Cersaie 2005 is expected to exceed last year’s attendance of more than 98,500 visitors.


Cersaie, the world's largest international exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings, is just around the corner, and those in the ceramic tile industry are excited to see the latest trends in ceramic tile design.

Cersaie 2005 promises to be another record-breaking show and will take place from Sept. 27-Oct. 1 at the Bologna Fairgrounds, Bologna, Italy. The 23rd edition of the show will feature more than 1,000 exhibitors from 35 countries and 156,000 square meters of exhibitor space - making it the perfect place to see the latest Italian trends in color, format, technology and style. Attendance at last year's show exceeded past figures, with 98,592 visitors.

"Cersaie is the premier trade show for tile in the world - it is like Paris for the Haute Couture. At the show, visitors will get a sneak peak at the trends that will lead the ceramic industry," remarks Rosanna Gionnoni, Monocibec export manager. Gionnoni expects to see more of the retro designs that have been popular so far this year.

"2005 is the year of contemporary, chic colors as well as whimsical decorations inspired by the `70s. Both the wood and stone looks continue to be popular," she adds.

Cersaie 2005 will also include the third annual design symposium entitled "Bologna Markitecture - Value in Architecture." The program, organized by Assopiastrelle in conjunction with BolognaFiere (Bologna Fairgrounds), will focus on material experimentation and innovative applications and techniques. It will feature a lecture by leading Austrian architect Wolf D. Prix (Coop Himmelblau) as well as "Cersaie Village," a new central pavilion sponsored by Ceramic Tiles of Italy and Markitecture. Designed by Italian architect Massimo Iosa Ghini, the new space will be made up of five colorful organic mini-pavilions. In addition to an information and meeting point, the centerpiece will also include three architectural exhibits: Ceramica e Riqualificazione Urbana - a multimedia exhibit of the work generated by a national competition of Italian architects' designs for urban centers; Exercises in Architecture - an exhibit with 15-cutting-edge projects, from tiles that glow in the dark to those that are climate controlled, designed by students and manufacturer teams working at architectural and design schools (part of CUMULUS, the European Association of Universities and Colleges of Art and Design Media); and Futuro Remoto - a display showcasing antique tiles from the Emilia Romagna region (Sassuolo and Faenza) as part of the historical section of the Exercises in Architecture exhibit.

For more information on Cersaie 2005, visit www.cersaie.it.