Umbrella Comunicare Design and De Marchi Verona join Milan Design Week (April 17-23) with the new Maya collection of Ultrafine Porcelain modules for surfaces.

Very thin porcelain is not new—in fact, it dates to Marco Polo’s travels when he brought it back from the Far East under the guise of “white gold”—but De Marchi Verona’s technological expertise with the material is: “With sophisticated references and refined aesthetics, Art Director Giacomo Totti transports this age-old craft into the contemporary era, turning it into an innovative product in which exclusivity and personality abound.”

De Marchi Verona’s made-in-Italy process results in an extremely durable material with an unparalleled elegance. The ultrafine profile manifests as three-dimensional modules with a glossy sheen, dense tactile feel, and compelling coloration.

The collection features circular forms and irregularly shaped pieces that reference varied aesthetic and artistic traditions: everything from pre-Colombian art to Art Deco to 1950s punk fashion. The innovative shapes also encourage creative configurations: “geometric patterns and compositional labyrinths, where joints-more or less wide-contribute to the final aesthetic.”

The ultra-high firing temperatures required to make porcelain render it nearly impervious to pollution, weather, and fluctuations in temperature, making it ideal for wall coverings, external facades, and pool decks/surfaces.

Get further details at De Marchi Verona and Umbrella Comunicare Design.