Coverings — The Ultimate Tile + Stone Experience — has invited Michael P Johnson, Michael P Johnson Design Studio and Lira Luis, AIA, RIBA, LEED AP BD+C, ALLL to be speakers at its annual conference and exposition coming to Orlando, Florida, April 17-20, 2012. Michael and Lira’s session entitled Tile: From Decorative to Sustainable will address ways to achieve a sustainable building by using tile beyond the decorative.
Modern art is modern because it is critical. Michael’s deep care for a solid, modern, ethical architecture is rooted in and draws from his ongoing care for the education of an architect. It may be that Michael's sophistication emerges from his ability to fathom the notion of educating an architect both on the macro scale of an overarching issue in the discipline, and on the micro scale of mentoring students. In other words, he is as good at addressing large issues of architectural education as clearly as he is able to help a beginning student navigate the way into the world of architecture. His intellectual dexterity in education stems from his dexterity in design, where he is not only clear but exceedingly specific about design details and material assemblies for the purpose of achieving a resolute whole moment of architecture. As such, when he mentors a student about something that in its context can be mistaken as inconsequential, Michael is fully aware of the role that small moments will play in the total development of that student. This palindromic understanding can just as easily start from a reference to the ethos of an architect, but it will fast become convincingly specific of the effect it has on a detail between two materials that troubles a student he mentors. Michael has build a formidable list of buildings, received numerous awards, lectured extensively in the United States and abroad, and his worked has been published in magazines and books.
Lira Luis is a global American architect specializing in organic architecture. She graduated with a Master of Architecture degree from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin and a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture, Cum Laude, from the University of Santo Tomas. She holds multiple licenses in Asia, North America, and a Chartered Architect designation in Continental Europe. She has designed an impressive army of diverse and socially-relevant building typographies in Asian and US markets that included the Fortune 100 companies in the US. A multi-awarded architect, she is named 2012 Top 20 Under 40 by ENR. She was National Geographic and The Aspen Institute’s Environment Forum Scholar, the American Institute of Architects’ AIA Athena Young Professional Award recipient, Tile of Spain’s Reign In Spain competition winner, i4Design Magazine’s 2011 Suite 16 Top Picks, and the 2011 AIA Knowledge Scholar on Practice Management. Award-winning architect and design correspondent, Lira contributes articles as a resident blogger in Chicago Tribune’s ChicagoNow and one of Benjamin Moore’s Expert Architects. She has been featured several times in the media in recent years, including interviews in Mashable.com, Greensource magazine, Discovery Channel’s Travel Daily, and AZ Family Channel 3. Her work has been published in Architectural Record Magazine, Metropolis Magazine, Wisconsin River Valley Journal, Arizona Republic, Phoenix Magazine, Blueprint Magazine in Malaysia, and broadsheets in the Philippines.
Additional show highlights include:
- More Than 800 Global Exhibitors—In just one location over four action-packed days, you can discover the latest tile and stone trends and source the latest products from over 800 global exhibitors.
- Comprehensive Education Program—Coverings offers the most in-depth tile and stone education program in the Americas, and it’s entirely free. With nearly 70 sessions to choose from, you’ll walk away with the education you need to succeed in the industry.
- Special Programs and Events—From the Installation Design Showcase and the new Coverings Central, to the PROJECT: Green display and the Art Tile Village, Coverings covers it all.
About Coverings
Coverings is the premier international trade fair and expo dedicated exclusively to showcasing the newest in ceramic tile and natural stone. It has grown to be the largest and most important show of its kind in the U.S., featuring exhibitors from more than 50 countries and attracting thousands of distributors, retailers, fabricators, contractors and specifiers, architectural and design professionals, builders and real estate developers, plus the press and journalists who cover this vital and dynamic industry. Coverings is the stage for introducing some of the most innovative tile and stone products in the world. The exposition also serves as a valuable resource for continuing education for all categories of attendees, with informative, accredited seminars and live demonstration sessions conducted throughout the four days and all free of charge. Coverings 2012 is set for April 17-20, at Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. For more information visit www.coverings.com or contact National Trade Productions, Coverings Show Management, 703-683-8500.
Michael P Johnson Design Studio: www.mpjstudio.com
ALLL (Atelier Lira Luis, LLC): www.liraluis.com
