The beauty of imperfection in ‘A Piedi’ by APE Grupo

The ‘A Piedi’ collection and its lattice ‘Occhiata’ expertly blend craftsmanship with ceramic technology, achieving a delicate balance. A series of large-format ceramic pieces seamlessly combine with a contemporary lattice or brise soleil. Davide Doppioni, the designer, is a prestigious figure in the European ceramics scene.

“The beauty of imperfection”: that’s how we can express the essence of the new ceramic collection ‘A Piedi’, with its lattice ‘Occhiata’, designed by Italian artist Davide Doppioni, presented by APE Grupo on the occasion of Cevisama and its fair “The Perfect Mix Experience”, held at its headquarters during these weeks.

Renowned designer and ceramist Doppioni has successfully blended the authentic material language of traditional ceramics with the latest technology, establishing a dialogue that is both simple and complex.

’A Piedi’ is a collection that expresses the sincerity of fired clay taken to its highest point. Technology and the authenticity of ceramics come together to craft a warm and delicate product, boasting high performance and connecting us with our essence and the purity of the material. Thanks to cutting-edge manufacturing processes, terracotta undergoes a metamorphosis into a full-bodied porcelain teeming with expressive nuances in large-scale pieces, each measuring 1X1 square metre.

Doppioni perceives this new creation as “a homage to our ancestral link with the earth and a reminder that, despite technological progress, that bond remains fundamental.”

The selected colours symbolise elements of nature:

• green for vegetation;
• white for light;
• black for the cosmos;
• cotto for earth.

‘Occhiata’, a lattice designed for creating intimate and contemplative spaces

Alongside this collection is ‘Occhiata’, a modular system of three-dimensional ceramic pieces that stack together to create a lattice of extruded stoneware or brise soleil, enabling the formation of patterns with exceptional beauty and harmony.

‘Occhiata’ also introduces an artistic flair with its hand-painted finish, subtly coordinated with the hues of A Piedi. Comprising two distinct and combinable pieces, it facilitates the creation of intermediary spaces, subtle variations, intimacy and shadows. An iconic feature of Mediterranean architecture, the lattice is the quintessential natural regulator of light and temperature, delicately bridging indoor and outdoor areas.

This collection embodies the culmination of deep introspection imbued with wisdom. Because ceramics flow through Doppioni’s veins. At the age of five, he was already honing his craft in his sister’s workshop, and since then, his exploration of ceramics has never ceased, embracing both traditional craftsmanship and the most advanced manufacturing technologies.

Doppioni confides in us privately that “imperfection is an expression of beauty, adding character and reminding us of our humanity. With it, we are creating a deeper connection with the earth and with ourselves.”

“The conscious embrace of imperfection brings me a sense of peace and tranquillity, something I consider essential in the fast-paced world we live in,” notes the Italian designer.

However, beneath his artistic and humanistic background lies a wealth of technological work.

“The challenge lies in finding a balance between artisanal skill and industrial precision. Technology offers us unmatched efficiency, but human intervention is essential to infuse that artistic and emotional nuance that no algorithm can replicate,” he shares.

Doppioni is simply a contemporary craftsman who knows how to push intellectual boundaries to achieve a balance between the human and the technological in his creations. Ceramic is an ancient product that has accompanied civilisations throughout human history without losing its essence because ceramic embodies material sincerity.

A commitment to designer collections and high-end design

With this new collaboration, APE Grupo advances its dedication to designer collections and contemporary high-end design as a distinguishing factor. ‘A Piedi’ by Doppioni joins a line-up of collections crafted by professionals in architecture and interior design. This is the case of Spanish interior designer Erico Navazo’s ‘Material Essence’, Italian architect Luigi Romanelli’s ‘Work’, ‘Argillae’ or ‘AMA’, and American designer Sylvie Atanasio’s ‘Fado’.