Ceramica Simas. Half a century of sanitary ceramics history. All toilet covers for new and dated series. (part 1)
Simas is one of the historical companies in the ceramic district of Civita Castellana. From their website we discover that: “Since 1955 creativity in ceramic sanitaryware. Strictly made in Italy to build contemporary trends that last. 12 July 1955. Simas was founded in Civita Castellana – even then an area with a high level of manual workmanship handed down from father to son – by the will of 44 workers at a time when it was customary to create companies with ‘working capital’, i.e. people who were experts in production processes. In 1961, the original Società Italiana Manufatti Articoli Sanitari purchased its first tunnel kiln, which was about 50 metres long and powered by diesel. In 1967, they added another one to the existing one, about 70 metres long, and switched from dip coating to pistol spraying. The years from 1972 to 1978 saw further structural growth. The existing 110-metre tunnel kiln, also diesel-powered, was added, and overhead conveying and drying chains were installed for an impressive 7 km. In 1979 the production process became fully operational, and in the early eighties the mechanisation of the casting department, with low-pressure machines, and the painting department, with spraying robots. The 1990s saw the mechanisation of the departments completed and in some cases renewed. In 2004, the company name changed: from a limited liability company to a joint-stock company with 70 partners, 125 employees, 250 thousand pieces produced per year and a sales network covering the national territory through the distributor channel. 12 July 2005. Simas celebrates fifty years: it restyles its headquarters in Civita Castellana under the banner of blue and transparency as the pay-off “Simas Acqua Space” calls for, it inaugurates Spazio Simas in Milan, a meeting and working place for architects, designers and publishes a special Memorandum. A company for which design has had an increasingly incisive character since the ’70s. A decades-long collaboration with Californian designer Terri Pecora and a recent one with architect Simone Micheli. Simas has long paid particular attention to communication, including via the web with areas dedicated to architects and designers. Last but not least, the sponsorship of events related to academic training and culture. Simas, today as yesterday, is a reality made up of people who are committed to giving concrete form to projects in which everyone works according to their own skills. To build, together, trends. Strictly made in Italy.” More than half a century of history and successful ceramic series, which reached its peak in the early 2000s when it established itself, together with other Made in Italy companies by Civita Castellana (FLAMINIA, GLOBO, GSI, GALASSIA, CATALANO, ALTHEA) as a company capable of interpreting the modern style of bathroom furniture.
Series ARCADE Old England Simas
Before we look at the modern style sanitary ware series called design, let us look at some classic retro style sanitary ware lines, where the company has made its mark, also internationally. Arcade is a winning retro-style design. Part of the larger project called by the company: Old England is a product where the company’s ceramic craftsmanship is at its best. On the company’s website it is described as follows: “Collection that stands the test of time. Antique’ charm that defies the years. For absolute elegance, robustness and reliability. Matching accessories, taps, mirrors, cast-iron tubs give modern completeness and versatility. In a single word, the classic“. Workmanship in the body of the sanitary ware with steps and embroidery make it highly recognisable and able to compete with its competitors in the category we have seen in the post: ”Retro Classical English Style Sanitaryware and their covers (part 1)” where we saw Antalia by Dolomite, Retrò by Kerasan and Magica Faleri. The toilet seat cover for this vintage-style sanitary fitting can be found in the store at the following link [ clik here ]
Series LONDRA Old England Simas
Also from the company’s Old England line, we look at the Londra series. Simpler ceramic workmanship, but a distinctly classical and English taste (even in the name). Perhaps its source of stylistic inspiration as we saw in the post: ”And then comes ‘Montebianco’ Classic/antique sanitary fittings and their toilet seats (part 2)” partly comes from the well-known Pozzi Ginori sanitary ware, however, in our opinion the minimalist imprint given to it by the company makes it a unique piece. The toilet seat cover is available in the store at the following link [ clik here ]
Series FLOW Ceramica Simas
Let’s start by looking at the recent design series that allowed the company as we said to enter the modern style market. Design Terri Pecora, who, as we shall see, has designed the main successes of the Civita company. (year 2003) A great project both from a formal and dimensional point of view, minimal but dynamic, where square, oval, rectangular and rounded shapes coexist, and from the point of view of market appreciation. Two types of sanitary ware were even presented for this series: Flow round, which we have already seen in the post: ”Round sanitaryware as a circle + flat element (part 2)” and Flow squared which we see in the opposite picture, made to match the series’ extensive range of washbasins with round, square and rectangular basins. The two series were presented in both floor-standing and wall-hung versions. Recently, the square new version was presented only in the wall-hung version. All toilet seat models like the original can be found in the store at the following link [ clik here ]
Series BOHEMIEN (Acqua SPACE) Ceramica Simas
Bohemien is another Terri Pecora project (we suggest to see all the series designed by this designer the post dedicated to her: ”Terri Pecora and its designer sanitary ware. Never more than in these cases are original or perfectly dedicated toilet seats needed.”. If the retro-style sanitary ware the company collects them in the Old England category, for modern lines it chooses the category called Acqua Space. To describe this series we take our cue from the designer’s website: (year 2006) “A collection designed for a luxury market, highlighting sculptural ceramic shapes and architectural furnishings. The name of the collection recalls the artistic movement at the turn of the century and Brancusi’s asymmetrically shaped artistic sculptures”. Truly a sanitaryware series for the lux market segment. Impressive in size and unique, innovative shape. The Bohemien toilet seat cover is available in the original version at the following link [ clik here ]
Series LFT Spazio (Acqua Space) Simas
The artistic hand is always that of Terri Pecora: LFT Spazio Acqua Space category. Let us take as a source to describe this series the one on the company’s official website (SIMAS): “The pleasure of a friendly design. An essential collection in clean form, in the name of a new concept of geometry that pushes into the super-oval. Adaptable to modern, architectural spaces and the most intimate, everyday bathroom. It wears the simplicity of lines lightly, in a young and versatile response, accessible to all.” That’s right: it is a super-oval that, when viewed from above, tends towards the triangle, an unmistakable shape. All toilet seats, even the old and first version in white polyester-coated wood, are available in the store at the following link [ clik here ]
Series SYNTESIS / SINTHESIS Simas
Let’s go back in the ’80s into the company’s history to see a utility toilet that has conquered many public and hotel bathrooms. Have you ever heard of toilets that do the bidet function? I think so, the incredible thing is that they seem to be a very recent proposal, but in fact Simas ceramics had already proposed it over 30 years ago, it was called, or rather it is called since it is still in production Syntesis / Synthesis series. The ingenious idea of the ceramists of Civita Castellana was to extend the length of the toilet bowl to create a space to accommodate the practical hand shower, which could be removed from its seat and conveniently used when needed. To be able to install a toilet seat cover on a toilet bowl with such a special hand shower, a perfectly cut and shaped toilet seat cover was needed. You can see it in the photo opposite and find it in the Sintesibagno shop at the following link [ clik here ]
Today we have discovered the ceramic series of another company from the Civita Castellana ceramic district: Simas. Perhaps you have recognised your toilet bowl and are able to purchase the right and precise toilet seat cover without making a mistake. However, if you are still in doubt about which toilet seat cover to look for for your wc in the bathroom, we suggest you send us an e-mail to info@sintesibagno.it or a WhatsApp message to 3341288978 with two pictures of your sanitary fitting and a few measurements and we will be able to help you choose. Here is the video on how to go about finding a toilet seat cover:
