ATELIER
FRANCISCO
CUNHA



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Portuguese tile painting atelier specializing in architectural, design, and decoration projects.


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Meditation Center in Mendoza, Argentina, 2024
Creating Three Panels with Portuguese Tiles for a Meditation Center in Mendoza




Introduction
The first contact was made after the client saw our Portuguese tiles. The client was opening a new meditation center in Argentina and wanted to know if it was possible to hand paint and ship three personalized tile panels with 3 metres x 3 metres. We’re used to hand paint larger scale works and ship them abroad, however, this project introduced us to a new concept. Instead of installing Portuguese tiles on the wall, the client wanted them as flooring in the main room of the building.
First Steps and Design Options
The design of the panels was decided by the client, matching the theme of the building: Greek Gods and their respective planets.
The three main elements chosen by the client were Venus, Mercury and the Sun of Argentina.
We did three distinct sketches for each tile panel which were approved  beforehand by the client. We also sent different frame design options for him to select. The client also requested the panel to be monochromatic, just like Portuguese tiles.



Creating the Design
As we were creating a personalised tile panel for flooring, we thought it would be interesting to keep some traditional Portuguese tile elements however creating a composition reminiscent of a tapestry.
To illustrate the Greek Gods we adapted images of sculptures and historical paintings.



Technical Challenges and Solutions
Portuguese tiles are always a good option for decoration because they’re highly resistant to any environment. Whether installed indoors or outdoors, they can last for eternity. For Portuguese tiles to be installed as flooring, since they are more likely to get scratched or break if something falls on them, we had to ensure they were resistant enough. We decided the best option was to use thicker tiles and, after being painted, we added an additional coating of glass to protect the panel. That way, we were able to guarantee durability and image preservation.



Shipping and Logistics
Each panel was 3 metres x 3 metres, which meant we had a high volume of tiles to be shipped abroad. To ensure that the tiles arrived safely across the ocean, we designed two wooden boxes fortified with stops and pallets underneath for transport. The tiles were packed between 15x15 cm cut styrofoam, with additional styrofoam around them inside card boxes. Each box was reinforced with more styrofoam.



Final Expectations
The tiles arrived safely to the meditation center in Argentina. Now, we wait their installation and we can’t wait to share pictures of the final result. It’s a great pride to have our Portuguese tiles around the world.


franciscocunha.atelier@gmail.com
+351 936 203 690




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