A luxury façade for the new John Lewis shop in Edinburgh

After half a decade under construction, the long-awaited St James Quarter shopping centre opened its doors in Edinburgh in June 2021. Situated at one end of the famous Princes Street, this shopping gallery of almost 80,000 square metres is home to a multitude of luxury shops, restaurants, hotels, a cinema and a bowling alley. A one of a kind shopping centre that promotes leisure and luxury in the city and in which Cosentino is present through the John Lewis shop, one of its most iconic, and for which it has clad the walls of its three entrances in a collaboration project with Gray & Dick, a manufacturer and fitter specialising in structural glazing. Specifically, the material used was Dekton Kelya, a colour inspired by dark marbles with light veins that creates a sophisticated and exclusive atmosphere.

The 12 mm Dekton slabs were fitted by means of a DKT1 system, a hidden mechanical fixing with undercut screws on the back of the piece. “Using a Sky-Frame Plain system, the glass floor to ceiling doors can retract effortlessly, creating a stunning tie in with the shop’s façade that matches its high-end aesthetics. The doors slide to the side, disappearing in a sort of pocket; a first in the UK for this type of design”, says Gray & Dick, who undertook the design of the entrances in collaboration with Cosentino.

“The architect chose Dekton not only for its extreme hardness and durability, but also for its easy maintenance and stain resistance features”, they further say. “Unlike other products whose colour fade and require high maintenance, Dekton remains intact over time, regardless of the wear and tear, weather conditions or any other external factors. Dekton can be directly adhered to the surface with minimal joints and matching grout”, the fitters say. “In addition, it is available in large format slabs, which further facilitates a seamless and harmonious appearance”.