Confindustria Ceramica (the Italian Association of Ceramics) and the Italian Trade Agency are proud to announce the official call for entries for the 2020 Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition. Now in its 27th year, the competition recognizes top North American architecture and design firms and design students for their creative use of Italian ceramic and porcelain tile. Winning projects will exemplify top-quality design and demonstrate the superior technical and aesthetic qualities of Italian tile. An international jury of design experts will select winners in four categories: Residential, Commercial, Institutional and Student. In a new initiative this year, we are also pleased to introduce the People’s Choice Award, which will be elected by the public.

Projects in the three built categories – Residential, Commercial and Institutional – must be designed by architects and designers based in North America and completed between January 2015 and January 2020. Projects may be domestic or international, and must feature a significant amount of Italian ceramic or porcelain tile produced by Ceramics of Italy member companies.

All styles and scales of projects will be considered, from multi-family housing and hospitality projects to outdoor spaces and exterior façades. The jury’s official criteria includes: the overall design of the project; the aesthetic and technical quality of the tile installation; the degree to which tile enhances the setting; and the project’s sustainable attributes.

The jury will also review submissions from North American design and architecture students who create imaginative spaces using Italian tile. Individuals or groups of students are invited to submit their projects in the form of renderings, floor plans and sketches. Students must be enrolled in an accredited university in North America.

Winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip to New Orleans, where they will present their work to an audience of industry professionals and design media at Coverings 2020, North America’s premier tile and stone trade show. The prize package for built project winners also includes $2,000 in cash, plus an all-expenses-paid CEU trip to Bologna, Italy for Cersaie 2020, the world’s largest exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings.