BOLOGNA, ITALY -- Cersaie 2010, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tiles and Bathroom Furnishings, will feature close to 1,000 exhibitors hailing from 34 countries and an approximate 1.9-million-square-foot show floor. The five-day trade fair, held this year from September 28 to October 2 at the Bologna Fairgrounds, is a showcase for cutting-edge products, modern designs and foremost trends.

Following the program's extraordinary success, Cersaie 2010 will continue its Building Dwelling Thinking conference program. David Childs, president emeritus and design partner at the renowned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), will serve as the conference's keynote presenter and discuss recent projects, including the design and construction of New York's Freedom Tower. Other confirmed prominent speakers include Italian architects: Mario Botta, Enzo Mari and Cino Zucchi as well as Karim Rashid and Natalie De Vries (mvrdv).

Young designers will play a key role in this year's initiatives and exhibits, including Emilia-Romagna urban polis future, Ceramic Tiles of Italy -- Playground, Beautiful Ideas and Central Saint Giles. The latter provides an opportunity for the next generation to participate in the Renzo Piano Building Workshop. As part of a longstanding collaboration with Confindustria Ceramica through the Eponymous Foundation, the on-site workshop (October 1 at 11a.m.) will give young architects the chance to gain an insight into the secrets of the trade, and allow them to see an exhibit of his recently completed 645,000-square-foot Central Saint Giles project, which transforms West London's urban gray skyline with its multi-color glazed ceramic facade.

To coincide with the program, Cersaie organizers asked students to submit their vision for the show's 2010 iconic poster. The "Eden Ceramico" competition yielded over 120 projects from 10 different Italian universities. The jury selected Alessandra Parodi, a student from the Architectural School of the Università di Genova. This is the first time in the poster's 10-year history that the honor recognizes the skill of a student. Previous masters of contemporary design and architecture include: Mario Botta (2009), Thom Mayne (2008), Toyo Ito (2007), Antonio Citterio (2006), David Palterer (2005), Hani Rashid (2004), Denis Santachiara (2003), Massimo Iosa Ghini (2002), Alessandro Mendini (2001) and Ettore Sottsass (2000).

For additional information, including a schedule of the general conference program, visit Cersaie's official Web site at:www.cersaie.it.