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2013 Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition winners

This year, the Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition, an annual awards program sponsored by Confindustria Ceramica (the Italian Association of Ceramics) and the Italian Trade Commission, attracted the most competitive pool of projects in the contest's history. The winning projects speak to the A&D community's commitment to using a material that is technically advanced, aesthetically pleasing and manufactured with a focus on sustainability.

Nine projects in three categories were recognized: residential, institutional and commercial. The grand-prize winners include a century-old, three-floor adaptive re-use project (Schaefer-Graf Residence), a 675,000-square-foot entertainment arena (Barclays Center) and a LEED-certified government building (NIST) in addition to six projects who received honorable mentions from the jury.

Residential Winner - Schaefer/Graf Residence, Evanston, IL
Over a century old, the brick loft that began as a stable in the late 1890s -- and ended up as an automotive shop that was abandoned in the late 1990s -- was purchased by architect Mark Schaefer and fiancée Patti Graf in 2005. The couple spent the next five years rehabilitating the building. For the over 3,800-square-foot adaptive re-use project, the couple chose to pursue a modern, minimal Italian aesthetic that referenced fast cars and sleek motorcycles throughout. The three levels of living space are covered with neutral floor tiles from Cerim and Floor Gres that blend beautifully with both the old and the new. The muted color palette of the home is punctuated with colorful baths on the third floor featuring tiles from Lea Ceramiche.

**Participants:**

*Firm:*MRSA Architects & Planners

*Tile Manufacturers:* Cerim, Floor Gres and Lea Ceramiche

*Contractor:* Kraftex Floor Corp.

*Distributors:* Stone Source and Virginia Tile

Residential Honorable Mention Bilezikjian Residence, Miami Beach, FL
For this remodeling project, Den Architecture demolished and rebuilt every surface with a modern, minimalist approach. An AIA award-winning project, the oceanfront apartment draws inspiration from its surroundings with its choice of porcelain tiles: in every space, an effort was made to replicate the colors, textures and patterns of the Atlantic Ocean's blue waters and surrounding beaches. Wall and floor tiles from Imola Ceramica in white, blue and aquamarine are used in a staggered pattern in the guest bathroom, recalling Miami Beach's pristine environment. Meanwhile, porcelain wall tiles with an irregular cracked pattern from Brix's Dry series were specified for the backsplash in the master bathroom, which references the texture left on sand when the tide recedes. Neutral wood-look porcelain floor tiles from LaFaenza are used throughout the apartment.

**Participants:**

*Firm:*Den Architecture

*Tile Manufacturers:* Brix, Imola Ceramica and La Faenza

*Contractor:* Construct LLC

*Distributors*: Ceramica Esparza, Five Star Surfaces and Imola Tile

Alpine Estate, Alpine, NJ — NONE
Anna Marie Fanelli, co-owner and designer at Floor & Décor, made Italian tile the aesthetic focus of the $30 million Alpine Estate. Selecting Italian tiles for their ability to combine technological advancement, elegance and functionality -- as well as their eco-friendly and maintenance-free characteristics -- Fanelli designed tile couture spaces in the family room, kitchen, solarium and all of the bathrooms on the property. Collections from Casa Dolce Casa, Ceramica Imola, Ceramiche Sadon, Sant'Agostino and Unicom Starker that mimic natural materials like marble add unprecedented refinement and luxury to the estate. The design is the epitome of elegance and material couture.

**Participants:**

*Firm:*Anna Marie Fanelli

*Tile Manufacturers:* Casa Dolce Casa, Ceramiche Sadon, Imola Ceramica, Sant'Agostino, Unicom Starker

*Contractor:* Mancera Tile

*Distributor:* Floor and Décor

Institutional Winner - National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO
The design of the massive central spine of the Precision Measurement Laboratory on NIST's Colorado campus called for a modern, high-end look with a strong, grounded quality. In addition, the client required the new space to complement existing design elements. The spine -- about two football fields long -- serves as the main thoroughfare through which all the laboratories and faculty offices are accessed. HDR Architecture specified Italian tile for the project because its durability could withstand the extreme seasonal changes of the Colorado climate. An entire range of tiles from Ceramiche Caesar's Feel Collection met all of the functional and aesthetic requirements of the project: high-design and high-performance. The project perfectly exemplifies the firm's philosophy of combining passion for scale, finish and balance with function, fit and harmony. The project achieved LEED Gold certification.

*Firm:* HDR Architecture

*Tile Manufacturer:* Ceramiche Caesar

*Contractor:* Select Interiors

*Distributor:* RBC Tile & Stone

Institutional Honorable Mention - Indu and Raj Soin Medical Center, Beavercreek, OH
The massive 259,000-square-foot Indu and Raj Soin Medical Center -- named after the philanthropists who donated a generous sum of money towards the project -- has the feel of a hotel, creating a comfortable, positive environment for patients and their families. Jain Malkin, who specializes in healthcare design, specified 68,000 square feet of large-format Ceramiche Caesar porcelain tiles for the centerpiece of the Mills-Morgan Medical Campus. High-performance tiles from the company's Feel and More Collections were used in areas ranging from public restrooms to patient bathrooms in addition to the walls and floors of the expansive lobby and corridor areas. The result is a fresh, clean and nature-inspired interior that is serene and soothing.

**Participants:**

*Firm:*Jain Malkin

*Tile Manufacturer:* Ceramiche Caesar

*Contractor:* Danis Building Construction Co.

*Distributor:* SpecCeramics

Commercial Winner - Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
The design of the 675,000-square-foot arena by ShoP Architects achieves a striking balance between iconic form and performance. Integrated into one of the busiest urban intersections in the New York metropolitan area, the Barclays Center sustains a healthy, interactive dialogue with the surrounding streets and neighborhood. The main concourse and atrium, accessible from the arena's large entrance plaza, feature walls tiled with Sant'Agostino's Natural Trend Collection -- rich but muted basalt-look tiles that add edginess to the design and complement the rugged exterior of weathered steel. On event days, these spaces are filled with lively audiences waiting to enter the arena, buying tickets or dining in one of the 14 restaurants located off the concourse.

**Participants:**

*Firm:*SHoP Architects

*Tile Manufacturer:* Sant'Agostino

*Contractor:* Port Morris Tile & Marble Corp.

*Distributor:* Nemo Tile

Commerical Winner - Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

Commercial Retail Honorable Mention - Hirshleifer's Shoe Salon, Manhasset, NY
Avoiding the look of a typical shoe store, Sergio Mannino Studio used the Hirshleifer's Shoe Salon to create a homage to the world of Italian and American art and design. The space is a dialogue between stark Minimalism and the sensual and decadent world of Radical Design -- contrasting reds and whites dominating the color scheme -- mediated by the simple and clean canvas of glazed porcelain floor tiles from Impronta Ceramiche's Esko Collection. Hints of Sol LeWitt, Donald Judd, Gio Ponti and Lucio Fontana are incorporated seamlessly into the space, creating surprising moments throughout.

**Participants:**

*Firm:*Sergio Mannino Studio

*Tile Manufacturer*: Impronta Ceramiche

*Contractor:* Impronta Italgraniti

*Distributor:* Gianni Ruberti

Commerical Hospitality Honorable Mention - Hotel Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA
Through KNA Design's sleek, contemporary vision, this adaptive re-use project converted an old medical building into one of Los Angeles' premier hotels. It is equal parts hidden escape and city vibe, with a rooftop pool and lounge space that offers unforgettable views of the city. All of the public spaces, from the glass-walled lobby to the penthouse terrace and rooftop bar are tiled with "Sand" from Impronta Ceramiche, bringing a little bit of the beach inland with their textured, granular aesthetic. Not settling for looks alone, the tiles were also chosen for their sustainable attributes -- containing 45% pre- and post-consumer recycled content.

**Participants:**

*Firm:*KNA Design

*Tile Manufacturer:* Impronta Ceramiche

*Contractor:* RD Olson

*Distributor:* Stone Source

Commercial Corporate Honorable Mention - Juniper Networks HQ, Sunnyvale, CA
A feat to be marveled at in terms of scope and construction, the first two buildings of Juniper Networks' proposed 2.5 million-square-foot campus are completely clad in large-format porcelain tiles. After extensive research, RMW Architecture and Interiors found Ceramiche Caesar's E-Motions and More Collections to be perfect for designing a building skin that was different -- the exteriors stand out yet aesthetically connect the campus as it grows. Approximately 21,000 square feet of tile was installed on each building using prefabricated, lightweight concrete panels developed by Walters and Wolf. The tiles are manufactured using eco-friendly processes and create a high-quality exterior that is durable, long-lasting and low maintenance. Buildings A and B are both on track to receive LEED Gold Certification.

**Participants:**

*Firm:*RMW Architecture and Interiors

*Tile Manufacturer:* Ceramiche Caesar

*Contractor:* Walters & Wolf

*Distributor*: SpecCeramics

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