Confindustria Ceramica, the esteemed Italian Association of Ceramics, alongside the Italian Trade Agency, has officially announced the winners of the 2026 Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition. Marking a significant milestone in the history of the program, this year’s competition expanded its scope globally for the first time, welcoming submissions from architectural and interior design firms worldwide. The resulting response from the international design community was exceptional, highlighting a diverse array of outstanding projects that seamlessly incorporated Italian ceramic and porcelain tile from various Ceramics of Italy member brands.
The official award ceremony took place on September 23, serving as a prominent highlight of the “Building, Dwelling, Thinking” event program during Cersaie 2026. Organized annually by the Italian ceramic industry and Cersaie, the International Tile Competition is designed to celebrate and recognize the world’s most visionary architectural and interior design projects that demonstrate the remarkable creativity, structural versatility, and high-performance qualities of Italian ceramic surfaces.
Submissions for the 2026 competition were divided into four core categories: Commercial, Residential, Outdoor, and Design & New Applications. An independent and distinguished international jury carefully evaluated an impressive volume of entries, using strict criteria that encompassed functionality, aesthetic appeal, environmental sustainability, and the proportion of Italian ceramic materials utilized in each scheme. The submitted projects reflected a truly global reach, with recognized designs spanning Australia, Canada, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The international jury for this landmark edition was chaired by Steve Clem, a principal at the Atlanta-based architecture firm TVS. Joining him on the panel were Alfonso Femia, an architect, designer, and the founder and president of Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia; Donatella Bollani, an architect specializing in design, sustainability, and communication, as well as the former deputy editor of Domus; and Filippo Manuzzi, chairman of the Confindustria Ceramica Promotional Activities and Fairs Commission.
Reflecting on the caliber of the entries and the significance of the global expansion, jury chair Steve Clem shared his perspective on the judging process. Serving as chair, he noted, provided an exciting opportunity to witness the remarkable range of architectural and design work being brought to life using Italian ceramic and porcelain tile across the globe. He emphasized that the global reach of the competition introduced an impressive diversity of projects, illustrating how modern ceramic surfaces can function not merely as superficial finishes, but as truly integral components of the underlying architecture. According to Clem, both the ultimate winners and the recognized honorable mentions reflect a high level of creativity and innovation that continually expands the boundaries and possibilities of contemporary ceramic design.
Celebrating the Category Winners
In the Residential category, the top honor was awarded to “Spoonbill,” a luxury residence located in Manalapan, Florida, designed by the studio 610 Interiors. The project incorporates premium tiles sourced from Italian brands Leonardo Ceramica and ABK. Positioned to overlook a tranquil, protected waterfront basin, the residence offers a contemporary interpretation of luxury defined by a restrained architectural language and a refined minimalist sensibility. Conceived deliberately as gallery-like spaces, the home’s interiors are unified by a palette of soft white and ivory ceramic surfaces that establish a seamless visual and physical connection between the indoor living spaces and the surrounding outdoor environments. The home’s continuous dialogue with the adjacent waterfront and its careful integration into the local landscape cultivate a daily living experience centered squarely on well-being, where natural materials, abundant light, and thoughtful architecture converge in a state of harmonious balance.
The Outdoor category winner was “Villa Delago,” situated in Torri del Benaco, Italy, and designed by the architectural practice JM Architecture. The project features advanced ceramic surfaces supplied by Casalgrande Padana. Nestled gracefully into one of the natural terraces overlooking Lake Garda, the single-storey villa is designed to blend effortlessly into the established landscape, preserving the site’s historic century-old olive trees and towering cypress trees. Organized around two generous interior courtyards, the pavilion maintains an active and continuous dialogue with the outdoors through a wraparound portico framed by a slender white aluminum structure that highlights the surrounding porcelain stoneware surfaces. The property’s swimming pool follows the natural topography of the site, while the roof—conceived innovatively as a fifth facade and meticulously clad in large-format ceramic slabs—emerges as one of the project’s most striking architectural statements.
For the Commercial category, the top award went to the “Terradamari Resort & Spa Marina di Modica – Tapestry by Hilton,” located in Marina di Modica, Sicily, and designed by Studio Chiara Caberlon. The hospitality project features tile products from Coem, Fioranese, and Ceramica Sant’Agostino. Within the competitive landscape of luxury hospitality, the resort interprets the concepts of relaxation and wellness through an architectural approach that remains deeply rooted in the Sicilian landscape. Designed by Chiara Caberlon, the property treats guests to expansive sea views while utilizing ceramic surfaces to reinterpret traditional local motifs and organic textures through a contemporary lens. The inclusion of sustainable materials and regionally tailored solutions rounds out a comprehensive project that remains deeply attentive to the natural environment, the local community, and the comfort of visitors.
In the Design and New Applications category, the winner was the “Icebergs Bar and Kitchen at Sydney Airport T3,” located in Sydney, Australia, and designed by Lazzarini Pickering Architetti using specialty tiles from Franco Pecchioli Ceramica. The design successfully imports the relaxed, social atmosphere of Bondi Beach’s iconic long lunches into the fast-paced, high-traffic environment of Sydney Airport’s Terminal 3, offering travelers an immersive and calming retreat from the constant movement of the terminal. Suspended forms, handcrafted glazed tiles sourced directly from Tuscany, and carefully orchestrated lighting combine to evoke the distinct colors and reflections of the Pacific Ocean. Ceramic surfaces, which wrap around service counters and form monolithic tables, serve as the primary defining features of the interior space. The project’s commitment to sustainability is expressed through the selection of exceptionally durable materials capable of withstanding intensive public use, paired with an energy-efficient lighting scheme designed to maximize the contribution of natural daylight.
Recognition of Honorable Mentions
In addition to the primary category winners, the international jury selected five exceptional projects to receive Honorable Mentions for their creative application of Italian tile.
The Residential category honorable mention was awarded to a “Private Villa – Bay Hill,” located in Orlando, Florida, and designed by Brooks Design Studio using products from Ceramiche Keope. Conceived specifically to dissolve the traditional barriers between indoor and outdoor living, the luxury residence establishes a smooth spatial continuity between the main interior rooms and the exterior patios. Large-format ceramic surfaces rendered in a soft gray tone draw inspiration from the understated elegance of cast concrete, creating a unified material language that strengthens the home’s connection to the surrounding landscape. The project is completed by glass mosaic-effect ceramic surfaces that accent the pool edge, reinterpreting the storied tradition of Italian mosaic craftsmanship through a distinctly contemporary design framework.
The Commercial category honorable mention went to the “AC Hotel Savannah Historic District” in Savannah, Georgia, designed by the firm Design Continuum. The hospitality project showcases tile collections from Emilceramica, Florim, Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola, and Italgraniti. Subtle references to natural textures and the property’s physical relationship with the nearby river underscore a design methodology deeply committed to sustainability, an achievement formally recognized with LEED Platinum certification.
In the Outdoor category, the honorable mention was presented to “The Atrium House” in Miami, Florida, created by the studio Space & Forms and featuring products from Ceramiche Caesar. The single-family home offers a thoughtful reinterpretation of one of the most widespread residential housing typologies found across the United States, striking a deliberate balance between architectural tradition and contemporary design, as well as between openness to the natural landscape and the need for domestic privacy.
Two projects were distinguished with honorable mentions in the Design and New Applications category. The first was awarded to the “Towerhill House” project located in Mono, Ontario, Canada, designed by Studio Maggs with tiles sourced from Ceramica Vogue, Laminam, Ragno, and Ceramiche Refin. Conceived and designed during the height of the global pandemic, the residence emerged from the clients’ explicit desire to establish a private retreat centered on peace, personal privacy, and a sense of freedom, maintained through a constant, unobstructed dialogue with the outdoors.
The second mention in this category recognized the “Staples Table” by London-based design studio SMITHS, which featured large porcelain slabs produced by Casalgrande Padana. Developed initially as an interactive installation aimed at demonstrating the full potential of advanced ceramics to London’s architectural and design community, the table challenges purely superficial or aesthetic views of porcelain stoneware by highlighting its immense structural strength, load-bearing capacity, and overall construction versatility.
