In addition to all the new stone and tile collections on display, Surfaces/StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas will offer an extensive educational program. Select sessions qualify for credit with AIA, AIBD, IDCEC (ASID, IDC, IIDA), IICRC, WFCA and CFI. This is a great way for the architecture and design community to earn their credits and also have the opportunity to view the numerous product introductions.

As a way to further entice architects and designers to attend the exhibition, Surfaces has formed a partnership with Las Vegas Market to co-locate their events. Las Vegas Market is an international home furnishing showcase. By offering both exhibitions at the same time in one location, show organizers are hoping to increase attendance among the members of the design community.

Surfaces/StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas is not the only exhibition working to draw more architects and designers to its show. Coverings, a large tile and stone exhibition which will be held in Atlanta, GA, in April, also offers many seminars in the design track. Moreover, the show sponsors an Installation Design Showcase where architects and designers pair up with installers to create a finished room on the show floor. The idea behind the event is to illustrate the importance of teamwork to produce a quality design and installation.

On the international front, both Tile of Spain and Ceramics of Italy sponsor competitions that award architects and designers trips to Cevisama — held annually in Valencia, Spain — and Cersaie, which takes place each year in Bologna, Italy. The idea behind bringing U.S. architects and designers to these two large international tile exhibitions is to introduce them to the Spanish and Italian tile with the hope that they will use these products in their future designs.

For those of you who won’t be able to make it to any of the stone and tile exhibitions this year, you can certainly learn about many of the new product introductions in upcoming issues of Contemporary Stone & Tile Design. Our staff will be attending all the major events, and we will be sure to share our findings in the pages of this magazine.

Beginning on page 38 of this issue, you can find a focus on Architectural Installation Products. This includes a series of case studies that point out a specific design challenge and what installation products ended up being the most appropriate solution. While Contemporary Stone & Tile Design primarily focuses on reasons for designing with stone and tile, it is important to educate architects and designers on installation and maintenance products to ensure a successful design.