To coincide with the celebrations organised by Il Resto del Carlino (the Italian publishing group which includes La Nazione and Il Giorno) to mark the newspaper’s 125th birthday, Iris Ceramica and FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti are holding an international interior design award entitled ACTIVE DESIGN.

The competition aims to encourage and promote the development of eco-active architecture and design, a new approach to environment-friendly design in accordance with the dictates of a sustainability that is no longer merely passive but becomes ACTIVE, through the use of Iris Ceramica and/or FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti materials chosen from the ACTIVE Clean Air & Antibacterial CeramicTM assortment.

The prizes will be awarded to the professionals who submit the best interior designs for the residential and commercial-contract sectors.

The competition, which opens on 1st March and will close on 31st August 2010, is open to project design professionals (architects, engineers, designers, architecture firms, etc.), who are asked to submit an interior design project specifying the use of Iris Ceramica and/or FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti materials chosen from the ACTIVE Clean Air & Antibacterial CeramicTM floor and/or wall coverings.

There will be a special section for Architecture and Engineering Faculty and Design School students who present projects using Iris Ceramica and/or FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti materials chosen from the ACTIVE Clean Air & Antibacterial CeramicTM floor and/or wall coverings.

The design specification envisaging the use of the Active Clean Air & Antibacterial CeramicTM eco-active materials must be drawn up clearly and precisely, specifying the shape, colour, quantity and brand or brands of the Iris Ceramica and/or FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti materials.

There will be 6 members of the jury:
Pierluigi Visci – Editor in Chief of Il Resto del Carlino
Pierluigi Masini – Deputy Editor in Chief of Il Resto del Carlino
Carlo Branzaglia – Director of Bologna Design Center
Simone Micheli - Architect
Matteo Nunziati - Designer
Graziano Verdi – CEO of Iris Ceramica S.p.A.

4 prizes will be awarded in the section open to professionals:
- the first prize winner will receive a VIP trip to Beijing and Shanghai for two people from 11th to 19th October (to coincide with Shanghai Expo 2010) worth € 8,000.00;
- the second prize winner will receive a Diamond trip to Beijing and Shanghai for two people from 11th to 19th October (to coincide with Shanghai Expo 2010) worth € 5,000.00;
- the third prize winner will receive a Platinum trip to Beijing and Shanghai for two people from 11th to 19th October (to coincide with Shanghai Expo 2010) worth € 4,000.00;
- the fourth prize winner will receive a Gold trip to Beijing and Shanghai for one person from 11th to 19th October (to coincide with Shanghai Expo 2010) worth € 3,000.00;

1 prize will be awarded in the section open to students:
- Silver trip to Beijing and Shanghai for one person from 11th to 19th October (to coincide with Shanghai Expo 2010) worth € 2,000.00.