Cersaie 2020 Postponed Until November
Cersaie, the annual exposition of ceramic and porcelain tiles organized by Confindustria Ceramica and Edi.Cer SpA, now will take place November 9-13 in Bologna, Italy, in an adapted format, rather than September 28 to October 2. Organizers agreed postponement is in the best interest of preserving health and safety, especially given the fair’s large international draw. The revised dates also ensure more time to ready the new Hall 37, given stalled construction across Italy due to the pandemic.
The 38th annual show, aptly titled “The healthiness of ceramics for rethinking home design and architecture,” will include lectures and programming focused on ceramic tile as a hygienic solution for the future of architecture and design. More details regarding the adapted format will be released later this month. “The fact that we will have to live with COVID-19 for some time makes it essential to adopt European protocols to keep exhibitors and visitors safe during their stay in Bologna,” says Antonio Bruzzone, general manager of BolognaFiere. “We’re pursuing this important goal at a national and European level while working alongside the institutions and trade associations to support companies during the economic recovery and boost the competitiveness of our industrial supply chains.”
Virtual programming already is underway for Cersaie 2020, with a series of initiatives broadcast on the revamped Cersaie TV YouTube channel. These include: ‘Cersaie Small Talks’ webinars, featuring owners of architecture firms currently working from home; ‘The Experience – From our archives’, which repeats 10 of the most popular conferences in the Building Dwelling Thinking program; ‘The World’s Best’, a series of short video messages discussing Cersaie and the current situation recorded by the A&D community; ‘Exhibitors’ projects’, featuring projects by Cersaie 2020 exhibitors shared via social media channels. Cersaie and Casabella also are launching “Here and Now,” which consists of six conversations between Francesco Dal Co and esteemed architects. The first segment, airing May 10, will feature Toyo Ito from his home in Tokyo, followed by Renzo Piano from Paris, Norman Foster from Switzerland, Frank Gehry from Los Angeles, Smiljan Radic from Santiago de Chile, and Eduardo Souto de Moura from Porto.
Looking ahead to the show this fall, Confindustria Ceramica Chairman Giovanni Savorani says: “We want it to be the first international event in the sector that draws lessons from the emergency and rethinks the world of architecture and home design in a way that brings together health and beauty. At the same time Italy will need to make a concerted effort to convey the image of safety needed to kick-start our industry.”
> See our full coverage of COVID-19 and its impact on the A&D industry
ThinkLab, the research division of SANDOW, is gathering information about our industry’s response to COVID-19. Click here if you’d like to participate.
