Confindustria Ceramica, the Italian Association of Ceramics, alongside the Italian Trade Agency, officially announced the winners of the 2026 Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition during a prominent ceremony on September 23. Held as part of the “Building, Dwelling, Thinking” event program at Cersaie 2026, this year’s competition marked a significant milestone. For the first time in its history, the program expanded its reach globally to encompass firms worldwide, generating an extraordinary response from the international design community. Entries poured in from architects and interior designers showcasing outstanding projects that prominently featured Italian ceramic and porcelain tile from various Ceramics of Italy member brands.
Organized annually by the Italian ceramic industry and Cersaie, the competition recognizes the world’s top architectural and interior design projects that demonstrate the creativity, versatility, and high performance of Italian ceramic surfaces. Submissions were evaluated across four core categories: Commercial, Residential, Outdoor, and Design & New Applications. This year, the international jury reviewed an impressive volume of entries from across the globe, with projects spanning Australia, Canada, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The guiding criteria for the jury included functionality, aesthetic appeal, sustainability, and the extensive integration of authentic Italian ceramic materials.
The distinguished international jury for the 2026 competition was chaired by Steve Clem, a principal at the Atlanta-based architectural firm TVS. He was joined by an esteemed panel of industry experts: 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 submissions and the global expansion of the program, 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 with Italian ceramic and porcelain tile around the world. He added that the global expansion brought forward an impressive diversity of projects, clearly demonstrating how modern ceramic surfaces can serve not merely as surface finishes, but as integral, structural elements of overall architecture. According to Clem, the winning entries and honorable mentions reflect the ongoing creativity and innovation that continually expand the practical and aesthetic possibilities of ceramic design.
Category Winners Showcase Global Architectural Excellence
The winner in the Residential category was “Spoonbill,” located in Manalapan, Florida, and designed by the studio 610 Interiors. The project incorporates tiles supplied by Leonardo Ceramica and ABK. Overlooking a tranquil, protected waterfront basin, the residence interprets contemporary luxury through a restrained architectural language and a refined minimalist sensibility. Conceived deliberately as gallery-like spaces, the interiors are unified by soft white and ivory ceramic surfaces that establish a seamless visual and physical connection between indoor living areas and outdoor environments. Its continuous dialogue with the waterfront and thoughtful integration into the surrounding landscape define a residential experience centered entirely on well-being, where natural materials, light, and architecture merge in a state of balance.
In the Outdoor category, the top honor was awarded to “Villa Delago” in Torri del Benaco, Italy, designed by JM Architecture and featuring high-performance ceramic surfaces by Casalgrande Padana. Nestled gently onto one of the natural terraces overlooking Lake Garda, the villa blends harmoniously into the surrounding landscape while carefully preserving the site’s century-old olive and cypress trees. Organized as a single-storey pavilion structured around two generous courtyards, the residence establishes a continuous dialogue with the outdoors via a wraparound portico. This portico is defined by a slender white aluminum structure that accentuates the porcelain stoneware surfaces. Furthermore, the swimming pool follows the natural topography of the site, while the roof—conceived as a fifth facade and meticulously clad in large-format ceramic slabs—emerges as one of the project’s most defining architectural features.
The Commercial category winner was the “Terradamari Resort & Spa Marina di Modica – Tapestry by Hilton,” located in Marina di Modica, Sicily, and designed by Studio Chiara Caberlon. The project incorporates tiles from Coem, Fioranese, and Ceramica Sant’Agostino. Within the competitive landscape of luxury hospitality, the resort interprets relaxation and well-being through architecture that is deeply rooted in the Sicilian landscape. Designed by Chiara Caberlon, the property offers expansive sea views and a design language that reinterprets traditional Mediterranean motifs and natural textures through contemporary ceramic surfaces. Sustainable materials and locally sourced solutions round out a project that maintains a clear and dedicated attentiveness to the environment, the local region, and its guests.
In the Design and New Applications category, the winner was the “Icebergs Bar and Kitchen at Sydney Airport T3” in Sydney, Australia, designed by the studio Lazzarini Pickering Architetti using specialty tiles from Franco Pecchioli Ceramica. The project successfully brings the relaxed atmosphere of Bondi Beach’s iconic long lunches into the fast-paced, dynamic setting of Sydney Airport’s Terminal 3, offering travelers an immersive retreat amid the constant flow of the terminal. Suspended architectural forms, handcrafted glazed tiles imported from Tuscany, and carefully orchestrated lighting evoke the vibrant colors and fluid reflections of the Pacific Ocean. Here, ceramic surfaces wrap around service counters and form monolithic tables, transforming into the primary defining feature of the space. Sustainability is further expressed through durable materials engineered for intensive public use alongside an energy-efficient lighting scheme that maximizes natural daylight.
Honorable Mentions Highlight Diverse Applications of Italian Tile
In addition to the primary category winners, the international jury selected five standout projects to receive honorable mentions for their exceptional use of Italian ceramics.
The Residential category honorable mention was awarded to “Private Villa – Bay Hill,” located in Orlando, Florida, and designed by Brooks Design Studio using products from Ceramiche Keope. Conceived to dissolve the traditional boundary between indoor and outdoor living, this luxury residence creates seamless spatial continuity between the home’s main living areas and its surrounding outdoor patios. Large-format ceramic surfaces finished in a soft gray tone—inspired by the understated elegance of raw concrete—establish a unified material language that enhances the home’s dialogue with the landscape. Glass mosaic-effect ceramic surfaces enrich the pool edge, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of the refined tradition of Italian mosaic craftsmanship.
The Commercial category honorable mention went to the “AC Hotel Savannah Historic District” in Savannah, Georgia. Designed by the firm Design Continuum, the hotel project showcases tile products from Emilceramica, Florim, Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola, and Italgraniti. Thoughtful references to natural textures and the property’s architectural relationship with the nearby river reflect a design approach firmly rooted in sustainability, which has been formally recognized with LEED Platinum certification.
In the Outdoor category, the honorable mention was presented to “The Atrium House” in Miami, Florida, designed by the studio Space & Forms using products from Ceramiche Caesar. This single-family residence reinterprets one of the most widely utilized housing typologies in the United States, striking a careful balance between historical architectural tradition and contemporary design, as well as maintaining an openness to the surrounding landscape while preserving domestic privacy.
For the Design and New Applications category, the jury awarded two honorable mentions. The first was given to the “Towerhill House” project in Mono, Ontario, Canada, created by Studio Maggs with tiles sourced from Ceramica Vogue, Laminam, Ragno, and Ceramiche Refin. Designed during the height of the global pandemic, the residence was born from the clients’ explicit desire to create a private retreat centered on peace, privacy, and personal freedom, maintained in constant, calming dialogue with the outdoors.
The second mention in the category was awarded to the “Staples Table” by London-based studio SMITHS, featuring large-format slabs by Casalgrande Padana. Conceived as an interactive installation designed to present the vast structural and aesthetic potential of ceramics to London’s architectural community, the table challenges a purely decorative view of porcelain stoneware by directly highlighting its structural strength, durability, and construction versatility.
