Material inter-actions vs sense trans-actions. Grit surfaces.

This paper examines the topic of the surfaces applied to interiors. It represents a new step in cladding research that broadens the investigation’s hori- zons from soft materials (Pagliarulo & Carullo, 2013, 2018; Pagliarulo, 2017) to rigid materials. This study opportunity is provided by the furniture design research conducted as part of the degree thesis (The paper collects part of the results carried out in the context of the degree thesis entitled: “GE | WAND. Ri | vestimenti di graniglia in terra di Puglia” [GE | WAND. Grit re | Claddings in Apulia]. Relatore: prof. R. Pagliarulo. Studenti: G. Addati, C. Colluto, A. Colonnato, F. Gallone, D. Gentile, M. Losito, A. Marotta, M. Merra, G. Monopoli, M. Morelli, N. Paradiso, G. Pastore, G. Valenza, A.M. Vitucci.), for the Industrial Design degree program at the Polytechnic of Bari, in collaboration with a company ( The company involved in the activity of the degree laboratory is the “Attivissimo”, active since 1950 in the production of grit, pastina and cementine.) that produces cement paste cov- ering in Apulia. Knowledge of both the traditional grit decoration patterns and of the production techniques formed the basis of a process of minute variations in the relationships between the materials. The cement mixture varies in size, shape, colour, and type of aggregates depending on the variational gradients. By enhancing the composition’s register, they also enhance the covering’s percep- tional sensory qualities. By varying the materiality of the composition, the surface rises from a two-dimensional plane of the composition to become an expressive text. The latter concerns mechanisms of perception and sensation, which intercept the most current design issues of interior coverings.