North American architects, designers, and students now have until April 1 at 11:59pm EST to submit their Commercial, Institutional, and Residential projects featuring Italian ceramic and porcelain tile.

This past year has been incredibly challenging for the architecture & design industry; among countless other setbacks, COVID-19 has caused many built projects to be delayed or put on hold. By extending the deadline, Confindustria Ceramica and the Italian Trade Agency hope to allow more time for eligible projects to be completed and submitted. It’s a natural decision, given that Coverings 2021, which hosts the annual Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition awards ceremony, has also been rescheduled for July 7-9 in Orlando, FL. 

Winning projects will exemplify innovative design while demonstrating the superior technical and aesthetic qualities of Italian tile. An international jury of design experts will select winners in four built categories - Residential (Single-Family), Residential (Multi-Family), Commercial, and Institutional - as well as a winner in the Student category. In addition to the juried winners, a People’s Choice Award will be given to a firm elected by the public for the second year in a row.

Individuals or groups of students are invited to submit their projects in the form of renderings, floor plans and sketches. Students must be enrolled in an accredited North American university to be eligible.

Winners will be notified in April and officially announced during Coverings in Orlando, Florida from July 7-9, 2021. All of the winners will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the show to present their projects during the Ceramics of Italy Press Conference. Built project winners will also receive a 5-day CEU-accredited trip to Bologna, Italy to attend Cersaie – the world’s largest exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings – with a delegation of top design media.

The competition guidelines, submission form, and an archive of beautiful winning projects from the past 27 years can be found on the Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition website, www.tilecompetition.com. There is no fee to enter and multiple submissions are accepted.