All set for Italian Day at Coverings

Mar 19, 2004

19/03/04 - Italian companies will be out in force at Coverings this year. More than 120 exhibitors comprising tile manufacturers and companies operating in the adhesives sector will be hosted in the Italian pavilion centred around the Ceramic Tiles of Italy institutional stand.

Italian products continue to be extremely popular in the States (imports rose by 8.5% during the first 11 months of 2003) and will take centre stage on Tuesday 23 March. The Italian pavilion will host numerous appointments including the annual international press conference and S_Tiles - Italian tiles towards sustainability, a seminar during which the Italian ceramic tile industry’s integrated environmental and social communication project will be presented.

Following the presentation of the Assopiastrelle American Distributor Award, assigned each year to the US importer that has excelled in its relationship with Italian companies, this first day of the exhibition will end on a light note with the Italian Cocktail event.

Last but not least, there will be two cultural exhibitions held in specific corners in the Italian Pavilion. The first, organised by the Ceramic Museum of Faenza, comprises a selection of artistic ceramics from the 1930s created by leading Italian artists. The second is a photographic exhibition devoted to the 10 years of the Design Competition, the contest for the best architectural projects carried out using Italian ceramic tiles.

The in-focus section contains the program for Tuesday 23 Marchitaliancoverings.jpgProgram for Tuesday 23 MarchProgram for Tuesday 23 March

3.00 p.m. - Italian International Press Conference

The following will be present:
Sergio Sassi – Chairman of Assopiastrelle
Enzo D. Mularoni – Vice Chairman of Assopiastrelle for Promotional Activities and Tradefairs
Roberto Luongo – Director of ICE New York
Franco Vantaggi – Director General of Assopiastrelle

Presentation of book “Ten Years of Design Excellence: Ceramic Tiles of Italy Across America” with address by Jen Renzi, editor of “Interior Design Magazine”

Presentation of “Ceramic Tiles of Italy Design Competition 2004 Awards”

4.00 p.m. - Seminar: “Design Responsibility. A global approach to sustainable building: the role of ceramic tiles”

Presentation of “S_Tiles” – by Patrizia Lugo Loprieno, EOS - Environmental Consulting Group Photographs by Miro Zagnoli

To be followed by a debate with:
William McDonough, McDonough + Partners James Wines, SITE
Anne Save De Beaurecueil, Bernard Tschumi Architects
David Paul Brems, Gillies Stransky Brems Smith PC Edward R. Jones, Jones Studio Inc.
Moderator: Michael P. Johnson

5.30 p.m. – Italian Cocktail on Terrace with “Green Twist”

Presentation of “Assopiastrelle Distributor Award 2004”