Project Story: Ceramic Tiles as the Visual Signature of Zamet Centre

In Rijeka’s Zamet district, nestled among the city’s slopes and the rhythms of everyday neighborhood life, stands the Zamet Centre – a contemporary sports and community hub that has served for years as a vibrant gathering point. Spanning over 16,000 m², the complex brings together a sports hall, a public library, municipal offices, retail and hospitality spaces, and an underground garage. What makes the Zamet Centre instantly recognizable, even from afar, is its façade – a mosaic of 51,000 specially designed ceramic tiles.
The architectural concept of the Centre is based on the idea of "ribbons" – parallel urban and architectural bands that follow the natural contours of the terrain. These “ribbons”, both in form and expression, are inspired by gromače – the traditional dry-stone walls characteristic of the coastal region. Through the color, texture, and rhythm of the ceramic tiles, this inspiration is translated into a contemporary language, resulting in architecture that responds to its location while reinterpreting it.

The ceramic tiles, which cover all exterior surfaces – from the roof and walls to floors and stairs – were designed specifically for the Zamet Centre. Each tile shares the same shape: a pentagon, and comes in four different colors. By combining the pentagons, hexagons are formed, which in turn interlock into a vibrant, almost abstract pattern. The result is a dynamic, transformable surface that shifts in appearance depending on the viewer’s angle and lighting conditions.
This modular, pixelated logic of the pentagon also became the foundation for the graphic identity of the entire complex. The visual identity and signage system were developed by Lana Cavar and Damir Bralić, who, in collaboration with typographer Nikola Đurek, created a communication system based on the shape of the ceramic tile. The inscriptions in the interior stretch across entire walls, while the thin, delicate font enters into a dialogue with the massive structure. This synergy of architecture, design, and material results in a unique space where information is not just read with the eyes, but experienced through the body’s movement in space.

The tiles were custom-made for the Zamet Centre and produced from high-quality porcelain stoneware (Florim ceramiche). Their technical properties include: resistance to pressure and abrasion, anti-slip surfaces ensuring safety across all applications, color fastness and durability, and exceptional versatility – suitable for installation as flooring, wall cladding, or roofing. Two installation methods were used across the building: traditional adhesive mounting on concrete surfaces and ventilated façades on sections with a steel substructure. Despite the different techniques, the visual effect remains completely unified. Special attention was given to edge detailing, particularly at junctions where the tile surface transitions seamlessly from floor to wall and up onto the roof – reinforcing the uninterrupted logic of the architectural “ribbons”.

The ceramic tiles of the Zamet Centre are more than a building material – they carry the story. A story of place, of Rijeka, of stone walls, of modern architecture that speaks with its surroundings. Their presence makes the Zamet Centre an unmistakable symbol of contemporary Rijeka, while their visual rhythm invites ongoing observation, interpretation, and engagement with the space.