Ariostea Ultra: Large Format Porcelain Slabs Built for Architecture
Ariostea is part of the Iris Ceramica Group and is renowned for the production of large Ultra slabs in low thickness porcelain stoneware. What sets the Ultra range apart is not simply scale. It is the Full Body technology that runs colour, pattern and density through the entire thickness of every slab, making Ariostea a fundamentally different material proposition from a standard large format tile.
At PietraCasa, we design and supply Ariostea Ultra for residential and commercial projects across Dorset, the South Coast and throughout the UK.
Full Body and Full Body³
Ariostea's Full Body slabs are created from a mix of natural granules and flakes running through their entire thickness, ensuring visual consistency and uniform performance from the outermost layer to the very core. Full Body³ is the product of over thirty years of material development at Ariostea, where ceramics are not treated as flat decoration but as long-term building components.
In practical terms, this means edges, cutouts and fabricated profiles carry the same design as the face of the slab. For worktops, staircase treads and bespoke details where exposed edges are visible, this matters considerably.
Full Body³ is non-absorbent, acid and fire resistant, sanitisable and free from harmful substances.
At Cersaie 2025, Ariostea introduced water-based printing technology across its product lines. Utilising water-based inks for both creating and decorating the ceramic surface structures, the process achieves superior aesthetic and structural performance while marking a significant step in the Group's ecological transition. It is applied to Ariostea product lines in thicknesses of 6, 12 and 20 mm.
advanced technology is used to elevate the aesthetic and functional value of the ceramic surfaces
the work of visual artist Lorenza Liguori demonstrated how the ceramic surfaces become alive
Formats and Thicknesses
Ariostea Ultra slabs are produced in formats of 3000 × 1500 mm and 3000 × 1000 mm, with the 4.50 square metre Ultra slab setting a new standard for architects in projects where size makes the difference.
Additional formats include 2700 × 1200 mm, providing flexibility for projects where the largest scale is not required but architectural proportion still matters.
Thicknesses span 6 mm, 12 mm and 20 mm, covering the full range of applications from lightweight wall cladding and furniture overlay through to flooring, worktops and external paving. Outdoor flooring is designed from the earliest stages with particular attention to the physical composition of the slabs so that they can easily withstand climatic effects and respond appropriately to high and low temperatures as well as atmospheric phenomena.
The Ultra Collections
Ariostea's Ultra range covers an exceptionally broad spectrum of surface aesthetics, all produced within the same large format slab system.
Ultra Marmi
Thirty-six marble-effect textures in large format, covering the full tonal range from the brightest Carrara whites through to dramatic dark marbles with bold veining. Ultra Marmi delivers the visual language of natural marble with the performance and consistency of porcelain.
Ultra Graniti
In its 3000 × 1500 mm, 3000 × 1000 mm and 2700 × 1200 mm formats, Ultra Graniti brings the visual depth and texture of natural granite to large format porcelain, combining material authenticity with the technical advantages of the Ultra slab system.
Ultra Pietre
Fifteen colours across the natural stone effect range, from limestone and travertine through to slate and sandstone aesthetics. Ultra Pietre is particularly well suited to exterior applications, large format flooring and architectural cladding where a refined stone language is required.
Ultra Con.Crea
Five colours in the concrete-effect Ultra Con.Crea collection, inspired by hand-trowelled concrete surfaces. Available in large slab formats with a natural finish and R10 slip rating, making it appropriate for both interior and exterior applications.
Ultra Onici
Nine onyx-effect textures in large format, bringing the translucency and visual depth of natural onyx to porcelain. Ultra Onici is specified for feature walls, backlit panels and interior architectural surfaces where dramatic material presence is the design intent.
Ultra Crystal
Two colours for these large format porcelain stoneware slabs reaching up to 3000 × 1500 mm, capable of conveying the fascinating mineral world with extreme refinement. Thanks to Ariostea's Ultra technology, the Crystal collection satisfies every design need, from flooring to covering small and large surfaces through to application on objects and furnishing accessories.
Ultra Mura
Ariostea's Mura collection brings the raw visual language of concrete to ceramic surfaces as a porcelain stoneware project for contemporary architecture, redefining how concrete aesthetics can be interpreted at architectural scale.
Ultra Resine and Ultra Teknostone
Four colours each across the resin-effect and technical stone effect ranges, completing the Ultra system with options suited to minimalist and industrial design contexts.
Where Ariostea Ultra Is Specified
Ariostea focuses on wall and floor tile finishes for indoor and outdoor use. Porcelain stoneware tiles offer high performance, technological and aesthetic standards, and are ideal solutions for adding style to large and small surfaces in both domestic and commercial contexts.
The scale of the Ultra slab makes it particularly impactful in the following applications:
For open plan living spaces and large format flooring, the 3000 × 1500 mm slab creates near-seamless floors that transform the spatial quality of a room. The reduction in grout lines is significant both visually and practically.
For kitchen worktops and islands, the Full Body technology means edges and cutouts carry the same surface design as the face of the slab. Combined with the acid and stain resistance of the porcelain body, Ultra is a technically serious kitchen surface.
For exterior cladding and facade systems, the 20 mm format in Ultra Pietre, Ultra Graniti or Ultra Con.Crea delivers frost-proof, UV-stable performance at architectural scale.
For bathrooms and wet rooms, large format Ultra slabs eliminate grout lines and create seamless surface continuity from floor to wall.
Ariostea and the Iris Ceramica Group's determination to promote an eco-compatible approach is recognised through prestigious environmental certifications, a symbol of the ongoing commitment to environmentally respectful production.
Ariostea Ultra is available through PietraCasa. Contact us at studio@pietracasa.uk to discuss your project.