Cersaie 2025: Bologna Welcomes the World of Ceramics and Design
The Italian city of Bologna will host the 42nd edition of Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, from September 22 to 26, 2025. As the world’s leading showcase for ceramics and bathroom design, Cersaie continues to grow in scale and ambition, offering architects, designers, and industry professionals a glimpse into the future of surfaces, materials, and installations.
If last year’s edition is any measure, the 2025 fair promises an impressive turnout. In 2024, Cersaie filled 15 halls with 606 companies — 230 of them international — spread across 145,000 square metres, drawing over 95,000 visitors from 25 countries. This year, Cersaie promises to be better this year with more space added to showcase the best of ceramics.
Architectural Voices at Building, Dwelling, Thinking
Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times
A highlight of this year’s edition will be the keynote lecture by Elizabeth Diller, partner at Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R). Introduced by architectural historian Fulvio Irace, the lecture will take place on September 23 at 11 a.m. in the Palazzo dei Congressi.
Diller, whose New York-based studio has shaped some of the world’s most innovative cultural and urban projects, is renowned for rethinking the role of public space in contemporary society. From the High Line and the Lincoln Center renovation in New York to The Shed, MoMA’s extension, and The Broad Museum in Los Angeles, DS+R’s work fuses architecture with performance, culture, and social commentary.
Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women in Doha’s Education City, Photograph by Iwaan Ban
Her impact extends globally, with the recent completion of the Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women in Doha’s Education City — a landmark project initiated by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, designed as the first purpose-built mosque to centre women’s perspectives in religious, educational, and social activities.
Madrid-born architect Ángela García de Paredes will deliver a lecture on September 25 at 2:30 p.m. at The Square in the Bologna Exhibition Centre. A respected voice in contemporary architecture, García de Paredes is known for her sensitive approach to context, heritage, and spatial storytelling, reinforcing the programme’s role as a platform for meaningful architectural dialogue.
Also part of the same programme, the Portuguese duo CAN RAN will speak at 11 a.m. on September 25, also at The Square. Internationally acclaimed for their innovative use of ceramic tiles as catalysts for spatial transformation, their lecture will explore how architecture can unite aesthetic sensibility, functionality, and place-making. Among their celebrated works is Sea Level (2011) at Lisbon’s Terreiro do Paço river station, where a mosaic ceiling of blue ceramic tiles creates a poetic dialogue with the Tagus River.
Immersive Installations and Expanded Halls
Visitors will be welcomed by a new entrance portico by architect Dario Curatolo, featuring striking large-scale visuals celebrating ceramics — from colour and form to function and technology.
A major expansion this year is Hall 19, dedicated entirely to tile installation companies. The fully refurbished hall spans over 5,400 square metres, with Tiling Town growing by 40% and the “work in progress” demonstration area doubling in size. Strategically located near Piazza Costituzione, the new hall is designed to be a hub for international visitors, offering a hospitality lounge, a new restaurant/bar, and interactive multimedia kiosks.
More Space, More Innovation
With 10,000 additional square metres compared to 2024, Cersaie 2025 will occupy a reorganised 155,000-square-metre floor plan. Four halls will focus exclusively on bathroom furnishings, while new product categories such as wood, marble, and other prestigious surfaces will debut alongside ceramic innovations.
Technology start-ups in the construction sector will have a dedicated space in Mall 37, reflecting the industry’s increasing interest in smart building solutions.
New Lounges and Cultural Programmes
Making its debut this year is the Bagno Architettura Lounge – Let’s Talk, located in Galleries 21 and 22 and curated by Angelo Dall’Aglio and Davide Vercelli. This space will complement the show’s cultural programme, which includes keynote lectures, discussions at The Square, and the International Press Conference.
The Press Cafés return to Mall 29–30, offering conversations with architects, designers, and critics in collaboration with leading media partners. Together, these initiatives reaffirm Cersaie’s position as a platform for knowledge exchange as much as a trade fair.
Looking Ahead
With its blend of innovation, dialogue, and global participation, Cersaie 2025 is set to reaffirm Bologna’s role as the capital of ceramics and design. From Elizabeth Diller’s keynote to Ángela García de Paredes’ thoughtful reflections, and CAN RAN’s poetic approach to ceramics, the fair promises not only a showcase of products but a deeper reflection on how architecture and materials shape the way we live.
