Marazzi, a leading manufacturer of Italian tile, opened a new showroom in New York on November 10. The 5,000-sq.ft space is located @ 30 West 21st Street, above NY Stone Manhattan, between 5th & 6th Avenue.
Marazzi Group is the world's leader in the design and manufacturing of porcelains, glazed ceramics, mosaics and natural stones, available in a range of sizes, colors ad thicknesses. Showcasing an array of design-forward, sustainable collections, including also porcelain stoneware and ceramic slabs for vertical surfaces offered by Marazzi Tecnica, this new showroom will be a source of inspiration for architects and designers that specify tile in their projects.

Sponsored by Confindustria Ceramica, the Association of Italian Ceramics, and hosted by Architizer, a dynamic online community of architects, the Ceramics of Italy Exhibit Design Challenge called on architects from around the world to submit their designs for a 3,000 square foot pavilion to be built at Coverings this spring.

Given relatively free artistic reign and a reasonable budget, entrants were asked to incorporate a restaurant and café, space for an information desk and re-usable components to reflect the Italian tile industry's commitment to sustainability.

Over 80 architecture firms signed on for the challenge. Proposals were reviewed by representatives of Confindustria Ceramica, Architizer, and an advisory committee of previous exhibit architects including Bernard Tschumi, Laurinda Spear, and Michael P. Johnson. MORE

In September Bologna Fairgrounds bustled with over 81,000 visitors for the 29th edition of Cersaie. This year's international exhibit of ceramic tiles and bathroom furnishings featured nearly 1,000 exhibitors from 31 different countries, and was applauded as being one of the first trade fairs outside the environmental sector to enforce stringent sustainability measures as part of Cersaie for Sustainability.

Keeping with the theme of responsible design, this year had a special focus on Japan. As part of Cersaie's "Building, Dwelling, Thinking" conference, two of Japan's most influential figures in architecture, Kazuyo Sejima of the Pritzker prize-winning architectural firm SANAA and Kengo Kuma, delivered the show's keynote speeches.

Every year, the show serves as a launching pad for the industry's newest tile designs and technological developments. To have an idea of this season's hottest trends in tile. CLICK

For the third year in a row, Ceramic Tiles of Italy will connect with design trade and savvy consumers on the west coast at Dwell on Design from June 24-26, 2011 at the LA Convention Center. The Ceramic Tiles of Italy booth #1045 will feature sustainable and design-forward collections from its leading manufacturers. As part of this year's exhibit, the association will host two seminars focused on sustainable characteristics of ceramic tile in two cutting edge residential case studies.

On Friday June 24, 2011 (3:00-3:25pm) Ceramic Tiles of Italy Design Competition winner Hagy Belzberg, of Belzberg Architects, will present: "Sustainable Material. Case Study: Kona House."

Then on Saturday, June 25 (11:30-11:55am), Ron Jones, sustainability expert and Editorial Director of GreenBuilder, will present "Sustainable Ceramics. Case Study: ReVision House."

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The Ceramic Tiles of Italy Design Competition showcases the work of North American architects and designers who use Italian tile in their projects. Now in its 18th year, the annual awards program sponsored by Confindustria Ceramica, the Association of Italian Ceramics and the Italian Trade Commission, continues to yield great results. With steep competition in each of the three categories: Residential, Commercial/Hospitality and Institutional, the international jury had a decidedly difficult task. After narrowing down the finalists, they selected a winner and an honorable mention in each category based on the project's functionality, visual appeal, original use of tile and overall design. The winning installations demonstrate how the A&D community is 'thinking big' by using larger, slimmer formats and choosing tiles with recycled content and environmental certifications.

The recipients were presented at the Ceramic Tiles of Italy Press Conference on Tuesday, March 15 during Coverings 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The winning architects receive $4,000 and a five-day trip to Bologna, Italy to attend Cersaie 2011. Ceramic Tiles of Italy awarded an additional $1,000 to be shared by the winning contractor/distributor team.   MORE

For the third year in a row, the Ceramic Tiles of Italy flag will fly outside showrooms across the city. In honor of the 2011 ICFF and New York Design Week, the Italian Trade Commission and Confindustria Ceramica have organized a citywide dealer campaign to recognize local dealers of Ceramic Tiles of Italy.

From May 13-21, 2011 select Manhattan dealers will be offering special incentives on Italian Tile. They include: AFNY, Artistic Tile, Cancos, Ceramica Arnon, Complete Tile Collection, Chelsea Arts Tile & Stone, Hastings Tile, Nemo, NY Stone Manhattan, SICIS, Town & Country, Walker Zanger.   MORE.

Following Coverings 2011 in Las Vegas Ceramic Tiles of Italy will continue its US spring tradeshow circuit with the AIA National Convention. Sponsored by the Italian Trade Commission and Confindustria Ceramica, Ceramic Tiles of Italy will host a multi-brand exhibit in New Orleans for the AIA National Convention, May 12-14, 2011.

The theme for this year's show is "Regional Design REVOLUTION: ecology matters," which is fitting for the host city. Supporting this subject, the Ceramic Tiles of Italy booth# 3041, designed by Italian architects Dante Donegani & Giovanni Lauda of D&L, will showcase an array of design-forward and sustainable new tile collections from Italy's leading producers: Casalgrande Padana, FAP Ceramiche, Palagio Engineering–Gruppo Vivaterra, Refin. As large and thin format tiles continue to emerge, the Italian tile industry is re-inventing the way tiles are produced, shipped and installed.

In addition, manufacturers are constantly embracing new technologies such as photovoltaic panels and ventilated wall façade systems that meld the time-honored history of tile with the future of architectural innovation. The booth will also include an information point where show-goers can pick up company catalogs and promotional materials.

For updated information on spring activities,
visit CTI's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

Whether used as a state-of-the-art architectural solution or an elegant design element, Italian ceramic tile is a durable, sustainable, and versatile material that provides endless possibilities for the A&D industry. Following Coverings 2011 in Las Vegas and AIA 2011 in New Orleans, Ceramic Tiles of Italy will continue to spread this message in markets across the country.

Immediately following the AIA show, Ceramic Tiles of Italy will quickly migrate to New York for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair from May 14-17, 2011. Considered a global summit for what's best and what's next in design, the Ceramic Tiles of Italy booth# 1632, sponsored by the Italian Trade Commission and Confindustria Ceramica, will feature vignettes from eleven different manufacturers including Appiani, Atlas Concorde, Casalgrande Padana, Cooperativa Ceramica d'Imola, FAP, Giovanni de Maio, Italgraniti Group, Mirage Granito Ceramico, Petracers' Ceramics, Rondine and Vogue. These producers will prove to the New York crowd that Italian tile is an industry leader in innovation, quality, design and trends.

For updated information on spring activities,
visit CTI's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

The Italian tile industry was well represented in Coverings PROJECT Green competition, taking home two top honors. Featuring a range of eco-friendly tiles from Coem, Fioranese and Trend, the "Florida High Performance Green House" project in Cape Coral, Florida, won one of four Best in Shows for PROJECT: Green, Residential Remodel selection at the Coverings 2011 conference.

Designed by Green Building Consultant Paul Shahriari, the home focuses on the cost/benefit of green building using a triple bottom line structure (environment, economic and social). Thanks to their green attributes and high performance characteristics, Shahriari chose porcelain tiles from Coem's Quartz range for exterior use and Fioranese's Nu_Travertine series for the interior. Coem's "Pietre Naturali" collection brings texture and a natural color variation to the lanai and outdoor living area. Inside, 18"x18" tiles from Fioranese's "nu_travertine" were selected for their modern lines and the gentle linear pattern they create throughout the main floor of the home.

The project also includes an innovative line of mosaic tiles from Trend and their Trend Q surface material in the kitchen and laundry room.   MORE

Andy Frame Photography www.andyframe.com

The ReVISION House Orlando '11 recently won a PROJECT: Green award for "Best in Show: Residential Remodel" at the Coverings 2011 Conference. PROJECT: Green is sponsored in conjunction with Environmental Design & Construction and highlights sustainable projects featuring tile and stone from the past two years. Products from 9 Italian tile manufacturers were used both indoors and out.  MORE

After considering the work of hundreds of leading tile distributors across the United States and Canada, Ceramic Tiles of Italy is pleased to recognize Happy Floors as the 2011 recipient of the Confindustria Ceramica North American Distributor Award. Each year at Coverings, this award is presented to a prominent North American distributor in appreciation of their dedication to the promotion of Italian ceramic tiles in the marketplace. With 95% of its porcelain tile inventory made in Italy and sales representatives based in every major metropolitan area in the U.S., Happy Floors is able to provide high-quality, design-forward products to residential and commercial customers across the country. MORE

Ceramic Tiles of Italy is pleased to welcome the international design world to the Italian Pavilion for Sin City's newest show in town: Coverings, March 14-17, 2011. The Ceramic Tiles of Italy Pavilion will be a showcase for design-forward and sustainable collections Made In Italy.

The Ceramic Tiles of Italy central exhibit (Booth #4444), designed by minimalist architect Michael P. Johnson, will mix contemporary Italian design with a bit of Sin City flair. Dressed to impress a Las Vegas crowd, the booth will feature a range of collections from Italian manufacturers, selected for their color, modular forms and innovative sizes, many of the tiles used in the booth design also contain a percentage of pre- and post-consumer recycled content.

For the first time in the Italian Pavilion's history, the exhibit will be built on an elevated flooring system. A solution for uneven floors as well as an area to hide the passage of mechanical and electrical services, this system is ideal for a modern office or home renovation. The booth will also feature two ventilated wall façades, clad in large format porcelain tiles to demonstrate the ease of installation and technical benefits of this energy-saving system.  MORE

Ceramic Tiles of Italy will hold two CEU accredited sessions on the program during the NKBA Educational Forum in the Architects & Designers (A&D) Building in New York. Located in the heart of Manhattan, the entire building is devoted to interior design. The session will offer architects, designers, decorators an opportunity to view the newest ceramic products unveiled at Cersaie 2010, the international exposition for ceramic tiles and bathroom furnishings, as well as tile installation secrets for kitchens and baths.

11:15-12:15PM: Tile as an Integral Part of Interior Design, presented by Jen Renzi, design journalist and Author, The Art of Tile. Jen Renzi will share her expertise with a New York audience. She'll speak about the latest trends in the tile industry, from large-format tile and superthin porcelains to faux-wood looks and wallpaper patterns, and show off some of her favorite installations.

4:00-5:00PM: Tile Installation Techniques, presented by Mike Granatowski, National Manager, Architectural and Commercial Projects, Mapei Group. Leading tile manufacturers continue to produce beautiful and innovative ceramic and porcelain tile, with a consistent trend towards larger format tiles in a variety of shapes, sizes and thicknesses. It's important that the setting materials are properly selected. From fast-drying, waterproofing membranes to stain-resistant grout, Mike Granatowski will talk about how these sustainable innovations and rapid-setting technologies will make the installation process easier and quicker.

Ceramic Tiles of Italy will make its Canadian show debut at the 13th annual Interior Design Show, held from January 27-30, 2011 in Toronto. Sponsored by the Italian Trade Commission and Confindustria Ceramica, the multi-brand booth (#240) will feature ceramic tiles from Italy's leading manufacturers with special mini-exhibits presented by Appiani, Casalgrande Padana, Fap Ceramiche and Mirage Granito Ceramico. Mesh-mounted mosaics, oversized porcelain slabs, squares and hexagons will be on display as well materials ranging from faux woods to fashionable fabrics and Ferrari red to Mediterranean blue.
Ceramic Tiles of Italy will also present a seminar during the show's Trade Day focused on trends, sustainable products and inspirational projects. At the "What's New, What's Next" Trends presentation at 2pm on Friday, January 28, Edie Cohen, Deputy Editor of Interior Design magazine will cover highlights from her recent trip to the tile capital of the world – Bologna, Italy. She will be joined by Anna Kowalczyk, Lead Designer at the Toronto based firm, CS&P, who will share recent projects featuring inspiring Italian tile design. MORE

Italian Trade Commission and Ceramic Tiles of Italy are sponsors of the ReVISION House Orlando'11 project. Green Builder Media's Vision House Series presents realistic housing options for American families and provides real, cost-effective, sustainable solutions appropriate for today's economy. This year's ReVISION house, designed by eco-guru Pat Gaylor, will explore sustainable building materials in a complete retrofit renovation. This innovative, energy-saving case study house will be filled with Italian ceramic tile. IBS attendees (International Builder's Show, January 12-15 2011, Orlando, FL) will be able to take tours and learn directly from the design team ways to incorporate sustainable practices into their projects using ceramic tiles. MORE