Urbi & Orbi
2024 —
Urbi & Orbi
A dialogue between past and present, shaped by the history of the Mediterranean, where traditional matter meets contemporary vision. Founded in Athens in 2012, Urbi et Orbi aims to present the possibilities of concrete as the primary material for refined design products. For Urbi et Orbi, CTRLZAK developed an artistic direction that traces concrete back to its origins — Formed in the Mediterranean, expressed to the world — a mission that becomes method: a cultural and material legacy reinterpreted into a global design language.
Mediterranean – Closed Sea, Open View. A unique way of life, the Mediterranean spirit is a result of a multitude of cultural expressions, stemming from its warm climate and varied geographical morphology. A past, rich in historical, symbolic and traditional references, reinterpreted into a contemporary innovative language.
Plasticity – Freedom of Form. At first glance solid and immutable, concrete is actually a fluid material, which carries the traces of human effort and ingenuity. Limited only by imagination, concrete can take any form.
Lifecycle – From the Ground and Back. Composed of simple materials that come from the ground -rock, sand & water- the mixture is created through the cohesion of cement (constituting only 1/10 of the mixture) making it an inert mass that can be assimilated back to the environment. Build for longevity, but with the capacity to turn back to its initial materials, directly to the ground.
Under CTRLZAK’s direction, the brand explores the Mediterranean not simply as a place, but as a layered condition — geological, historical and symbolic. From rocky coastlines and sun-bleached landscapes to archetypes shaped by centuries of exchange, the Mediterranean emerges as a living archive of forms and meanings.
