Ceramics as a blank canvas

From ancient decorative traditions to the contemporary surfaces that shape homes, hotels, public spaces and landmark buildings, ceramics have always played a central role in the way we inhabit and experience spaces. Over the centuries, this material has continuously evolved, reinventing itself while retaining its timeless appeal. Today, ceramics can do much more than provide aesthetic and functional value: they can communicate identities, cultures and design visions. But what if they could go even further? What if ceramic surfaces could be fully customised, becoming one-of-a-kind creations designed specifically for a single project?

This idea is at the heart of DYS – Design Your Slabs, the technology developed by Iris Ceramica Group that turns ceramic slabs into a true blank canvas. The system enables images, illustrations, patterns and graphic content to be reproduced on large-format surfaces, creating unique projects where creativity and innovation come together. In this way, customisation becomes a storytelling tool: surfaces are no longer simple coverings but visual narratives that express identity, enrich spaces and give projects a deeper meaning. The potential of DYS is particularly evident in artistic and cultural projects, such as Questa stanza non ha più pareti (“This Room Has No More Walls”), the site-specific installation created by Francesco Simeti for Fondazione Officine Saffi in Milan. Drawing on an extensive iconographic research spanning different eras and geographies, the artist transformed the walls into a continuous visual narrative composed of decorative motifs sourced from ceramic traditions around the world. Thanks to DYS technology, every detail, texture and imperfection was faithfully reproduced, turning the surface into a living archive of cultural memory and artistic expression.

The same storytelling approach can be found across a wide range of contexts, from public architecture to hospitality and contemporary design. At Melbourne’s new Arden Station, customised ceramic slabs provide the canvas for a large-scale public artwork exploring themes of identity and belonging, while also contributing to the building’s environmental performance. At Vienna’s Leo Grand Hotel, bespoke ceramic surfaces create refined, tailor-made interiors that enhance the guest experience. Meanwhile, in Reloaded, the latest collaboration between Diesel Living and Iris Ceramica, DYS technology reinterprets the aesthetic language of traditional Persian rugs through a contemporary lens. The journey continues in Barcelona, where the entrance portal to the exhibition Seny i Rauxa uses customised ceramic surfaces to create a striking architectural landmark and a powerful symbol of identity. In each of these projects, DYS demonstrates how ceramics can move beyond their traditional role to become a bold and highly personal form of visual expression.