New Matter Uren glass mosaic collection

Matter Uren is one of the new additions to Matter's own collection: a glass mosaic that sets out to reinvent the idea of modular mosaic. Its design rests on careful attention to detail, in which the geometry flows and the small dimensions of each tessera become large through repetition. The result is a seamless surface.

Matter Uren is the Mist mosaic, manufactured by the Italian company Mosaico+ and designed by the Japanese designer Kensaku Oshiro. It is glass, not ceramic: its tesserae are float glass with a matt finish. In this article we explain how it is made, why the surface reads on two levels, which colours it comes in and what to bear in mind when specifying and installing it.

A modular float glass mosaic

Matter Uren is made up of small rectangular float glass tesserae, in three different sizes and with a matt finish. All are 8 mm wide and 4 mm thick; what changes is the length: 16, 36 and 56 mm. The mosaic has two different joint widths and is supplied mounted on fibreglass mesh, in 300 × 320 mm sheets.

The sheets are designed to fit together by means of a system of interlocking tesserae. Once joined, the pattern continues from one sheet to the next with no visible break, and the result is a boundless pattern.

Two joints, two levels of reading

The key to Uren lies in the joint. The horizontal joint is 2 mm and the vertical one 4 mm. Thanks to this difference, two orders of elements —one horizontal and one vertical— are visually superimposed on two levels, giving the surface a sense of depth.

Depending on the viewpoint, either the larger pieces, marked out by the joints, or the smaller ones stand out, and vice versa. Kensaku Oshiro sums it up with an image that gives the collection its name: ‘As mist suspended in the air reveals its form, Mist reveals new ways of reading the surface in its spatiality, enriched by an innovative sense of depth.’

For the effect to be maintained across the whole panel, the joints between sheets must follow the same rhythm. During installation, 2 and 4 mm spacers are used, following the pattern of the mosaic.

Mist, by Mosaico+ and Kensaku Oshiro

Mosaico+ is an Italian mosaic manufacturer based in Sassuolo (Modena, Italy). It presented Mist in September 2019, among its new products for the Cersaie fair, with the idea of exploring a new way of perceiving mosaic: altering the visual order of the pattern, in the manner of a trompe-l'œil, so that the surface gains continuity in space.

Kensaku Oshiro was born in Okinawa (Japan) in 1977. After a master's degree in Industrial Design at the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, he worked at Lissoni Associati from 2004 to 2012 and then at the BarberOsgerby studio in London. In 2015 he opened his own studio in Milan. According to the manufacturer, in 2016 he was named EDIDA Young Designer Talent by Japan Edition and in 2018 he received the Rising Talent Award from Maison&Objet Paris.

After this article was published, in June 2021, Mosaico+ announced that Mist had been selected for the ADI Design Index 2020, making it a candidate for the 27th Compasso d'Oro. Since 2022, the company has traded under the M+ brand.

Six colours and the role of the joint

The range offers six colours, which Matter groups into three neutrals —White, Grey and Black— and three colour tones —Powder, Red and Blue—. In the Mosaico+ catalogue, the family of neutrals corresponds to Snow, Frost and Pepper, and the colour tones to Peach (Powder), Paprika (Red) and Avio (Blue). All share the same matt float glass and the same pattern of tesserae and joints.

As with any glass mosaic, the colour of the grout is part of the result. That is why the manufacturer proposes a specific grout colour for each shade, which should be taken into account from the specification stage. Printed or on-screen colours are indicative, as the catalogue itself warns.

Key points for specifying and installing Matter Uren

Installation is straightforward because the compositions are modular and arrive mounted on fibreglass mesh; the sheets can be laid either horizontally or vertically. These are the points to resolve at the design stage:

• Setting out by sheets: the module is 300 × 320 mm. Fit the panel to this module to reduce cuts and avoid interrupting the pattern.
• Joints: the difference between the horizontal joint (2 mm) and the vertical one (4 mm) is what creates the effect. It must also be maintained between sheets, using 2 and 4 mm spacers.
• Grouting material: the manufacturer recommends a polymer-modified cementitious grout. If the use calls for epoxy grout, consult its technical department beforehand.
• Grout colour: Mosaico+ specifies a Mapei Ultracolor Plus grout for each shade, from 100 for Snow to 174 for Avio (see the colour table).
• Real samples: printed or on-screen colours are indicative. To settle on the shade, it is best to see it with the sheet in hand.

At Matter we help you choose the colour and grout for Matter Uren and work out its setting-out in your project. Come to our material library to compare materials, colours and finishes with your technical team.