Quick answer: A successful Moroccan zellige specification names more than a color and a style. Architects should identify the intended application, material, construction system, surface conditions, sample approval criteria, geometry, quantity and procurement responsibility. This is especially important when sourcing is requested before a particular workshop has been confirmed.
Research-based guide, updated October 2026. Project-specific technical, customs or pricing claims require confirmation by the actual supplier or qualified professional.
Questions and answers
- What belongs in a zellige material specification?
- Should the architect specify a fixed color code?
- What technical details matter for a bathroom?
- How do you specify handmade dimensional variation?
- What information does a custom mosaic drawing require?
- How do you prepare a sample approval schedule?
- What should be in an architect’s RFQ package?
What belongs in a zellige material specification?
Start with intended floor or wall application, room or exterior conditions, tile type and approximate dimensions. Define color range, glaze type, finish, thickness and observable tolerance expectations that must later be verified against a supplier sample. Then specify quantities, pattern drawings, installation requirements and approval responsibilities. Do not list test values or certifications you have not obtained from the producer.
Should the architect specify a fixed color code?
An internal design code can help communication: Zellige Atelier uses ZELLIGE-COL-0001 through ZELLIGE-COL-0030 for 30 color directions. These are design references, not a cross-industry manufacturer’s standard. The approved workshop sample, batch description and written range of acceptable tone must control the actual purchase and construction documents.
What technical details matter for a bathroom?
Document the actual tile’s wet-area suitability and the approved substrate, waterproofing, mortar, grout, movement joints and transitions. TCNA guidance emphasizes that grout is not the water barrier. A project-specific designer and qualified installer must determine the full shower assembly; product photographs and decorative catalog names are insufficient.
How do you specify handmade dimensional variation?
Describe the visual character expected and establish measurable acceptance criteria with a sample panel. Check intended joint spacing, edge alignment, thickness variation and how cuts meet trim, glazing and fixtures. Handmade should not mean anything can be delivered without inspection. A written mock-up approval gives the installer and manufacturer a shared standard.
What information does a custom mosaic drawing require?
Provide a scaled plan or elevation, motif dimensions, repetition module, color areas, curves, border transitions, number of panels and approximate installation area. Explain whether loose hand-cut pieces or mounted sections are preferred. Complex stars and borders are not guaranteed as stock; the chosen workshop must confirm feasibility, any tooling, sample costs and tolerance expectations.
How do you prepare a sample approval schedule?
Allow time for sourcing, physical sample dispatch, internal design review, finish confirmation and possible revision. Share sample deadlines with the project’s procurement team rather than assuming the calendar starts with production. Identify which party signs off on aesthetic variation and which signs off on technical performance. Shipment timing is later confirmed once the supplier and production order are accepted.
What should be in an architect’s RFQ package?
Include project location, planned install date, drawings, area and waste allowance, intended use, approximate size/shape, desired color, sample approval method, special performance or code requirements, quantity, delivery destination and contact details. A complete RFQ is easier for workshops to assess and leads to comparable quotes. Contact Zellige Atelier as a sourcing intermediary, not as a claimed factory.
Sources and further reading
- TCNA ceramic tile specification and installation topics
- Museum example of technical geometric tilework
Related questions
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