Kosei extruded porcelain surface by Mutina

Kosei by Mutina — one spec, many rhythms

Mutina

Vincent Van Duysen

Storm
Storm Available now
$ 1,013

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Bespoke: size, colour, finish

Every large project faces the same specification dilemma: one material reads monotonous, many materials read chaotic. Kosei resolves it with grammar instead of variety: one material — six modular formats, five earths — that shifts, in Van Duysen's words, «from a homogeneous layout to a very rhythmic and graphic one». The lobby gets calm 60×60 fields; corridors take 15×90 bands; amenity floors syncopate with chevron; restrooms, terraces and stairs follow — one spec, many rhythms.

The material is extruded, unglazed porcelain — «soft earth, shaped by a drawing process», with a velvety touch — inspired by obsidian and volcanic glass, and it performs like the pedigree suggests: absorption 0.06%, stain class 5, chemical class A at high concentration, pool chemicals class A, and DCOF 0.84 per ANSI A326.3 — double the 0.42 reference — with Pendulum 55/45 and DIN B behind it. Vincent Van Duysen (2022), the Belgian architect global hospitality knows well; kosei is Japanese for composition. Rectified slabs, V2 minimal variation: reorders match.

Where the spec runs

The spec runs edge to edge: floor and wall, indoor and outdoor (frost-proof) — lobbies, executive floors, restrooms and showers, terraces and stairs — with dedicated step tread, corner and skirting. Datasheet and certificates on this page.

Technical information based on data declared by the manufacturer.

Collection: Kosei
Manufacturer: Mutina
Design: Vincent Van Duysen, 2022
Material: extruded unglazed porcelain stoneware (UNI EN 14411 App. A, AI UGL), 0.39 in — rectified slabs, velvety surface
Formats: 24×24, 6×36, 6×24, 6×12, 6×6 in — modular with each other — Chevron 3.8×22.2 in (SX/DX)
Colors: 5 — Bone, Storm, Terra, Grey Green, Dark Grey — V2 minimal variation
Special pieces: step tread 33×60×4.5, corner 33×60×4.5, skirting 3.8×60
Use: floor and wall — indoor and outdoor
Declared values: absorption 0.06% — stain class 5 — acids/alkalis class A (high concentration included), pool chemicals class A — frost and thermal shock resistant — slip DCOF 0.84 (ANSI A326.3), R10, DIN 51097 B, Pendulum BS 55/45, AS/NZS P3, UNE C2
Installation: 0.08 in joint, cement or epoxy grout; colored grouts: sales office — Certifications: ISO 14001; VOC, EPD, SVHC, Declaration of Contents on request
Packing: 24×24: 2 pcs/box (7.8 sq ft) — chevron: 14 pcs (8.2 sq ft)

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Supply, quotes, specifications and project support across the United States and North America.

Documents and Catalogs

Mutina Catalogue Kosei Catalogue Kosei Certifications Kosei Technical Guide, Laying & Maintenance

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FAQ

How does one collection carry a whole masterplan?
By changing rhythm instead of material: the six formats share their modules and the 2 mm joint, so the same spec plays calm in the lobby (60×60 fields), directional in corridors (15×90 bands), syncopated in amenity spaces (two-handed chevron) and intimate in guestroom baths (6×6) - Van Duysen's declared intent: «from a homogeneous layout to a very rhythmic and graphic one». One submittal, one maintenance protocol, one reorder line - and V2 minimal variation means phase two matches phase one, years later.
What are the numbers behind the volcanic story?
The inspiration is obsidian and volcanic glass - and the declared values live up to it: absorption 0.06%, stain resistance class 5, chemical resistance class A even at high concentration, pool chemicals class A, frost and thermal-shock resistant. The slip file is the standout: DCOF 0.84 per ANSI A326.3 - twice the 0.42 wet reference - plus Pendulum 55/45, R10, DIN barefoot class B, Australian P3 and Spanish C2. Showers, pool decks and exterior terraces are documented territory; submerged or sloping zones stay with the designer of record.
What is special about extruded porcelain?
The making and the touch: the body is drawn through a die - «soft earth, shaped by a drawing process» - rather than dry-pressed, which yields a dense, through-body material with a velvety, unglazed surface: the color is the clay itself, so wear has nothing to strip. It is the technology of classic architectural ceramics, here held to rectified tolerances - slabs «each exactly the same as the others». For US teams, think of it as the artisan process with contract-grade dimensional discipline.
Who is Vincent Van Duysen - and why does it matter to a spec?
The Antwerp-based architect whose calm, tactile interiors made him one of the most influential voices in contemporary residential and hospitality design - a name that carries weight in any project narrative. Kosei (2022) is his volcanic-stone thesis for Mutina: timeless rather than trend-driven, «conceived for grand architecture», with a palette of five earths - Bone, Storm, Terra, Grey Green, Dark Grey - that behaves like one family. Specifying it buys design pedigree and low aesthetic risk in the same line item.
What supports procurement - stairs, docs, logistics?
A complete kit: dedicated step tread (33×60×4.5) with corner piece and skirting, so stairs and edges stay in-system; ISO 14001 production, with VOC, EPD, SVHC and Declaration of Contents on request through La Mercanti for submittals. Packing runs per format (24×24: 2 pcs/box; chevron: 14 pcs), and La Mercanti converts laying drawings into per-format quantities, spares and freight - with sample costs fully credited at order confirmation.

One spec, many rhythms: Kosei in five steps

Five moves for US architects and project teams: Van Duysen's volcanic collection from lobby to pool deck - formats, tempo and ANSI numbers.

Zone by tempo
Lobby calm, corridors directional, amenities syncopated: assign each zone a rhythm, not a new material.
Choose the earths
Five tones, one volcanic family: a dominant plus an accent covers most programs - mock up in site light.
Exploit the modules
24x24 down to 6x6 plus chevron, all on a 2 mm joint: formats mix without cuts across the whole plan.
Keep stairs in-system
Step tread, corner and skirting are catalog items: exterior stairs included, frost and DCOF documented.
Order per format
Packing differs by format: La Mercanti turns the laying drawings into quantities, attic stock and freight.

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