A beautiful façade in Dekton Aeris for a social housing building

Architect David Reilly of CDP Architecture was commissioned to design a social housing project in Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland. The need to keep project costs down meant that materials had to be chosen carefully. Reilly was working on another project when he visited the Cosentino showroom in Dublin to explore material options for interiors. During the visit, the architect asked if Cosentino could replicate a piece of stone for exterior use. The response was affirmative. Thus, the first priority of the project was achieved.

When choosing the colour, it was considered that it should blend in with the surrounding landscape and existing buildings. In this case, however, there were no nearby elements to harmonise with, so they chose the colour they liked best: Dekton Aeris. After all, there was no doubt about its technical advantages, as the architect claims.

“Its low maintenance, backed by a 25-year warranty, ensures long-term reliability and reduces maintenance costs, a critical factor for this type of affordable housing project. These practical advantages, together with its contemporary and elegant aesthetics, made it the perfect choice to meet the functional and design requirements of the project,” says the architect.

From an architectural point of view, this type of façade did not require a rail fixing system and the decorative bricks could be combined with the Dekton panels, which simplified the process.

The Dekton panels were glued directly to the enclosure with mortar (DKB system). The supporting wall was constructed using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF blocks). The installation used safety clips to prevent overturning, which were placed in grooves on the back of the Dekton panels and embedded in the mortar layer.

Direct gluing is a fast, efficient and economical fixing system that meets the requirements of this project. Dekton’s excellent mechanical properties, low porosity and water absorption rates, and high frost and UV rays resistance significantly increase the durability of the façade.

Indeed, sustainability and environmental friendliness was a key consideration for the studio and was one of the factors that led them to choose Dekton. The studio wanted to minimise material waste, as 30%, 40% or 50% waste would have significantly increased the cost of the project. In the end, they achieved a material waste of around 6.5-7%. Leftover material was reused to make planters and decorative elements for the courtyards, thus minimising waste to the maximum.

The result is an attractive building that combines the strength of brick with the beautiful finish of Dekton Aeris, a light colour with cream details reminiscent of White Limestone. A neutral and subtle shade that allows a great variety of combinations for different environments and architectural styles.