NUMBER 9

The 2000-2002 Grand Prix award ceremony took place on Friday 23 May 2003 at the prestigious venue of the Milan Triennial, it was the fifth edition of this international architecture competition, promoted and organised by Ceramica Casalgrande Padana.
"This competition is one of a kind", Franco Manfredini, the president of Casalgrande Padana, reminded those present in his opening speech, "and it is also unique in the way it is organised and in the inspiration behind it. Right from the start, with that first edition way back in 1990-1991, the objective was to put forward not a simple competition of ideas, but a real comparison on a concrete basis of the use of materials produced by our company in their various constructive contexts".
Shopping and office centres, public and service buildings, industrial and residential complexes, façade coverings, external paving and swimming pool tiles: in each edition Grand Prix selects works from all over the world, bringing different experiences face to face, offering interesting departure points for reflection and in-depth evaluation of the progress being made in project research in the various architectural sectors under examination.
"An opportunity and means for comparison and contrast that becomes a truly constructive dialogue between two reciprocally interdependent competences: an industrial company on the one hand and on the other, the architectural designers and technicians involved in improving our habitat and making it even more beautiful and comfortable, both for the individual and the community. Dialogue, comparison and collaboration that are always useful, but especially interesting and stimulating when it comes to enhancing a ceramic product as evolved as Granitogres, Marmogres and Pietre Native, qualified materials with technical characteristics and special features in their composition that make them suitable to be used even for large scale projects and for applications with a high architectural as well as functional value".
One hundred and seventy designers from twenty-one countries entered two hundred and five projects, from which "it was hard to choose the prize winners, because most of the work presented was of a high level and deserved a reward".
An international contest, therefore, which has increased in prestige and quality with each successive edition, as underlined by the architect Adalberto Dal Lago, spokesman for the jury.
Along with its Grand Prix, over the years Casalgrande Padana has shown parallel growth as a manufacturing reality, world leader in the production and sales of unglazed porcelain tiles, achieving increases in turnover that exceed the sector average. As president Manfredini recalled, "In 2002, faced with a stagnation in sales throughout the international industry in this sector, Casalgrande Padana recorded an increase of 15%. Even in the first 4 months of this year, the company's turnover, covering over 70 countries worldwide, has increased 12% in comparison with the previous year, showing a definite counter trend when compared to overall situation in the sector".
Thanking all those who took part in the contest and the members of the international jury, Franco Manfredini mentioned the motto that has recently been added to the company logo: "Pave your way, a slogan that sums up an ideal objective of our company mission, in other words contributing with our products and our service to improve the habitat of modern society".
The awards ceremony continued with the announcement of the winners in the splendid Room of Honour in the Milan Triennial Palace, a location symbolising culture and research into the world of architecture and design, the same world with which Casalgrande Padana has always held an intense dialogue, tending to establish a privileged relationship and close collaboration with the designer.

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