PERCORSI IN CERAMICA 16

The latest issue of the journal published by Casalgrande Padana is dedicated to the seventh Grand Prix competition of architecture

Grand Prix was created in 1990 by Casalgrande Padana, an important enterprise in the ceramic sector that had always been particularly interested and aware of the development and innovation trends involving architecture throughout the world.

The main purpose of the competition is to select and award, every two years, the more significant constructions in the various different building fields that highlight the technical features and expressive potential of Casalgrande Padana's porcelain stoneware material.

Issue 16 of "Percorsi in ceramica", journal of trends and images published by Casalgrande Padana, is entirely dedicated to the 2005-2006 Grand Prix and includes a report about the prize giving ceremony that took place in Palazzo Vecchio's Salone dei Cinquecento, in Florence. A presentation of the winning projects has also been given lots of space in the journal.
The descriptions of the winning works are preceded by a leading article containing a series of evaluations that illustrate how the competition developed, pin-pointing the many aspects that determined the progressive success of the initiative, regarding both the number of participants and the quality of the actual works.

So much so, 188 works submitted by 186 designers from 28 countries representing all continents took part in the seventh Grand Prix competition. Works of a very high quality on the whole and certainly worthy of appreciation, as was underscored by the international jury chaired by Franco Manfredini, chairman of Casalgrande Padana, and formed by authoritative professors, architects, designers and journalists: Alfonso Acocella, Riccardo Blumer, Adalberto Dal Lago, Biagio Furiozzi, Tersilla Giacobone, Bengt Lundsten, Jean-Michel Place, Italo Rebuli.

"Percorsi in ceramica" ends the description of the activities linked to the seventh Grand Prix competition with a profile of the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who held an interesting conference about his work at the prize giving ceremony, preceded by an introductory speech by professor Francesco Dal Co. It also illustrates the renovation work which, thanks to Casalgrande Padana's sponsorship, brought Vincenzo de'Rossi's "Labours of Hercules" sculptures in the Salone dei Cinquecento back to their ancient splendour.

But sensitivity towards cultural aspects is not Casalgrande Padana's only distinguishing feature, as testified by news of the important acknowledgement our company was recently assigned by Databank, an important international enterprise that deals with market research: Casalgrande Padana has actually been earmarked as "2007 Company to Watch", i.e. a company that works at levels of excellence in its particular sector.