Ryerson ServiceHub. Photo by Tom Arban.
Now in its 24th year, the Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition ? the longest-running award program of its kind ? has announced six projects that wholly represent the competition?s goal of honouring the admirable use of Italian tile in North American architecture and design.
Sponsored by Confindustria Ceramica (the Italian Association of Ceramics) and the Italian Trade Agency, the competition attracted high-quality submissions in each of the three categories: residential, commercial, and institutional. An international jury of design industry experts reviewed and evaluated the projects, ultimately selecting three winners and three honourable mentions among the steep competition.
Ryerson ServiceHub. Photo by Tom Arban. Among the recognized projects was one Canadian entry: The Ryerson University ServiceHub in Toronto, Ontario. Winner of the Institutional Honourable Mention, the building was designed by Gow Hastings Architects, alongside Casalgrande Padana (Tile Manufacturer), Stone Tile International (Distributor), and Twin Contracting (Contractor). Ryerson University engaged Gow Hastings Architects to transform a 1970s Brutalist building into a contemporary centralized hub for student services. Gow Hastings chose the Architecture collection by Casalgrande Padana to provide a sleek tile floor that would complement the contemporary lines of the space and also hold up against the many students and faculty that would be walking through each...