The Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association (ASCER) is launching the twelfth edition of the Tile of Spain Awards of Architecture and Interior Design. In this edition, the chairman will be the world renowned German architect Matthias Sauerbruch, founding partner of Sauerbruch Hutton and bestowed with the AIA Honorary Fellowship 2013 of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

The jury will be also formed by a select group of subject matter experts: the portuguese architect João Luís Carrilho da Graça, Luca Molinari, curator and producer in the field of exhibition and cultural events; the architect Manuel Gallego, the young designer Tomás Alonso, founding partner of OKAY Studio London and Ramón Monfort, of the Architects Association.

The registration is open and the deadline for handing in the projects is on the 29th of October 2013.

The Awards have a prize fund of 39,000 Euros divided in three categories: Architecture, Interior Design and Degree Project in Architecture. The two main categories are Architecture and Interior Design and the main requirement to participate is that the projects use ceramic tiles made in Spain. The third category is Degree Project category, which is aimed to students of Architecture and it is awarded 5,000 Euros. The jury may give two special mentions in each category as it considers the projects to be rewarded.

There is an increasing bias towards the use of ceramics in architecture and interior design. More and more often, acclaimed professionals choose ceramic tiles in in some of their most significant works.

In recent years the competition has awarded a wide range of projects, recognizing the versatility of this material. Last year prizes went to the Catering School in a Former Abattoir and to the Granada’s Teacher Training College. Other awarded projects in previous editions were: MUCA (Auditorium and Music House); Casa Collage in Girona; a residential building project in Barcelona by Bach arquitectes; etc.