The Italian Trade Commission and Confindustria Ceramica, the Association of Italian Ceramics comprised of over 200 Italian ceramic tile manufacturers, announce the official call for entries for the 2012 Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition. For 19 years, the competition has proudly recognized the outstanding work of North American architects and designers who have featured Italian ceramic tiles in their institutional, residential or commercial/hospitality projects. Past winners include Belzberg Architects, Rene Gonzalez and Bernard Tschumi Architects. Their projects are an example of the perfect pairing between innovative design ideas and products from the leading manufacturers of Italian ceramic tile in creating exceptional spaces. The celebration of these projects that use Italian tile range from large-scale buildings to small residential homes.
For the 2012 Tile Competition, North American architects and interior designers are invited to submit domestic and international, new or renovated, projects completed between January 2007 and January 2012. A judging panel of design experts will critique the projects based on their creativity, functionality and aesthetic appeal. The official criterion for the jury includes: overall design of the project; innovative use of tile; tile design; quality of installation; degree that tile enhances the setting; and the project’s sustainable attributes. Winners will be announced at the Ceramics of Italy Press Conference during Coverings, held in Orlando, Florida from April 17-20, 2012.
Award recipients in each category will receive a cash prize of $4,000 and a five-day trip to Bologna, Italy to attend Cersaie 2012 – the world’s largest exhibition for ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings – joining a delegation of top consumer and design journalists. In addition, Ceramics of Italy will recognize the contributions of the contractors and distributors involved in the winning works, with an additional $1,000 to be shared by the team. The association is proud to support these partnerships, as they help in the creation of such projects.
In accordance with the environmental values of our Ceramics of Italy manufacturers, the Tile Competition works hard to reduce its carbon footprint by making the competition completely digital and free to enter. Applications, guidelines, and an inspirational archive of past winners are all available on the competition’s official website, www.tilecompetition.com. Deadline for entries: February 17, 2012.