Iris Ceramica supplied floor and wall coverings for four wings of ordinary wards in an interior renovation project in Cesena’s Bufalini Hospital. The project, conducted under the guidance of architect Andrea Gozzoli of the Building Design and Development Office of the Local Public Health Unit in the region of Romagna, focused on improving comfort for hospital patients. Iris Ceramica made a decisive contribution to the achievement of this goal, supplying floor and wall coverings from its French Wood collection produced using ACTIVE technology, selected for their aesthetic quality and ability to sanitise the spaces they are installed in.
Built in 1962, the hospital complex required major modernisation work. The wards now offer a level of comfort comparable to that of a hotel, with a standard of 2 beds per room and a private wheelchair-accessible bathroom for each room, all with finishes of particular quality and beauty.
Improvement of the hospital environment, and particularly the visible surfaces in direct contact with patients, was an element of key importance in the planning of the project.
Iris Ceramica ACTIVE surfaces from the French Wood Collection were chosen for their ability to reproduce the appearance of natural wood, in planks measuring 120x20 cm in three colours (Larch, Elm, Ebony) out of the six available in the collection. The unusual quality of this material is its antibacterial properties: the results of tests conducted by the Chemistry Department at Milan University on ceramic slabs produced using ACTIVE technology reveal a permanent, effective action combating indoor pollution, decreasing the presence of particles in the air, including NOx, and above all an antibacterial action capable of eliminating all strains of bacteria from surfaces, from the most commonplace to antibiotic-resistant strains.
In addition to these benefits, the surface is self-cleaning, permitting easy, inexpensive cleaning of ceramic surfaces simply using water, with no need for frequently toxic or polluting chemical cleaning products.
ACTIVE French Wood Collection combines all the resistance of porcelain with the cosy, homelike feel of natural wood, including recognisable knots and veins suggesting a timeworn appearance and evoking a story, a spatial identity, a sense of belonging.
Attentive study of the floors and walls, covered in accordance with the polychromatic laying scheme envisaged for the project, improved the overall image of the rooms and corridors in the facility and patients’ general comfort during their hospital stays.
