Ceramics of Italy International Tile Competition 2026 opens for entries
Promotion: Confindustria Ceramica and the Italian Trade Agency have launched the annual Ceramics of Italy International Tile Competition, celebrating global projects using Italian ceramic and porcelain tiles.
The competition recognises architecture and interior design projects that demonstrate an expansive use of Italian ceramic or porcelain tiles from Ceramics of Italy manufacturers.
Submissions are welcome from international architects and designers, with the winners granted cash prizes and a CEU-accredited trip to the 2026 edition of the Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, taking place 21 to 25 September in Bologna, Italy.
For the first time, the competition combines the long-standing North American Design Competition and the Italian-based La Ceramica e il Progetto program to honour projects from architecture and design firms around the world.
The competition includes four categories: Residential, Commercial, Design and New Applications, and Outdoor.
Projects can be renovations, restorations or new constructions completed between January 2021 and March 2026.
Projects should display an understanding of materiality and sustainability, and tiles used must be created by brands licensed by the Ceramics of Italy trademark.
Submissions will be reviewed by a grand jury, including its chair, Steve Clem, principal at architecture and design firm TVS; Alfonso Femia, founder and president of Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia; architect and journalist Donatella Bollani; and Filippo Manuzzi, chairman of the Promotional Activities and Exhibitions Commission of Confindustria Ceramica.
"Italian tile has long been a catalyst for architectural creativity, offering designers a material that is as technically and sustainably advanced as it is expressive," said Clem.
"Bringing these competitions together into a single international platform allows us to celebrate the remarkable ways architects and designers across the world are pushing the boundaries of how Italian tile can shape spaces, surfaces, and experiences."
During the judging process, design aesthetics, how transformative the project is, and the amount of tiles by trademarked companies used will be taken into account, alongside the sustainable impact of the project.
Winners will be notified in July and announced to the public at the VIP awards ceremony during Cersaie 2026.
The deadline for submissions is 5 June 2026. There is no fee to submit, and multiple applications are accepted.
To learn more about the competition, visit its website.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Ceramics of Italy as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
The post Ceramics of Italy International Tile Competition 2026 opens for entries appeared first on Dezeen.
