Anton Bourtsev News Today

Coming together for one day only on Thursday November 10, the 2022 Sustainability Summit speakers will ensure you walk away with the newest knowledge and practical steps to help you increase your sustainability outcomes across your projects and practice. Hear from them live at Sydney’s Shangri La or tune in online and be part of the conversation that promises to shape the future of Australia’s architecture and design industry.

Coming together for one day only on Thursday November 10, the 2022 Sustainability Summit speakers will ensure you walk away with the newest knowledge and practical steps to help you increase your sustainability outcomes across your projects and practice. Hear from them live at Sydney’s Shangri La or tune in online and be part of the conversation that promises to shape the future of Australia’s architecture and design industry.

Anton Bourtsev, Director of the innovative porcelain tile brand Kaolin, talks to us about passing the principles of sustainability from one generation to another, the need to improve transparency and awareness in the industry - and his hope that, one day, products that aren’t sustainable will be no more.

There is a perception that any product or material with the word “natural” in front of it, is inherently more healthy, safer - or simply better - than a man-made or synthetic alternative. After all, “natural” means that something is present in, or produced by, nature. But does it mean it’s inherently more sustainable?

Porcelain is often associated with sublime aesthetic and incredibly sophisticated design potential, however, this durable material can withstand a lot. In fact, the white, shiny exterior of the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, built in the 15th century with porcelain bricks, is still glistening in the sun to this day. “Still intact, and just as beautiful,” Anton Bourtsev, Director of Kaolin, says with a smile. “Really, there is no life expectancy on porcelain tiles.”

Image: Kaynemaile / Protagonist cafe. Photographer: Sean Fennessy