A black and white residential building featuring Dekton for a contemporary touch

The black and white façade of this residential building stands out haughtily in the landscape of Cabezarrubia, in Cáceres (Spain). Designed by José Ramón Zorita Carrero for Limantria S.L., the building represents a search for contrasts in which, in the words of the architect, “we have tried to avoid textures and enhance metallic reflections”. To achieve this, the architect searched for the perfect material, both technically and in terms of design, until he came up with Dekton, which was used both for the façade and the staircases in the common areas.

“We chose Dekton because of its consistent and long-lasting performance, the size of the pieces, the colour and, in our case, our intention to convey a sense of perfection”, says Zorita Carrero. “We wanted to find a 21st century material. I was sick of the 2008 pre-crisis solutions”, he further says.

The biggest challenge for the studio was “convincing the builder that it was possible to clad with such large pieces”. Far from being an inconvenience, Dekton’s large format allows for a very homogeneous façade with minimal joints, thus achieving a powerful visual impact.

In addition, the team received constant support from Cosentino. “In the project stage, we received advice on the execution of details and, on site, we were provided with monitoring and reporting for the Management”, explains the architect.

Its ease of installation adds to the technical advantages of the material in terms of strength. Dekton is highly resistant to stains, scratches and temperature changes. It is also very easy to clean and maintain, which is ideal for keeping façades in good condition throughout their entire lifetime.

This project features a large format Dekton cladding, for which two different colours were used: 71 x 106 cm Sirius slabs and different sizes of Nayla, up to 142 x 260 cm. In order to be able to use such large pieces, it was necessary to make a screed to level the façade and adjust the amount of adhesive to be used. The adhesive used was type C2S2, an improved, highly deformable adhesive according to UNE-EN 12004, and was applied using the technique of double gluing, i.e. adhesive on the substrate and on the piece, using a toothed trowel and always according to the supplier’s instructions.

Thanks to Dekton’s low coefficient of expansion, the joint between pieces was only 3 mm.

Cosentino supplied the material cut to size, including the grooving on the back for mechanical safety clips, as instructed by the Project Management.

The opening frames, including jambs, lintels and sills, were made of natural stone.

The façade features two different Dekton colours that create an eye-catching and well-balanced play of black and white. On the one hand is Nayla, an off-white shade with no veining that is ideal for combining with the second colour used on the façade, Sirius, a deep black shade whose textured surface adds a dramatic touch to the whole.

Meanwhile, the stairs combine two wood-inspired finishes: Dekton Ariane, a light-toned finish, and Dekton Borea, a finish inspired by dark wood and featuring delicate bright veins. Finally, the latter colour was also used on the walls next to the lift, thus finishing off the cosy look of the common areas.