Fornace Brioni srl

Based on an age-old tradition, cotto is the result of a subtle alchemy of water, earth, and fire.
Relying on know-how passed down from one generation to the next, Fornace Brioni produces earthenware exclusively by hand, utilizing the finest clays slowly deposited by sedimentation on the floodplain of the Po River.

Founded in 1920 and now at its fourth generation with Alessio and Alberto Brioni, the firm has always been a leader in the restoration of traditional floors. The two brothers now look to the future, investing in research and development involving infinite new interpretations of cotto, while preserving a strong bond with history.

Fornace Brioni produces cotto by hand, starting with a mixture of only clay and water, fired at high temperatures. Cotto has the special characteristics of a hand-crafted product: every piece is different from the others.

Cotto is a sustainable material par excellence.

The life cycle of cotto is circular. Throughout the production phase and after firing, any excess is gathered and re-utilized. Prior to firing it remains raw material, while after firing it is ground up for use in chamotte and cocciopesto. All scrap is reinserted in the production cycle.
Cotto is extraordinary because it is made only with clay and rainwater, substantial and natural ingredients that generate an ecological material endowed at the same time with high-tech characteristics.

The term “sustainability” comes from the Latin, sustineo, sustinere, which means to uphold, to endure: the cotto floors found in historic Italian palaces are a demonstration of the durability of an iconic, timeless material.

Appointed as the brand’s artistic director in 2016, Cristina Celestino began with an erudite reinterpretation of the history of the product, to investigate its aesthetic potential, removing the more rhetorical connotations and bringing out its vivid, unique identity.
Focusing on the charm of the Renaissance heritage of cotto, she has worked in an original way on geometric shapes and bas-reliefs, sizes, and combinations of formats, exploring the fine line between crafts and design.

“I think there is nothing more homey, traditional, and reassuring than an earthenware floor. Our objective has been to play with the basic values of the material – Italian identity, excellent quality, durability – and to forcefully bring out its aesthetic connotations, preserving its typical materiality. I have conserved the material’s authenticity, shaping it with references to forms and geometry deeply rooted in the Italian cultural imaginary. We have achieved a result that is totally original, but continues to be reassuring, finding a balance between nostalgia and progress in design.”
Cristina Celestino