Architecture can be defined as a poetic assemblage, a collection of parts that together form spatial experience. Mosaics are similar; multiple small pieces of varied material are combined to form an image. Their application can dramatically transform architectural narratives. Generally understood as interior decoration or art, mosaics are typically made of tesserae, small square stone and glass pieces. While they come in numerous colors and styles, the scale of each work greatly varies. Used throughout the world for millennia, mosaics are designed by artists, craftsmen, and professionals alike. Widely found in religious architecture, the following collection focuses on their application in commercial and educational spaces.
The following mosaic designs and patterns were created to depict both manmade and natural images. A combination of textures and geometries constructs both abstract and real scenes. While the mosaics are applied across multiple project types and programs, each work utilizes unique materials to establish contextual reflections, vivid surfaces, and enriching stories. This collection brings together these detailed works and their sites. Both intimate and illustrative in nature, each mosaic builds off artistic traditions and new conceptual ideas on the representation and transformation of both our surrounding environment and existing works of art.
Harvest Moon Mosaic by Artaic, Winnipeg, Canada
Located in Seven Oaks General Hospital, the Harvest Moon Mosaic turned a watercolor painting into a 450-square-foot mural. The painting, by Canadian artist Simon Hughes, uses a variety of colors that were implemented by Artaic as the work transformed into mosaic form.
Naturally Refined Mosaic by Artaic
The Naturally Refined Mosaic is a design combining multiple patterns and texture. Nature was inspiration for the designs, each piece organic and familiar. Unique color palettes were used in the vitreous glass tile designs.
© GUSTAV HOILAND
Building Dreams II Mosaic by Artaic, Boston, United States
Building Dream II is the winning competition entry for a project in Boston’s District Hall. In the heart of Boston’s innovation district, Joseph Lyman’s “Building Dreams II” was selected as the winning mosaic that best represented the characteristics of the hall and district. Imagery and narrative were used to create a stark, geometric depiction of construction cranes.
Exploring both beauty and the discarded, the ReSalvage Mosaic uses 97-percent post-consumer recycled glass tiles. The designs include motifs and textures of reclaimed wood, cardboard, paper, and peeling paint. The ReSalvage Mosaics are created to be durable across many architectural applications.
Learning to Fly Mosaic by Artaic, Ames, Iowa, United States
This mosaic was created for the swimming and pool facility at Iowa State University. Artist Eric Sealine’s oil painting was transformed into a 75-foot-wide tile mural. Unglazed porcelain tiles span over 1,300 square feet at the State Gymnasium.
With free-flowing patterns and textures, the SPLASH! Collection was inspired by the movements of water. Abstract elements and gentle lines combine to create the mosaic focal pieces. Movements like rippling, cascading, and dripping were all considered when creating the tile textures.
Koch Institute Public Gallery at MIT by Artaic, Cambridge, Mass., United States
Located at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, the Public Gallery includes a ‘Portal’ that creates a transition to the working Institute. A wide tile mosaic stretches across 30 feet of the floor, a map of Kendall Square and the MIT area. Contextual and historical information is divided into Engineering History (orthogonal lines) and Life Sciences (curved line).