Events

The major trade fair

From Monday 24 to Friday 28 September, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings returns to the top of the agendas of professionals from all over the world. The 36th edition of Cersaie, held in its regular venue of the Bologna exhibition centre, occupies a total exhibition space of 161,000 square metres, 5,000 sq.m more than in 2017, thanks to the addition of the three new Halls 28, 29 and 30. The space is fully occupied by no fewer than 840 exhibitors from 41 countries all over the world, just over half of whom are from the ceramic tile sector (452). The presence of 314 non-Italian companies demonstrates the show’s unique international reach. There are also 181 companies representing the bathroom furnishings sector.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Piazza della Costituzione, Cersaie 2018 will begin with the economic conference to be held in the Europauditorium in Palazzo dei Congressi at 11:00 am. Following the opening remarks given by the Chairman of Bologna Fiere Gianpiero Calzolari and the President of the Emilia Romagna regional government Stefano Bonaccini, talks will be given by the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, the Chairman of Confindustria Vincenzo Boccia and the Chairman of Confindustria Ceramica Giovanni Savorani, moderated by Sky Tg 24 journalist Maria Latella. This year’s theme is “Sustainability and health: Italian ceramics in international competition”.

This year’s Ceramics of Italy international press conference will also be held on Monday 24 September at 6:30 pm in Palazzo Re Enzo, in the central Piazza del Nettuno in Bologna. The event is organised in cooperation with the Italian Trade Agency ITA and will see the participation of its Chairman Michele Scannavini. Confindustria Ceramica is represented by the association’s Vice Chairman and Head of the Promotional Activities and Trade Fairs Commission Emilio Mussini, together with Andrea Serri, Cristina Faedi and Director General Armando Cafiero, who will coordinate the meeting. In the second part of the International Press Conference, the 22nd Ceramics of Italy Journalism Award will be presented to the author of the best article on Cersaie and the Italian ceramic industry published in a foreign magazine, while a further three honourable mentions will be awarded to international magazines. This will be followed by the invitation-only Cersaie Evening, during which the Confindustria Ceramica Distributor Awards will be presented to five distributors (this year from France, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy) who have excelled in their dealings with the Italian ceramic industry.

This year’s Keynote Lecture, to be held on Tuesday 25 September at 11:00 am in the Europauditorium, will be given by architect Richard Rogers. Winner of the Pritzker Prize in 2007, he is renowned for his many outstanding works of architecture including the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, designed together with Renzo Piano and Gianfranco Franchini.

On Wednesday 26 September at 10:30 am the Architecture Gallery will welcome Portuguese architect Camilo Rebelo, followed at 4:00 pm by Brazilian architect Carla Juaçaba, who is returning to Cersaie after taking part in 2013. Both events will be introduced by Francesco Dal Co

On Thursday 27 September at 10:30 am, architects Sandra Barclay, Jean Pierre Crousse and Vincenzo Latina will speak at a conference entitled “The Architecture of tolerance” and moderated by Fulvio Irace, then at 4:00 pm there will be a discussion between the two architects Mario Botta and Guido Canali.

The now customary Lesson in reverse will be held on Friday 28 September at 11:00 am in the Europauditorium. This year’s guest is photographer Silvia Camporesi, the first woman in the history of the initiative, who will be interviewed by a group of students from high schools throughout the Emilia-Romagna region and further afield.

The programme of Press Cafés has been further expanded with the participation of 13 magazines compared to the nine that took part last year. This year the conference room is located in the Services Centre. The magazines taking part are Abitare, AD – Architectural Digest, Chiesa Oggi, DDN – Design Diffusion News, Domus, Il Bagno Oggi e Domani, Interni, L’Arca International, La Repubblica per RDesign, Marie Claire Maison, Monitor Immobiliare, Suite and The Plan. The magazine editors and leading figures from the world of architecture and design will discuss topical issues relating to ceramic tiles and bathroom furnishings.

The exhibition entitled The Sound of Design will be inaugurated on Monday 24 September at 2:30 pm in Hall 30. Part of the exhibition will be held in Galleria Cavour in the centre of Bologna and will be officially opened on Wednesday 26 September at 7:00 pm. The exhibition is devoted to the excellence of Italian Style and uses music to illustrate the way in which design adapts to fashions through the years.

The seventh edition of Tiling Town will be held in Hall 31, where the master tile layers from Assoposa will give daily tiling demonstrations, explaining how to solve problems of cutting and installation on curved and angled surfaces and on different levels. There will be a daily seminar (from 1:30 pm to 5.30 pm, Friday from 10:00 am) on large-size panels and slabs, an event that qualifies for training credits for participating architects and surveyors.

The seventh edition of Cersaie designs your home will be held in the Media Village in the Services Centre on Thursday 27 September (from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm) and on Friday 28 September (from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm). Designers from major Italian interior design magazines will offer free advice to visitors intending to renovate their homes or purchase a new property. A total of 16 magazines will be taking part this year, along with 12 companies whose staff will be on hand to welcome members of the public to their stands and give them advice on new products and on the stores closest to their homes.

See the >> Cersaie 2018 programme <<

 

September 2018