The Sound of Architecture: Archiparty at "The Square"

Wednesday, September 23rd promises to be one of the most dynamic days at Cersaie. Following a series of highly anticipated events for the design world—such as the prestigious ADI Cersaie Design Awards, the ADI Cersaie Exhibit Design Awards, and the Tile Competition—the focus will shift toward a moment of pure connection, relaxation, and entertainment.
The event is set for 6:30 PM inside "The Square" located at the heart of the exhibition center's Services Center. This is where Archiparty will come to life. While created as a tribute to the architecture and design community, the party is open to anyone wishing to wrap up their day at the trade show by celebrating creativity in a dynamic and informal setting.
Bringing the party to life and setting the rhythm for the evening will be a very special guest: Andy, the famous co-founder and historic member of the Italian band Bluvertigo. An all-around artist, Andy is an eclectic figure who moves effortlessly between music, visual arts, and performance. As a musician, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, and painter, he has built a personal journey over the years where sound, image, color, and experimentation constantly intersect. His artistic exploration breaks the boundaries between traditional disciplines, creating a unique, recognizable, and ever-evolving language.
With his special DJ set, Archiparty at "The Square" will offer the perfect blend of great music, drinks, and exclusive networking. It is an unmissable opportunity to find inspiration and connect with colleagues and professionals from all over the world.

"After CERSAIE": the new gathering place for street food, music, and relaxation

Taking a break to connect in an informal setting is essential between business appointments. That is why the "After CERSAIE" area has been created right inside the exhibition center—just a few steps from the Costituzione Entrance, next to Hall 31. This space is designed as a central gathering place for exhibitors and visitors throughout the entire day.

It is the ideal spot for a quick yet high-quality lunch, thanks to a selection of street food trucks offering something for everyone, as well as the perfect retreat for a quick coffee between meetings. In the late afternoon, as the exhibition halls begin to close, the space transforms into the ideal setting for an aperitif, where guests can enjoy a drink and network in a relaxed atmosphere.

Providing the soundtrack to the entire experience is the music and energy of the Radio Stella booth, broadcasting live directly from the area to bring the right rhythm to breaks and end-of-day toasts.

Whether it is for a quick break, lunch, or a final cocktail before leaving the exhibition, "After CERSAIE" is the perfect opportunity to experience the trade show at a whole new pace.

ADI launches new Cersaie awards: a new visual identity is unveiled

The ADI (Association for Industrial Design) awards presented at Cersaie have been renamed. The two awards, which recognise the most innovative products on display at the fair and the best exhibition design respectively, are now called the ADI Cersaie Design Award and the ADI Exhibit Design Award. They continue to promote the design quality and culture that characterise the event.

Including the name 'Cersaie' in the awards' titles reflects their new role within the event, making them more immediate and recognisable, and ensuring they are consistent with the international context in which they are presented.

This decision is also closely linked to Cersaie's evolution, as it has opened up to new product categories and different design approaches over the years, placing the value of design and its ability to express quality, innovation, and research at the centre.

The ADI Cersaie Design Award recognises products that stand out for their innovation, design quality and formal and technological research. It highlights solutions that interpret the evolution of contemporary architecture and design. The assessment considers all aspects that contribute to a product's excellence, including design, performance and the ability to combine aesthetics, functionality and innovation.

The ADI Exhibit Design Award is also part of this approach. Today, exhibition spaces are communication tools that go beyond simply staging exhibitions; they convey company identity, interpret brand positioning and create experiences that engage visitors. For this reason, the assessment considers all design elements that contribute to the effectiveness of the space, including temporary architecture, visual communication and the coherence between concept, content and corporate image.

'We felt it was important to adopt a more straightforward name that could be easily understood by all participants, regardless of their background or field of activity. The new name represents a consistent evolution for both ADI and Cersaie, showcasing a more inclusive and contemporary awards scheme that highlights the complexity of projects in all their forms,” says Wladimiro Bendandi, President of the ADI Emilia-Romagna Delegation.

Staying in Bologna for Cersaie 2026: special hotel rates for our visitors

“A space for architectural design”. The Cersaie 2026 key visual interprets architecture as a space for relationships

Cersaie unveils the key visual for the 43rd International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, scheduled to take place in Bologna from 21 to 25 September 2026. The image created for the 2026 edition revitalises and expands the concept of architectural space, placing at its heart an open, inclusive and constantly evolving design vision.

The visual depicts an abstract architectural landscape: an ideal city composed of vertical volumes, arches and vibrant, colourful surfaces that enter into a dialogue with natural elements. These structures evoke fluid, multifunctional spaces capable of adapting to contemporary lifestyles, while the presence of trees amongst the architecture underscores the increasingly central role of nature as an integral part of the built environment, a source of wellbeing and quality of life.

This visual narrative reflects the exhibition’s status as the global benchmark for the design world. Cersaie remains a pivotal event for architects, interior designers, contractors and trade professionals, providing a prestigious forum for exchange, professional development and the cultivation of new business opportunities. It is an ecosystem where materials, surfaces and design solutions become practical tools for interpreting the needs of the present and anticipating the future transformations of the sector.

The visual's natural palette, ranging from warm shades to cooler hues, serves as a metaphor for the plurality of identities, cultures and sensibilities that coexist and intertwine to shape a shared, inclusive and contemporary aesthetic language. Conceived by Interpromex Comunicazione, the image of Cersaie 2026 portrays a place open to dialogue, where architecture and nature interact in harmony. The image

A tangible commitment to sustainability: Cersaie awarded ISO 20121 certification by Bureau Veritas

At an event held on December 4th, 2025 at the Bologna Exhibition Centre, the international certification body Bureau Veritas Italia formally awarded Cersaie the ISO 20121:2024 certification for “Event sustainability management systems – Requirements with guidance for use”. The certificate was presented by Roberta Prati (Certification Director) and Antonella Fabbri (Senior Large Client Manager, Certification Division) to Armando Cafiero, Director General of Confindustria Ceramica. Also attending were BolognaFiere Director General Antonio Bruzzone, Angelo Dall’Aglio (Executive Manager CERSAIE), Simone Mosconi (Confindustria Ceramica – Head of the ISO 20121 Management System) and Claudio Pellizzari (Artea).

The ISO 20121 standard, developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), defines the management system requirements an organisation must meet in order to plan and deliver sustainable events.
For the show’s 2025 edition, Cersaie’s organisers voluntarily adopted a Sustainable Management System to bring together and formalise the numerous positive initiatives implemented over previous years.

This certification confirms the effectiveness of Cersaie’s policies and strengthens the organisers’ commitment to further consolidating the show as a global benchmark for the sector and as a model of operational excellence and sustainability. ISO 20121:2024 certification represents an added value for all stakeholders, partners and participants, encouraging the organisers to pursue responsible innovation with ever greater determination.

In line with this commitment, the sustainability performance of the recently concluded edition of Cersaie is currently being evaluated. The results will be shared transparently and used to further improve the performance of future editions.

“This result recognises the work of everyone involved in organising Cersaie and is a strong incentive for us to continue improving,” said Armando Cafiero, Director General of Confindustria Ceramica. “ISO 20121 certification is not only an acknowledgment that the planning, design and execution of the show follow a verified and structured method, it is also a clear demonstration that the principles of social, environmental and economic responsibility that we share with our member companies are adopted throughout every phase and activity of Cersaie.”

Roberta Prati, Certification Director at Bureau Veritas Italia, commented: “When 95,000 people come together, as they do for Cersaie, it is essential to pay the utmost attention to safety and to the social and environmental impact of the event. Through our audits, we at Bureau Veritas are proud to recognise the efforts of organisations that adopt ISO 20121 certification as a tangible sign of their commitment to sustainability while actively involving stakeholders in the process.”
“The certification obtained by Cersaie marks a decisive step forward in the way we conceive and organise events,” commented Antonio Bruzzone, CEO of BolognaFiere. “Cersaie demonstrates that sustainability is now a central element of the trade fair experience and a value that exhibitors, buyers and international stakeholders have come to expect. The journey we have undertaken together with Confindustria Ceramica consolidates a model that combines quality, responsibility and innovation, generating tangible benefits for the entire sector. We will continue to invest in processes that create positive, measurable impacts, further raising the standards of our exhibitions.”

A gastronomic journey of excellence at Cersaie 2025!

Visiting Cersaie means enjoying a complete experience. In addition to discovering the latest trends in the sector and establishing new partnerships, we have also devoted considerable attention to the culinary offerings within the exhibition centre. This is to provide added value for all exhibitors and international visitors.

The result is a culinary journey comprising 33 refreshment points and restaurants, designed to meet the needs of an international audience. However, these are not just any refreshment outlets: three of these spaces have been entrusted to renowned chefs, who will be bringing their creativity and culinary expertise to the exhibition.

Gennaro Esposito, a two Michelin star chef, is one of the most popular names and faces on television when it comes to Mediterranean haute cuisine. He is deeply attached to tradition and uses local ingredients to create innovation and transformation, telling stories through his dishes.

Alberto Bettini is the owner of the historic, Michelin-starred 'da Amerigo' trattoria, located in the Bologna hills. His obsessive attention to detail and loyalty to the area's traditional produce have made his restaurant a place of historical significance, bringing richness and authenticity to the table.

Massimiliano Poggi is an exceptional interpreter of Emilian cuisine who experiments with and reworks local produce to offer a fresh yet balanced take on traditional flavours.

Alongside gourmet restaurants, visitors can choose from a variety of options offered at street food stalls, bars and seating areas where they can enjoy quick meals without compromising on quality. This diversification caters for those who are short on time and those who want to treat themselves to a high-level culinary experience.

Cersaie's rich gastronomic offering allows visitors to make the most of their time at the fair.

Map of refreshment points

Five days of urban installations, talks, workshops and events to bring the historic centre of Bologna to life

BOLD (Bologna Live Design) is a cultural platform that transforms the city into an urban laboratory of contemporary and corporate design. Created through a collaboration between Brave Arts, Mollusco & Balena and Brit companies, BOLD is part of Bologna's design narrative, projecting it into the future with a multidisciplinary vision. Through the 'fuori fiera' (outside the fair), the cultural impact is amplified with events spread throughout the city.
Each installation, workshop and performance is designed to encourage discussion between architects, businesses and citizens.

'What if...', the title of the 2025 edition, is more than just a question; it is a vision and a desire to take action. It is the desire to view design not as a mere aesthetic, but as a driving force for change. In an era where artificial intelligence is redefining what is possible, the climate crisis demands urgent action, and social changes are opening up new possibilities, design plays a pivotal role in initiating and accelerating regenerative processes. 

The design we are interested in is not just about beauty or functionality. It goes further, questioning, proposing, and disturbing when necessary.

What if... design were already the answer?
What if... we stopped following trends and started creating them?
What if... design became a tool for social transformation?
What if... innovation arose from the dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and technology?

Discover all the events here

'I Portici di Cersaie': an immersive journey through matter, light and design.

For the 2025 edition, Cersaie will present 'I Portici di Cersaie', a photographic itinerary designed by architect Dario Curatolo to enhance the beauty of Cersaie products through an aesthetic and sensory experience.

Located at the Costituzione entrance, the route leads visitors from the turnstiles to 'The Square', the heart of the exhibition where talks, conferences and award ceremonies featuring renowned figures in contemporary architecture will take place, alongside an exhibition showcasing the winning entries of the Tile Competition.

'I Portici di Cersaie' recounts the journey of products from the origin of the material — clay — to their transformation into finished architectural elements. It is a narration in images that showcases design through:

- the shape, as thickness, dimension and three-dimensionality;

- the finish, with its porosity, shine and texture;

- colour: authentic, saturated or neutral, capable of generating patterns and graphic surfaces.

Along this visual portico, inspired by Bologna's architectural identity, products become emotional and narrative elements, presented in a scenography of architectural lighting that enhances their tactile and visual qualities.

This is a unique opportunity for architects, designers, retailers and other professionals at Cersaie to rediscover the value and beauty of products as a synthesis of materials, techniques and design visions.

The "I Portici di Cersaie" route ends at ‘The Square’, the fair's central hub.

Designed by architect Dario Curatolo, “The Square” is inspired by Bologna's “Piazza” and aims to encourage meetings, exchanges of ideas and conviviality.

Planned with particular attention to re-use, “The Square” houses an arena for meetings, award ceremonies and conferences, a live radio station,  a bookshop, a giant screen dedicated to the international architecture competition 'Tile Competition' and a lounge designed to welcome visitors.