Cersaie is big, with over 30 countries represented among 1,000-plus exhibitors, each launching their latest innovations in ceramic tiles and bathroom fixtures.
Many familiar names in tiles will be there, including glass mosaic giants Bisazza and Sicis, along with smaller companies, such as Italy’s Lea Ceramiche and Mutina, the latter of which is gaining a stellar reputation for collaborating with such top furniture designers as the Bouroullec brothers and Patricia Urquiola.
In addition to the many halls bursting with ceramics and bathroom fixtures, Cersaie has also assembled an impressive conference program with a number of architecture heavyweights taking the stage. They incliude Shigeru Ban, renowned for creating cost-effective and sturdy emergency shelters out of cardboard, and Pritzker-prize winner Eduardo Souto de Moura. Architect Heike Hanada is also presenting her designs for the new Bauhaus Museum in Weimar, Germany.
We’ll keep you posted on highlights from the show floor, but here’s a quick preview of what some of our favourite tile companies are launching:
Tex, by the young London design studio Raw Edges, has a barely there texture derived from impressions of the designers’ favourite objects. The series comes in 10 colours, available in three shades.
Rock star-turned-designer Lenny Kravitz presents the Goccia collection of sculpted, high-gloss, monochromatic tiles in black and white.
Mosaic artist Carlo Dal Bianco’s luxurious designs, a mere four millmetres in thickness, emulate the movement and reflections of water.
Woodstone is the feature collection for this Italian company. The tiles combine the strength of stone with the wood-grain lines of parquet.
Wellness Wood provides an elegant and easy-to-clean surface that’s also LEED certified. It comes in four natural wood tones.
The popular Clip tile, which can be snapped into place within minutes, returns with some added colour options. The reusable system is ideal for instantly transforming a space and for temporary venues.