cairo association is made on the site, and so whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. Likely, they are unaware of this association.
I did not contact the company, judged that they would likely not respond, fairly or unfairly, judged a major foreign concern, with no obvious point of contact of a non-commercial query.
United Kingdom (1/1), Manchester, of the Arndale Shopping Centre
Installation at the Arndale Shopping Centre, Manchester, UK. The centre is well known in the UK as a major shopping centre, and is one of the biggest. The tile is by Artis Visio, of Poland, seemingly from 2017. An unexplained feature is the largely randomised dark and light arrangement, without any discernible structure.
© Tung Ken Lam
'Professional Amateur'
Acknowledgements
My thanks to Tung Ken Lam for drawing this sighting to my attention and sending more pictures.
'Professional Amateur' of Twitter for the detailed picture.
United States (1/3), Los Angeles, by Daniel Ogassian
Daniel Ogassian, of the US, is a Los Angeles-based artisan turned industrial designer, has used the Cairo tiling extensively in his work (amid other tilings), of walls and floors in a variety of ways and materials, with crossovers, and off-shoots, so much so that it is not a straightforward task to document and unravel! And then there are further complications in unravelling with his partnership in marketing with the Ann Sacks company. Indeed, unravelling all this is most frustrating at times! That said, three main instances of the tiling are identified, all with the prefix of Penta, two of which are of wall tiles (I list all three below for the sake of completeness):
1. Penta, an outdoor tile for floors, of concrete
2. Penta Flora an indoor tile for wall, of concrete
3. Penta 3D (8.750” x 11.875” x 0.500”) an indoor tile for wall, of ceramic
And then there's the ‘Ogassian Field Tile’, and ‘Black and Bronze Tile’, seemingly of a metallic finish, of uncertain purpose. Perhaps these are the same; it's difficult to be sure! And then, seemingly he has licensed other foreign companies for the Penta tiles. Therefore, understandingly, perhaps more so than with other entries on this page, the commentary here is subject to revision. However, I have broadly finally established an ordered entry after two previous efforts that were essentially lacking.
Penta Flora, as the name suggests, has a mirror-symmetrical floral design of five petals, whilst the Penta and Penta 3D instances are plain, without any interior decoration.
His website, of six sections, is somewhat curious; some pages are slow to load, and some do not load at all! Home, About, Designs work, albeit slowly, whilst Catalog, News, Contact all fail!
© Daniel Ogassian, Penta Flora
© Daniel Ogassian, Penta 3D
There is no mention of the Cairo association on his website. Despite a 9 October 2011 request for background detail of the reasons for the choice of tile, the Cairo association, and other related matters, although I received a brief (three-line) reply, nothing on my queries were satisfactorily resolved. Therefore, whether the use of the Cairo tiling is purposeful or accidental, the latter in the sense of a generic pentagon tiling is unknown. However, given the lack of reference, likely he is (or was) unaware of the association. The angles and side lengths are not given, although height and width are, or at least of Penta Flora, 17” x 14¼”. Again, there is uncertainty here. Another Penta Flora reference (on the ‘tear sheet’) gives 8.250” x 11.000” x 0.500” and Penta 3D 8.750” x 11.875” x 0.500”. It is unknown when the Cairo tiling was introduced into their range, or can be implied from when the website was formed, as this is not stated. However, it was at least 2011 when I found his interest, as evidenced from my email to him.
Also, see the ‘As Floor Tiles’ page for the floor tiles.
https://ogassian.com/product/penta-3d/
https://www.archiexpo.com/prod/daniel-ogassian-64419.html (All Ogassian at a glance.)
https://pdf.archiexpo.com/pdf/daniel-ogassian/ogassian-catalog/64419-231889.html
United States (2/3), Michigan, of Lea Nigel Studios, run by James Nigel and Andrea Lea
Lea Nigel Studios, run by James Nigel and Andrea Lea, of Northern Michigan, US, are the owners of two-person ceramics studio. Here, the emphasis is on a home cottage studio, handcrafted nature, rather than a global concern, with bespoke orders a possibility. Among the variety of tiles on offer is a considerable feature on the Cairo tiling (being aware of the background), which can be described as their speciality! This is available in a range of sizes, styles and colourings, with Grand Cairo, Petite Cairo, and Split Cairo.
© Nigel Lea, 'Grand Cairo'
https://leanigel.com/
https://leanigel.com/collections/specialty-field-tile/products/grand-cairo
Acknowledgements
Andrea Lea, for permissions and additional details.
United States (3/3), Augmented Architectures, Frank Melendez and Seth Payne
Frank Melendez, of Augmented Architectures, and Seth Payne, a ceramicist, both from the US, in a collaboration, used the Cairo tiling as a prototype for a wall-mounted tiling system. However, this collaboration does not appear to be on an equal footing; Melendez appears to be very much the leading figure here, with the ideas and concepts, whilst Payne seemingly ‘merely’ puts this project into reality, as a ceramic artefact. Further to my conjecture, Melendez discusses this extensively on his website, whilst Payne does not mention it on his. Quite best how to ‘assess’ this as to what it inherently is, is not easily done. Certainly, it is not a wall tile in the conventional 2D sense, as with others here. However, as it is stated as for a wall, I have nonetheless decided to include.
Melendez titles this as ‘Cairo Cast’, and wrote about the project in [1]. It is not entirely clear if the project continued beyond the prototype stage. As can be seen, this is of a 3D ceramic, of which I excerpt the first lines from the article:
The second project, titled Cairo Bloom, is the result of a collaboration with Seth Payne. The project explores the potential to create a three dimensional tiling system, based on the Cairo Tessellation, that achieves variation within a field through the use of a components with subtle differences. In this study, an algorithmic pattern of curves, within the boundaries of an irregular pentagon, was produced to generate the tooling paths for a CNC milling machine....
The Cairo association is made, and so the use of the Cairo tiling is indeed purposeful. The angles and dimensions of the tile are not stated.
I contacted Melendez for more background details and image permissions, but he did not respond. I did not contact Payne.
References
Melendez, F. ‘Computation and Clay: Evolving Fabrication and Performance Strategies for Ceramics in Architecture’, 2015. American Institute of Architects (AIA)/Association for Collegiate Schools in Architecture (ACSA) Intersections Conference, Intersections Between the Academy and Practice: Applied Research in Architecture Education That Advances Practice.
https://www.brikbase.org/sites/default/files/Intersections2015_15.pdf
The article. See pp. 112–114.
For those who are intending a home DIY project, or indeed, of just general interest, note that floor and wall tiles are not interchangeable, as previously, I believe, I once thought. There are important differences; indeed, there is a whole lot more to this than I thought! Tiledevil.co.uk has compiled a good, succinct guide, of which I excerpt below:
What's the Difference between Floor Tiles and Wall Tiles?
Tiles intended only for use as wall tiles are often lighter and thinner than floor tiles.
The glazes used in the manufacture of a wall tile are also different to those used for floor tiles, and are not designed to resist abrasive forces from foot traffic.
Different tiles can be made from different types of clay and different types of glaze. Tiles produced exclusively for walls are inherently not intended to be load bearing.
Floor tiles can of course be installed on a wall; however, they will still be referred to as "floor tiles". Many of our 30 x 60 tiles, for example, are floor tiles, but more often than not they're installed on bathroom walls. But they are still referred to as floor tiles.
Who Decides Which are Which?
An independent rating system classifies ceramic and porcelain tiles according to their strength and durability. The Porcelain Enamel Institute rating (PEI rating) of tiles is a measure of how much wear and tear a tile can take:
Group 0: These tiles are unrated, and are only suitable for use on walls.
Group I: These tiles are suitable only for areas of very light traffic, where shoes are unlikely to be used, such as an upstairs’ ensuite. The surface of the tile could be easily marked or scratched by only a small amount of harsh treatment.
Group II: Areas of the home which are not exposed to the highest levels of traffic, or not likely to come into contact with significant quantities of dirt or other abrasive materials. So the hall and kitchen would not qualify here, but a living room and bathroom would.
Group III: Any residential area, or indeed some light commercial areas, where the presence of abrasive dirt etc. is not excessive.
Group IV: Any residential area, commercial areas such as restaurants, exhibition areas, hotel rooms, showrooms, where there may be significant traffic.
Group V: Substantial or very heavy traffic, such as shopping centres, commercial entrances, hotel lobbies, and industrial workplaces. Theses tile are generally more expensive than tiles in the other categories.
Any tile that is unrated or fails to qualify for even a Class I rating is referred to as a “wall tile”. Wall tiles must only be used on walls. Floor tiles (any tiles that have achieved a Class I – Class V rating) are made from materials that are suitable for installing on the floor. The glaze is super durable, and they're up to 20% heavier than wall tiles.
In summary: Wall tiles are suitable for walls only - floor tiles can go on either.
The Difference between Wall and Floor Tiles, and Style:
Due to the impervious or vitreous nature of ceramic and porcelain tiles, and the hardened glaze which is usually fired onto their top surface, tiles are normally found in bathrooms, wet-rooms, and kitchens. At a minimum, hand-basins and the area around bathtubs should have a tiled backsplash of wall tiles. This is to prevent water damage to painted plaster surfaces in a home.
Many styles of wall tiles are presented with a high gloss finish. Due to the slip risk, it’s less common to find high gloss tiles on bathroom floors.
It’s more common to find wall tiles with decorative embellishments than is the case for floor tiles. Coloured bands, trims, borders, and listellos (often featuring mosaics) are sometimes embedded within wall tile installations. The mosaics might contain a blend of small pieces of polished travertine, mother of pearl, glass, and brushed aluminium. The purpose is purely decorative, and to eliminate any visual monotony of a large, unicolour wall. This looks great in an expensive installation with floor-to-ceiling tiling.
27 June 2025 Google New Sites Update. The conversion from Classic Sites had left the page in a somewhat disjointed manner, a common finding on long pages, as here, with random text box breaks, which I now correct with 'one entry, one text box'. Also, the conversion had text put in some sections into columns rather than across the page, making for a disjoint appearance. This I now correct. Also, I corrected the text in Grammarly (pending a more intensive reappraisal), with more errors, some basic, than I care to admit. Also, upon a considered reading, I decided to remove what can be termed as 'peripheral text', namely with the company background and geographical matters thereof. Although not entirely out of place, this somewhat bloats the piece with little to no advantage for the reader, whose main interest is in the paving. If any reader is interested, the detail is preserved on the Wayback Machine page on Classic Sites. Also, I moved the DIY project details to the end of the page rather than at the front, as the reader is likely more interested in the tiles themselves rather than DIY matters.
8–10 July 2025. Upon the initial overhaul, above, I went through the links given for being live. Probably, about 50% (from 2019) were no longer active.
Also, companies, especially the smaller ones, come and go. Stocks may become depleted and so no longer advertised. Pages also move. This being so, I deleted these companies.
Page History
Essentially created as 'Ceramic Tiling': 11 November 2015, with KIN Ceramics. 12 November 2015 Huguet.
Re-organised 4 April 2019 under changed title, 'As Ceramics' as part of a new themed series of the 'Cairo Tiling As...' instances. Re-organised shortly afterwards once more, re-titled as 'As Wall Tiles', to better reflect the purpose, rather than the (ceramic) material, which can, I believe, apply to both floor and wall.
12 June 2019. Spain, DSIGNIO and Peronda Group text added.
3 July 2019. United States, Daniel Ogassian added.
22 July 2019. Italy, Faenza, Gigacera company, Argilla range added.
29 July 2019. Spain, Cerámica Decorativa picture and text added.
30 July 2019. United States, Nigel Lea picture and text added.
2 August 2019. Turkey, Yigit Ozer and Kutahya Seramik text added.
5 August 2019. Italy, Sassuolo, by Marca Corona Ceramics Company text added. Revised and expanded 15 August 2019.
6 August 2019. Spain, Ceraspaña International 39’ picture and text added.
16 August 2019. Poland, Artis Visio, text and pictures added.
27 August 2019. China, Quanzhou Guanpeng Trading Co. text and links added.
28 August 2019. China. KST Building Materials Co. Ltd. of Guangdong, text and links added.
29 August 2019. China. Xinbotao Ceramics Co. Ltd., text, picture and links added.
30 August 2019. China. Caron Stone Co., Ltd., text, picture and links added.
3 September 2019. Finland. Laatakeskus text and links added.
5 September 2019. Poland. Ceramika Nowa Gala, text, picture and links added
11 September 2019. Italy, Pastorelli text, picture and links added
18 September 2019. China, Xiamen Just Stone Co., Ltd, text, picture and links added.
23 September 2019. Italy, Casalgrande, Refin Ceramiche, text, picture and links added.
24 September 2019. Italy, Casalgrande, Casalgrande Padana, text, picture and links added.
25 September 2019. Italy, Ceramica Colli di Sassuolo, text, picture and links added.
26 September 2019. Italy, Casabella Ceramiche, text, picture and links added.
27 September 2019. France, Normandy Ceramics, text and links added.
30 September 2019. Spain, Almera Cerámica, text, picture and link added.
1 October 2019. Turkey, Termal Seramik, text, picture and link added.
8 October 2019. Germany, OBI, text, picture and links added.
31 October 2019. United States, Augmented Architectures, Frank Melendez and Seth Payne, text and links added.
15 November 2019. United States, Daniel Ogassian, revised and greatly expanded
Page updated
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