CERASPAÑA 28 INGLES
Transcripción
CERASPAÑA 28 INGLES
CERASPAÑA/28 2012 / CERAMICS / ARCHITECTURE / DESIGN TILE OF SPAIN AROUND THE WORLD SIZE MATTERS XTH CERAMIC TILE IN ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS “FLUIDITY” IS WHAT THE NEW CERAMIC IS ALL ABOUT CERASPAÑA/28 Editorial Ceramic flows It was clear once again at our first time at the MADE architecture fair in Milan that if there is one feature that defines ceramic tiles today it is their versatility. Ceramic tile flows through all sorts of different spaces, covering exteriors and interiors, public and private spaces, straight, flat surfaces and curved surfaces, in domestic and urban environments, in both cutting edge and traditional styles – and these are just a few examples. As happens every year the beginning of a new year is nearly upon us and our best wishes for it are focused on the CEVISAMA fair, the main exhibition for the Spanish floor and wall coverings industry. We hope that, just as there is a constant flow of new products coming from the sector, there will be a constant stream of visitors through the door. Summary 02 EDITORIAL: CERAMIC FLOWS 03 SIZE MATTERS 07 CEVISAMA 2012: PREVIEW 08 TILE OF SPAIN AROUND THE WORLD 10 Xth CERAMIC TILE IN ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS 14 “FLUIDITY” TURNS SPOTLIGHT ON TILE OF SPAIN AT MADE IN MILÁN 17 SHOWROOM 23 NEWS AND EVENTS 24 CERAMIC STUDIES DEPARTMENTS NETWORK Ceraspaña is available digitally at: www.ceraspana.es SERVICIO AL LECTOR Si desea recibir más información sobre las empresas que aparecen en Ceraspaña, contacte con ASCER: [email protected] o visite la web www.spaintiles.info If you would like to receive the enhanced, digital version of the magazine instead of the hard copy, please send us an e-mail, to [email protected] ISSUE 28 · 2012 EDITED BY ASCER Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers´ Association C/ Ginjols, 3 · 12003 Castellón · Spain Tel. +34 964 727 200 · Fax +34 964 727 212 [email protected] · http://spaintiles.info Ceraspaña is a free newsletter distributed by ASCER. PUBLISHED BY Iberamic Inc. DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Plató SPONSORED BY COVER PHOTO: “FLUIDITY”, BY TILE OF SPAIN AT THE MILAN MADE EXPO 2 CERASPAÑA/28 SIZE MATTERS To get the best out of ceramic tile products when embarking upon a refurbishment project it is useful to understand the different types of format that are available and research which are the most appropriate for each room in the home. Wisely selected sizes will help create more elegant, original and workable rooms. Continues on page 4... Grespania, Coverlam, Limestone and Wood series 3 CERASPAÑA/28 E ver since they have existed, ceramic tiles have evolved on the technical front and also in terms of their appearance. Their technical properties, most notably their strength, durability and the fact that they are easy to maintain, have made ceramic tiles the ideal material for many architects and interior designers who in recent years have made them a major component of urban architecture and of public and commercial spaces. These professionals have also used them in many rooms in the home where they used not to be found very frequently at all. One of the secrets of this success that ceramic tiles have achieved is their versatility, which is the joint result of their offering a multitude of different options in terms of design, finish, colour and format. We will be taking a closer look at this last feature in this article. Onix, Natureglass series Vives Azulejos y Gres, Vézère series 4 La Platera, Living series UNDERSTANDING THE PRODUCT TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT To ensure a good result when it comes to choosing ceramic tiles for cladding a new space or for a refurbishing project, it is worth understanding the different types of format that are available on the market and the uses for which they are suitable. Each size offers its own advantages and applications and will be more or less suitable for different spaces. To get the best out of the products there are a few things you need to take into consideration. Small tiles for example, known also as mosaic tiles, tend to measure 1.5x1.5cm and are widely used for covering curved surfaces or to highlight a specific area. Cladding the shower area with mosaic tiles enables CERASPAÑA/28 you to create different atmospheres within the one bathroom. If you decide to go for classic or even retro size tiles you will make your living room, kitchen, bathroom and even your outdoor dining area feel welcoming. There is currently a renaissance of the 10x10cm format for floor and wall tiles, now being made in new colours and textures that give them an avant-garde look. LOS GRANDES FORMATOS, ÚLTIMA INCORPORACIÓN A LOS CATÁLOGOS DE LOS FABRICANTES, NACIERON PARA CREAR UN EFECTO DE CONTINUIDAD VISUAL Y SENSACIÓN DE AMPLITUD The formats most commonly used in the home are rectangular and square tiles 30x60cm, 20x20cm and 30x30cm as these fit perfectly in all kinds of rooms. If you want to give your home a modern look you Continues on page 6... L’Antic Colonial – Porcelanosa, Retro series xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Porcelanite Dos, 9001 series 5 CERASPAÑA/28 can play with laying them diagonally or mixing tiles with different designs or colours together. Edging strips and borders are special pieces whose job it is to give wall and floor coverings that personal touch they need in order for them to have that ‘wow factor’. One option that yields very good results is to use small contrasting tiles to break the monotony of monochrome and neutral surfaces. Large formats are the tiles that have just recently found their way into manufacturers catalogues. They evolved with the aim of providing visual continuity as fewer joints are involved. 50x100cm, 60x120cm and even up to 3x1m formats now exist, which are the most appropriate for covering exteriors and diaphanous spaces where the desired effect is a sense of spaciousness. One good idea is to clad your living room walls with large format tiles laid horizontally: installed this way they will certainly not go unnoticed. In addition to the applications for these formats mentioned above there are also special pieces. These are the tiles that are designed to provide solutions for very specific spaces or have a specific function such as finishing off the cladding in difficult places such as angles and joins, steps, skirtings...) or simply to be decorative or aesthetic elements in a composition. They are definitely worth considering using as they can provide the solution to every challenge El Barco, Oldie and Edén series Inalco, Foster Slimmker series 6 CERASPAÑA/28 CEVISAMA 2012: PREVIEW The 30th International Architectural Ceramic and Bathroom Furnishings Fair, CEVISAMA, takes place from 7th to 10th February, once again at the Feria Valencia exhibition centre. The most innovative products will be on show at an event that, year after year, is an increasingly important fixture on the international calendar of fairs for the industries that manufacture materials for interiors. C EVISAMA is a gallery of trends that is a benchmark for architects, designers, interior designers, specifiers, buyers and the media. This year the show will be featuring almost xxxx exhibitors spread across more than 100,000 square metres of exhibition space in an exhibition venue that is one of the most modern and with some of the finest facilities in Europe. The organisers have considerably enhanced the style and content of the exhibition and it has improved its position in the market thanks to it commitment to attracting a greater number of international buyers and the endorsement of the moist influential specifiers. CEVISAMA 2011 experienced a qualitative leap in terms of the profile of the professional visitors who attended, with a 50% surge in the number of architects, quantity surveyors, interior designers and industrial designers. FULL-ON PROGRAMME OF EVENTS Once again the “Trans/HITOS” show will be taking place within CEVISAMA and this year, 2012, is being titled “Spaces”. According to the people running the project, ITC-Alicer, this title defines the essence of the geometric, dimensional aspect of every architectural and interior design project as well as describing what each area of the exhibit will consist of. The exhibit comprises six roomsets including, notably, a space dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Tile Awards and a space showcasing the work done by the students on courses being run by the ASCER Network of Ceramic Tile Studies Departments in schools of architecture. On the second day of the fair, at the international press conference, “ASCER-Ceramic The Trans/HITOS show: “Spaces” will be one of the major attractions at CEVISAMA 2012 Tile of Spain”, will be revealing the main industry statistics and the strategies it will be adopting going forward. Also, the award ceremony for the tenth Ceramic Tile in Architecture, Interior Design and Degree Projects Awards will be taking place at the end of the press conference (see further information on p.10). Taking advantage of the fact that there will be around 100 members of the international press at the conference, the name of the medium winning an Award for its work promoting the qualities of Spanish ceramic tiles will also be announced. best facets of the Spanish ceramic tile industry and its products. Further, and as has become customary, Tile of Spain in collaboration with ICEX is making arrangements for a large group of international journalists from the leading specialist architecture, interior design and tile magazines to visit the fair. An interesting programme of activities is being laid on for the guests during the fair with a view to showing them the One of the main items on the CEVISAMA Lab programme is the international architectural ceramic tile design competition and the bathroom design competition, both of which are targeted at students. The ceramic tile design competition will include two classes: ceramic tile products shaped by semi-dry pressing and ceramic tile products shaped by other methods The fair organisers have once again devised a full programme of parallel events for professional architects and students of architecture, interior design, engineering etc. Subtitled “CEVISAMA Lab: an ideas laboratory”, the event will feature a series of exhibits, displays centred on trends, meetings, top notch speakers, competitions, prizes... a strategic think-tank for the ceramic tile, bathroom furnishings and natural stone sectors. 7 CERASPAÑA/28 TILE OF SPAIN AROUND THE WORLD SEMINAR FOR GERMAN SPECIFIERS ASCER staged two seminars on Spanish ceramic tiles in Hamburg and Berlin on 25th and 26th October 2011. Organised with the support of IVEX (the Valencia Export Development Institute) and in collaboration with architecture journal “db deutsche bauzeitung”, the seminars were titled “Im Quadrat: Mit Fliesen bauen: Praxisbeispiele aus dem Wohnungsbau”, (“Im Quadrat: building with tiles: practical examples of residential construction.” There was a dual theme to the seminars, a temporary exhibition of ceramic material showing innovative products specific to the contract sector, and a programme of lectures delivered by some of Germany’s leading architects who showed their own projects as illustrations of the new applications for ceramic tile in contemporary architecture. Nine companies took part in the product display (Azteca, Ceracasa, Cerámica Elías, Cevica, Dune Cerámica, Keraben, Porcelanosa, Roca, Saloni), with more than 200 specifiers altogether visiting it and attending the lectures. Germany is fourth in the ranking of destinations for Spain’s ceramic tile exports and has shown positive growth of over 10% in 2011. K + W Photograph Thomas Koy + Marc Winkel SPANISH CERAMIC TILES IN THE BIG APPLE which was organised in collaboration with Metropolis magazine, was attended by 150 specifiers (architects, interior designers and the specialist trade press). As well as considering it to be a world capital New York is a strategic market for Spanish tiles, as is the USA as a whole, and Tile of Spain therefore runs a Sector Promotion Plan that specifically targetat the US market. As well as exhibiting at fairs on both coasts Spain’s ceramic tile manufacturing industry regularly runs seminars there that are geared to specifiers. Organised in collaboration with ICEX and the Spanish Embassy Commercial Office in Miami, the seminars are designed to enhance the image of Spain’s tile sector. The seminar included a discussion, moderated by Susan S. Szenasy (editor in chief at Metropolis magazine), between the wellknown lecturer and ceramic tile specialist Patty Fasan, Spanish architects Fernández Solla and Ángela García de Paredes, and North American architects Charles Kramer and Richard Southwick. Last October the New York Times head office building, which is situated in the heart of the Times Square district, was the venue for a seminar on Spain’s ceramic tile industry and an exhibition of its products. The seminar, The manufacturers – Azulev, Cerámica Elías, Inalco, Keraben, Natucer, Pamesa, Porcelanosa, Roca and Saloni – showed the new trends in technology and innovation that are coming out of Spain’s ceramic tile industry. 8 A moment during the discussion between renowned architects and ceramic tile experts. TILE OF SPAIN ALREDEDOR DEL MUNDO TILE OF SPAIN OFF TO CONQUER INDIA What is interesting about the Indian marketplace is its huge growth potential and how extensive a presence ceramic tile has in the country’s culture. In response to this and through its Tile of Spain umbrella brand ASCER rolled out two initiatives to promote Spanish ceramic tiles there during the last three months of 2011. Both initiatives were targeted at specifiers. INDARCH 2011 (BOMBAY) From 29th September to 2nd October an information stand was set up for the first time at architecture and interior design fair Indarch, in Bombay. The initiative was supported by IVEX (the Valencia Export Development Institute). The stand included an exhibition zone showing the Spanish ceramic tile industry’s latest innovations in design and technology. The main element of the promotional package devised to support Spain’s participation in the fair was a catalogue that reviewed the products manufactured by the 20 companies represented on the information stand. ACE TECH 2011 (BOMBAY) In collaboration with ICEX and for the third year in a row ASCER organised a group stand at specialist construction materials and interior design fair ACE TECH . Tile of Spain rolls out more initiatives every year in the Indian marketplace on account of the huge potential it represents and its positive performance so far. The group stand showcased seven Spanish ceramic tile manufacturers – Alaplana Grupo, Cerámicas Aparici, Hijos de F. Gaya Forés, Pamesa, Realonda, Roca Cerámica and Undefasa – and also included a Tile of Spain information desk that promoted Spain’s ceramic wall and floor tile product offer by furnishing visitors with general information about the industry. Ceraspaña magazine was handed out too along with ASCER’s book on architecture and interior design, “Public. Private. Ephemeral. Ceramics in Architecture” and the catalogue of Spanish exhibitors. SPAIN-RUSSIA ‘DUAL YEAR’ Tile of Spain organised a seminar in Moscow on 10th November to mark the Spain-Russia ‘dual year’ 2011. Titled “Ceramic tile in architecture and interior design: Innovation, Technology, Diversity”, it featured a presentation by Spanish architect José Ramón Tramoyeres, who talked to the audience of architects and designers about the potential for using Spanish tiles in cutting edge projects. The latest trends in the field of architecture and interior design were presented too and the seminar alsio featured a display titled “Yes, we choose Spanish ceramic” that featured the latest new products from 15 manufacturers of ceramic floor and wall tiles: Azteca, Azulev, Ceracasa, Cristacer, Dune, Gayafores, Gres de Breda, Grespania, Inalco, Inceazahar, Keraben, Natucer, Pamesa, Saloni y Venus. This type of event plays a very important role in promoting, developing and positioning Spanish tiles in the Russian market. Spain currently tops the league table of suppliers of glazed tiles to Russia, whilst the Federation has become the second biggest export destination for Spain’s ceramic tile output. 15 tile manufacturers exhibited their latest products to the many specifiers who attended the seminar. 9 CERASPAÑA/28 The Ceramic Tile in Architecture and Interior Design Awards celebrated their first decade by putting together an exceptional jury chaired by internationally renowned architect Benedetta Tagliabue, herself a two-time award winner. This year’s winning projects were once again of outstandingly high calibre and showcased a huge range of applications for ceramic coverings. Iridescent ceramic tiles are the hero in this design, which won the tenth edition of the Awards. Photos: David Frutos. 10 CERASPAÑA/28 “AUDITORIUM AND HOUSE OF MUSIC IN ALGUEÑA (ALICANTE)” IS WINNER OF TENTH ROUND OF AWARDS T he jury for the 10th Ceramic Tile in Architecture and Interior Design Awards decided to award first prize in the Architecture category to “MUCA”, a project by the C O R Jesús Olivares + Miguel Ródenas practise. The jury was particularly impressed by “the intelligent use of the scant financial resources that were available and the expressiveness of the iridescent cera- mic cladding, which is the star performer as it changes with the varying light and harmonises with the site and the surrounding construction.” In the interior design category first prize went to “Casa Collage in Call Street in Girona” by bosch.capdeferro arquitectures - (Elisabet Capdeferro y Ramón Bosch). The jury liked the poetic and intelligent use of existing ceramic tiles. The way the tiles have been uses and combined reveals a highly positive approach in an execution that relates marvellously to the other materials. Continues on page 12... 11 CERASPAÑA/28 HONOROUBLE MENTIONS DEGREE PROJECTS CATEGORY The jury wanted to single out two of the many projects entered for the architecture category of the competition. Both came from prestigious international firms: the “Auditorio Municipal de Teudela” (“Teudela Municipal Auditorium”) by Francisco Mangado and the “Universidad Popular Infantil de Gandía” (“Children’s University of Gandía”) by Ángela García de Paredes and Ignacio Pedrosa (Paredes Pedrosa Arquitectos). Last but not least the Ceramic Tile Awards include a category designed to give recognition to the best Degree Project by a student of architecture in which ceramic tile plays a significant part. In the interior design category the jury also wanted to recognise the Fira 2 underground station on Line 9 of Barcelona’s metro system by the Toyo Ito practice, and awarded it a distinction. The jury awarded first prize to “MOSAICO. Spa baths, hotel and restaurant in Bath (England)” by Patricia Bouzas Pascual, a student at the Advanced School of Architecture of Madrid. The jury also awarded three runner-up prizes to the following projects: the “Support Centre for Economies at Risk in the region of Kach- The “Casa Collage” in Girona carried off the prize in the interior design category. Photos: José Hevia. 12 AS THE AWARDS TURN TEN THEY ALREADY SET THE BAR FOR THE WORLD OF ARCHITECTURE CERASPAÑA/23 chh in India” by Erika Sanz García from the Madrid Higher Technical School of Architecture, “Metropolitan Device System (Agricultural and Urban Recovery in La Vega de Granada)” by Carlos Gor Gómez of the Granada Higher Technical School of Architecture and the “Museum of Visigothic Art in Mérida” by José Antonio Millán Mena of the Madrid Higher Technical School of Architecture. The Teulada Auditorium (Alicante) by Patxi Mangado. Photo: Roland Halbe. THE JURY The members of this year’s jury were of outstandingly high calibre. The chairman was Milanese architect Benedetta Tagliabue, who is based in Barcelona and founded EMBT Arquitectes jointly with Enric Miralles. The EMBT practise has twice been a winner of the Tile Awards, once for its Parque Diagonal Mar project and again for its restoration of the Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona. The others on the jury were architects Andrés Jaque, João Álvaro Rocha from Portugal and Mikko Heikkinen from Finland, Carlos Quintáns, editor of Tectónica magazine, international designer Toni Grilo and the Dean of the Official College of Architects of the Comunidad Valenciana, Ramón Monfort. The two main categories of the Ceramic Tile Awards (Architecture and Interior Design), have a prize fund of 20,000 euros each whilst the Degree Projects category’s prize fund is 8,000 euros. The Awards are sponsored by The Universidad Popular Infantil (UPI) in Gandía by Paredes Pedrosa Arquitectos. Photo: Roland Halbe. Vodaphone Spain, Endesa, Port Valencia European Regional Development Funds and IMPIVA. The new Fira 2 metro station in Barcelona, designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, won an honourable in the interior design category. Photo: Gori Salvà. The Awards have evolved significantly thanks to the increasingly high standard of the designs submitted and the ever more prestigious juries. Some of the work selected to receive accolades in the architecture category over the last few years include: the Paseo Marítimo de la Playa de Poniente de Benidorm (West Beach Boardwalk in Benidorm, by Carlos Ferrater and Xavier Martí Galí, OAB Office of Architecture in Barcelona), the Renovation of Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona (by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue, EMBT Arquitectes), the Peñíscola Cogress Centre (by Paredes-Pedrosa Arquitectos), the Castilla-La Mancha Archives, by Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, the refurbishment of San Vicente Street in Burriana in Castellón and the Spanish Pavilion at Expo Zaragoza 2008 13 CERASPAÑA/28 “FLUIDITY” TURNS SPOTLIGHT ON TILE OF SPAIN IN MILAN Tile of Spain caused a sensation at the MADE Expo (Milan). 14 S panish ceramic floor and wall tile umbrella brand “Tile of Spain” made a spectacular debut with its first time exhibiting at architecture and design for construction fair MADE Expo, which took place in Milan (Italy) from 5th to 8th October. For its launch at MADE, the sector set up a stunning installation designed by Valencian architect José Ramón Tramoyeres (studio GGlab). Titled “Fluidity”, the design sought to illustrate the many different possibilities that ceramic tiles offer for sustainable construction and architecture professionals. The thinking underpinning “Fluidity” was to bring out the duality of contemporary ceramic, Continues on page 16... THE PRODUCTS USED TO BUILD THE SPACE WERE SUPPLIED BY SPANISH MANUFACTURERS TAU, CERACASA, NATUCER, CERÁMICA DECORATIVA AND CERÁMICA MAYOR The outer skin was made of porcelain stoneware tiles that purify the air. 15 a form of versatility that makes it ideal for use indoors and out, in domestic architecture and in urban spaces. Ceramic flows from one space to another, facilitating movement between public and private, indoors and outdoors. What the architect has explored with “Fluidity” is the play of a double skin in ceramic: an exterior skin made of tiles that purify the air and an interior skin built of tubes made of extruded ceramic. Visitors to CEVISAMA (Valencia, 7th – 10th February) will be able to view the Fluidity installation as part of the Trans/Hitos: Spaces exhibit. 16 In parallel with its stand at MADE and in collaboration with Domus magazine Tile of Spain organised a round table at which prestigious architects Francisco Mangado, Xavier Martí (OAB Arquitectes), Ítalo Rota, José Ramón Tramoyeres and Jonathan Olivares discussed the potential for ceramic and its applications as a covering for urban spaces from the point of view of energy efficiency, comfort, accessibility and functionality. The moderator was Joseh Grima, editor of Domus magazine THE THINKING UNDERPINNING FLUIDITY WAS TO ILLUSTRATE THE VERSATILITY OF CERAMIC TODAY SHOWROOM // LAST TRENDS AZULEJOS ALCOR · VICTORIA SERIES · [email protected] · www.azulejosalcor.com CERASPAÑA/28 Showroom COLORKER ETERNAL WOOD SERIES [email protected] www.colorker.com AZULIBER BRANCOS GLOSS SERIES [email protected] · www.azuliber.com KLINKER GRES BISBAL SERIES [email protected] · www.brancos.com 18 Showroom CERASPAÑA/28 CRISTACER STN CERÁMICA ALCARRIA SERIES-COLLECTION [email protected] · www.cristalceramicas.com DOMUS SERIES / STYLJET COLLECTION [email protected] · www.stnceramica.es EL MOLINO JAVEA JET SERIES [email protected] www.elmolino.es 19 CERASPAÑA/28 Showroom VENIS MADAGASCAR SERIES [email protected] www.venis.com 20 PORCELANOSA DUNE TIBET SERIES / COLLECTION STON-KER [email protected] · www.porcelanosa.com CERAMICS SERIES / EMPHASIS COLLECTION [email protected] · www.dune.es Showroom CERASPAÑA/28 UNICER STYLE GRAFITO SERIES STYLE COLLECTION [email protected] www.unicer.com METROPOL VENUS CERAMICA BABEL SERIE [email protected] · www.metropol-ceramica.com STATUARIO SERIES / PALLADIUM COLLECTION [email protected] · www.venusceramica.com 21 CERASPAÑA/28 Showroom AZTECA NAVARTI CERAMICA NÚVOLA SERIES [email protected] · www.azteca.es DAINO REALE SQUARE SERIES / HD HQ COLLECTION [email protected] · www.navarti.com GAYAFORES VERSAILLES SERIES ART WOOD COLLECTION [email protected] www.gayafores.es 22 Noticias y Eventos ASCER INITIATES COLLABORATIVE VENTURE WITH LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE The “Illuminating through Ceramics” project – that ASCER has embarked upon jointly with the University of Liverpool School of Architecture – is the starting point for the Network of Ceramic Studies Departments’ new collaborative ventures outside of Spain. The Project is rolling out over the 2011-2012 academic year and is taking an in-depth look at construction solutions using ceramic that provide a means of making optimum use of solar energy in buildings. 43 4th-year students are working on the project and the lecturer co-ordinating the project is Rosa Urbano, a Spanish architect who teaches at the Liverpool institution, is also an associate researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and won the Degree Projects category of ASCER’s Ceramic Tile in Architecture Awards in 2004. As the Project rolls out students and teachers will receive visits from leading architects and specialists in ceramic who will enhance their understanding of the architectural applications for ceramic coverings. The best designs created during the course will be selected to be further developed by groups of 3-4 students who will then make models of them. An exhibition is set be staged in October 2012 and a catalogue of the most outstanding work published. This new collaboration is being supported by the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX), boosts ASCER’s links with the teaching of construction in the academic world and is part of the Network of Ceramic Studies Departments in Schools of Architecture initiative ROSA GRES OFFICIAL SUPPLIER TO XIVth WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS SHANGHAI 2011 The close on 40 years that Rosa Gres has devoted to researching and developing products specifically for public swimming pools led to the company being selected by the International Swimming Federation to cover the pools for the World Swimming Championships that were held from 16th to 31st July 2011 in Shanghai, China. The Shanghai championships project involved five spectacular indoor and outdoor pools. The large scale of the work and its perfect execution from beginning to end make Rosa Gres a key brand for projects that are highly demanding of both technology and human resources. Rosa Gres worked on the “VIII Asian Swimming Championships” in 2010 and the “XI National Games”, both of which were held in China. The company is currently designing the pools for the “Pan American Swimming Championships” WORLD CERAMIC TILES FORUM HELD IN MÉXICO COLORKER STENGTHENS FOOTHOLD IN CHINESE MARKET WITH OPENING OF 300M2 DISPLAY SPACE Last August Colorker celebrated the grand opening of its new retail outlet in Shanghai, which boasts a 300 m2 display area. It was given a very warm welcome by the public with over a hundred visitors counted on just its first day of opening. 16 roomsets and several work spaces make up one of the company’s biggest displays in the country. Visitors at the opening were able to see Colorker’s most innovative products, the most outstanding of which were the porcelain stoneware series made using the latest Tecktonia Digital Concept printing system A delegation from ASCER attended the World Ceramic Tiles Forum (WCTF), which took place recently in Mexico City. From 18th to 10th October the global forum brought together floor and wall tile manufacturers from more than 15 countries, with almost the entire world’s ceramic tile manufacturing base represented. The forum sessions tackled issues such as the state of the global economy, trends in ceramic tile production and consumption, commercial issues, energy, product standardisation and other subjects relating to sustainability and the environment. The World Ceramic Tiles Forum was created in 1996 and represents the “association of ceramic tile associations” from all over the world. The various national associations hold annual meetings on a regular basis at which they share information and identify the industry’s common interests 23