Spanish Tile as Building Material, Part 3

In my last post, Spanish Tile as Building Material, Part 2, I focused on the fortress city of Teruel (a World Heritage city designated by UNESCO). As a vital area for Mudejar art, a style influenced by Islamic tradition and more contemporary European architectural styles, Teruel’s extensive use of brick and ceramic tile on centuries-old buildings and façades serves as a timeless testament to the importance of ceramic tile as a building material.

The Agora (L'Àgora) building within the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain, is part of a larger complex of facilities designed by Spanish architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela. 

With this final installation of a three-part series, I’ll take you on a journey to Valencia where architecture and design have come together to form a cohesive partnership in the City of Arts and Sciences, followed by Cevisama (the annual International Ceramic Tile and Bath Furnishings Show) where new relationships are formed and the latest technological advancements in ceramic tile applications are revealed.

Paella is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near Lake Albufera. There are three widely known varieties of this sumptuous creation (meat, seafood, and a seafood/meat combination. All three versions feature saffron (the most expensive spice in the world) and olive oil.

Architecture and Design
The City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias), designed by architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, is a breath-taking complex which consists of five main structures, or elements: the Hemisfèric (IMAX cinema and digital projections), the Umbracle (a landscaped vantage point and car park), the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum (an innovative center of interactive science), the Oceanográfico (the largest aquarium in Europe), the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía (an opera house), and Ágora, which offers a multifunctional venue for exhibitions, conferences or meetings. Built along what was formerly the bed of the River Turia, the City of Arts and Sciences was envisioned as THE venue for entertaining and stimulating the minds of its visitors with science, technology, nature, and art.

This detailed view of the Ágora building’s façade illustrates how natural sunlight and the reflection of immediate surroundings can play colorful tricks on the eye. 

Trencadís is a type of mosaic created from broken tile shards. Millions of pieces adorn the surrounding benches, staircases, and building surfaces of the City of Arts and Sciences.

Cevisama, the Event
From Antoni Gaudi to Calatrava, and from centuries past, it’s evident architects and builders have relied heavily on the strength and longevity of ceramic tile. Throughout its rich, multi-cultural history ceramic tile has, and continues to play, an integral role in defining Spanish architecture.

As a result of this reputation, it’s no wonder that Cevisama attracts not only Spanish attendees, but an enthusiastic global crowd as well. During the most recent edition of the annual show, attendees were treated to mind-bending shapes, sizes, lengths, color palettes and textures. Here are several examples of what was revealed during the 2012 edition of Cevisama. Note: The following images were made available by Tile of Spain.

Tile of Spain manufacturer Apavisa's "Archconcept " series

Tile of Spain manufacturer Grespania's "Coverlam" series

Tile of Spain manufacturer Aparici's "Neutral" series

Tile of Spain manufacturer Pamesa's "Mood" series 

I hope you enjoyed this brief sprint through Spain, a country that I look forward to visiting many more times throughout my life. If you aren't able to get to Spain any time soon, then bring Spain into your home with hand-painted Spanish tile offered by Avente Tile, or by contacting your ceramic tile retailer about the products I highlighted above.

Finally, many thanks again to Tile of Spain, the umbrella brand managed jointly by the Trade Commission of Spain in Miami, FL, and the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER) in Valencia, Spain, for the opportunity of a lifetime in participating in their “Reign in Spain A&D Tour.”

Spanish Tile as a Building Material

Ceramic tile use throughout Spain is prolific. Not only can it be seen on the floors and walls of Aragonese countryside homes, but ceramic tile also plays an integral role in the everyday functioning of many embellished palatial royal dwellings. It wasn’t until 2011 when I realized just how much of a role ceramic tile played, not only in the current day-to-day daily life of Spaniards, but the depth and complexity of historical value.

The Basilica Nuestra Senora del Pilar, as viewed from across the Ebro river, features vibrant blue, green, yellow, white and ceramic tile on its main dome, as well as its 10 smaller domes.

Last year, along with four members of the architecture and design (A&D) community, I was asked to join the second edition Tile of Spain’s “Reign in Spain A&D Tour.” Tile of Spain is the umbrella brand managed jointly by the Trade Commission of Spain in Miami, FL, and the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER) in Valencia, Spain. The annual media tour to Spain coincided with Cevisama, the International Ceramic Tile and Bath Furnishings Show held in Valencia. 


The group of architects, interior designers and journalists, including myself, traveled to the cities of Zaragoza, Teruel and Valencia – admiring the Spanish architecture, culture, and culinary temptations – with Cevisama being our final destination. 


Shortly after our arrival to Spain, we were taken to Zaragoza, the capital of the region of Aragon. Located on the banks of the Ebro River, halfway between Madrid and Barcelona, Zaragoza hosted Expo Zaragoza in 2008, where the country showcased its commitment to water conservation, the preservation of the environment and its utilization of sustainable practices. Of course, ceramic tile and terracotta played an integral role in all of this.

The Spanish Pavilion on the grounds of the 2008 Water Expo features 750 terracotta pillars.

The Conference Center of Aragon utilizes 120,000 triangular pieces of ceramic tile on the exterior walls and roof lines.

Walking through the Plaza de la Seo in Zaragoza, we came upon two basilicas, the Cathedral of San Salvador (La Leo) and Nuestra Senora del Pilar. Without a doubt, ceramic tile played both an aesthetic and architectural role in both of these historical structures. The blues, greens and yellows are as vibrant as when they were first applied to the brick exterior of La Leo and to the many baroque domes of Basilica del Pilar.

The tower wall of Basilica of San Salvador (La Leo) features various shapes, colors and sizes of ceramic tile.

A detailed view of the wall shows the vibrancy of the colors and painstaking detail of this installation. 

In my next post, I’ll focus on Teruel (a World Heritage city designated by UNESCO). As a center for Mudejar art, a style influenced by Islamic tradition and more contemporary European architectural styles, the fortress-like city is characterized by extensive use of brick and glazed tiles within its architecture. In the meantime, you can check out the beautiful hand-painted ceramic Spanish tiles offered by Avente Tile.