The 14th April 2010 saw the conclusion of the 8th edition of Grand Prix, the international architecture contest promoted and organised by Casalgrande Padana that every two years awards prizes to the best architectural works using its porcelain stoneware products.
The Main Hall of the Università Statale di Milano hosted the closing ceremony of this edition of the Grand Prix and provided a magnificent setting to welcome winners from all over the world. The stimulating setting of the “Interni Think Tank” exhibition was located near the Main Hall on the occasion of Fuori Salone 2010, an event in which Calsalgrande Padana participated with “CCCWall”, the imaginative installation by the master Kengo Kuma.
Milan was a prestigious choice to continue the previous editions of the Grand Prix, also held in very maginficent venues, such as  Palazzo della Triennale di Milano in 2003, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista in Venice in 2005, Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence in 2007. However, this year’s edition took place within a fortunate chain of events. In 2010 Casalgrande Padana is celebrating 50 years of activities in the ceramic sector, 20 of which characterised by the systematic “self-observation” that the Grand Prix itself (promoted since 1990) provides to the company through architectural works using its ceramic products. The event held in Milan was a precious occasion to conduct an overall assessment of a cultural initiative that has developed and become successful in time.  
Grand Prix succeeded in broadening the simple “contest” concept through the promotional aspect of ceramic material it entails, thus becoming an opportunity to exchange views and constantly monitor the issues relating to the use of ceramics in architecture,  production technology innovation and the design culture in its broadest sense.
Kengo Kuma, the Japanese architect, was present at the prize awarding ceremony, as happened in the seventh edition of the Grand Prix (Florence, 2007), thus confirming his special relationship to the Company. In the headquarters of Casalgrande Padana, the first architectural work produced in Italy by the Japanese architect is about to be completed. It is entitled “Casalgrande Ceramic Cloud” and is fully made of porcelain stoneware slabs manufactured by the company: when he addressed the audience present at the ceremony, the architect enthusiastically reported the origin, design process and ongoing production of that work.

• Giancarlo De Carlo e Associati. Polo per l’infanzia “Lama Sud“, Ravenna - Italia
• Pavel Boyarintsev. “Baltijsky Marshal”, San Pietroburgo - Russia
• SNC Lavalin, Chris McCarthy. “Canada Line - Rapid Transit Project”, Vancouver - Canada
• Studio Arhis, Arnis Kleinbergs. “Sky” Shopping centre, Riga - Lettonia
• Mofo Architekci / WBWK Architekci. “Focus Mall”, Piotrków Trybunalski - Polonia
• Blank Architects. “Troyka” Shopping centre, Mosca - Russia
• P-Art Studio, Gloria Papp Abitazione privata, Budapest - Ungheria
• Studio Bibliotheque. “Ledley King House”, Hertfordshire - Gran Bretagna
• Meignan Architecte. Abitazione privata, Le Rheu - Francia
• deArchitettura.com, Giansandro Schina. Roma - Italia
• T2A Studio, Bence Turányi. “Simplon Udvar”, Budapest - Ungheria
• Nicolas Guillot. Piscina, Caluire - Francia
• Servizio Ingegneria Municipio di Reggio Emilia, Gabriele Govi. Scuola Primaria “Marco Polo”, Reggio Emilia - Italia

Special guests confirming the special relationship to Kengo Kuma included professor Francesco Dal Co, who teaches History of Architecture at the Istituto Universitario di Architettura in Venice and is the Director of the magazine Casabella – he introduced the Japanese master with a passionate presentation -, professor  Alfonso Acocella and professor Luigi Alini from the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Ferrara and Syracuse (Sicily) respectively, both involved in the development of the “Casalgrande Ceramic Cloud” project.
The Grand Prix initiative is consciously and responsibly aimed at consolidating and strengthening the collaboration that has always involved Casalgrande Padana and designers, by stressing the commitment of the company in the R&D sector not only in terms of products but also of design solutions.
The objectives of the contest include not only the identification of works that have provided evidence of the technical and expressive potential of porcelain stoneware elements and at the same time have met the emerging needs of the architecture and design sectors, but also the promotion of a stimulating competition among designers as an important occasion to meet and assess the progress of design approaches within the ever-growing number of application fields of ceramic materials. The nature of the prize fosters the evolution of the relation between the manufacturers of raw materials and those who use them, through consistency and co-ordination, so as to trigger a virtuous cycle involving materials and architectural products envisaging their application, aimed at quality and innovation.
The success and importance of the prize organised by an important company like Casalgrande Padana is mirrored by the number of participating projects. The eighth edition saw the participation of over 180 designers, with works coming from all continents which were assessed by an international jury who met to select the best three with reference to building types: shopping malls and administration buildings, public and industrial buildings, residential buildings, façade coverings, outdoor floors, sports facilities and swimming pools.
Over twenty prizes were envisaged for the most meaningful projects.
At the end of the ceremony, Franco Manfredini, President of Casalgrande Padana, officially launched the ninth edition of the Grand Prix, which will end on 30th September 2012.

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