Dekton easily withstands the tropical climate on the façade of a large office building

A modern, world-class office building that prioritises functionality, efficiency and sustainability – this is 112 Robinson Road after its renovation by award-winning Forum Architects. Spanning an impressive 8,500 square metres over 14 floors, the building is located in one of Singapore’s key growth areas and is the preferred location for global multinationals such as Visa and Microsoft to set up operations in the country.

While the property boasts numerous upgrades at various levels, the most striking change is undoubtedly the building’s façade, which has transformed the look of the iconic street. Dekton Aura has replaced the once dark and dated exterior, ushering in a bright, sophisticated and modern aesthetic.

“Our design for 112 Robinson called for the use of a white stone to create a new and striking façade along Robinson Road. We wanted the 112 Robinson to stand out from the typical glass façades of the buildings on the street,” explains the studio. Instead of stone, the final choice was Dekton Aura – a veined white that evokes the elegance of Calacatta and Carrara marble.

As the firm admits, the idea of cladding with natural stone had its drawbacks. “Using white stone in our tropical climate is not ideal due to the climatic conditions of the exterior. The stone would discolour and wear out in a short period of time,” says Forum Architects.

In order to achieve the desired look, and at the same time have the maximum guarantee of maintaining the colour and qualities of the façade, the team decided to clad it with Dekton. Cosentino’s ultra-compact surface is perfect for this application, as it is highly resistant to UV rays and to the abundant rainfall of the area, which is also characterised by high humidity. In addition, Dekton is impervious to stains, scratches and knocks, which means it will remain intact over time. So durable, in fact, that it comes with a commercial warranty of up to 25 years and requires virtually no maintenance.

“Dekton can be used on exterior façades without worrying about weathering or discolouration. The 25-year warranty offered by Cosentino allayed the client’s concerns,” says Forum Architects. “We had every confidence that Cosentino’s materials would withstand Singapore’s tropical climate. The installation was quick and precise,” they continue.

The fixing system used was the Fischer type FZP II concealed mechanical fixing system for 12 mm Dekton, which was machined by a local fabricator. Dekton allows for formats up to full slabs with minimum joints of 5 mm, providing a high level of visual continuity of the cladding panels. It is combined in the primary steel structure with horizontal profiles and aluminium hangers fixed to Dekton. This system requires minimal maintenance and allows very precise adjustments to be made during the finishing process. An interesting detail of the façade is the use of metal composite panel for some of the returns and finishes, reproducing the design of Dekton Aura 22, making the integration almost imperceptible.

Another reason for choosing Dekton was its zero life cycle carbon footprint, as the building meets the criteria for sustainable construction. In fact, it has achieved Green Mark certification and a Platinum rating from the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore.

The designers also emphasised the convenience of the samples provided by Cosentino. “They were provided in large sizes to facilitate comparison and decision-making. It also allowed us to see the full samples in a comprehensive way,” recalls Forum Architects. They liked the material so much that they also used it for the lobby floor, this time in the colour Dekton Kovik.