Castellón, Spain -- The jury of the 18th edition of the Tile of Spain Awards met at ASCER’s headquarters at the end of November to decide on award winners.

First place in the architecture category was awarded to Santa Creu & Sant Pau Hospital Research Centre (Barcelona) by PICHarchitects Pich-Aguilera and 2BMFG Arquitectes whose permeable ceramic envelope seeks to blend in with the architecture in general. The jury highlighted the innovative use of a ceramic material and the context in which it was used, with its capacity to blend into part of the surroundings. The façade is a permeable ceramic envelope that guarantees visual links between indoors and out, with a chameleonic outer appearance.

The first prize in the interior design category went to a project for the waiting areas of a bus station (Badajoz) by José María Sánchez García, where ceramic tiles alone succeed in meeting all the expected requirements of coverings used in public spaces. The jury applauded the elegance with which this project was brought to fruition through the design of a ceramic material. The keys to this project are geometrical shapes, attention to detail, construction and space, taken into account on both the smallest of scales and in terms of user experiences.

The jury also decided to award two special mentions in both the architecture and interior design categories. Architecture honorary mentions went to: Tivoli Building by Martín Lejárraga and Courtyard of the brave by Elisa Valero. The honorary mentions in interior design were: The camper store, Paseo de Gracia by KKAA (Kengo Kuma / Javier Villar Ruiz); and Vallirana 47 by Vora Arquitectura.

In the final degree project category, the jury awarded a first prize and two special mentions. The first prize went to “Memento Mori. The Presence of an Absence” by Óscar Cruz García from Madrid School of Architecture. The jury highlighted the maturity and sensitivity of a project that was thoroughly illustrated and deeply felt. Attention to detail is the leitmotif of a sequence of spaces where nature, materials, and atmospherics are all combined.

The awards include a prize of €17,000 in the architecture and interior design categories and €5,000 in the final degree project category. The Tile of Spain Awards are sponsored by Endesa, Weber-Saint Gobain, Valencia Port Authority, and CESCE.

For more information, visit www.tileofspainawards.com.