The technical challenge of bringing an old New York façade back to life

The three dimensions of a renovated façade

At the end of 2019, the remodelling of an office building situated at 7 W 51st street in Manhattan was successfully completed. The design team responsible for the project, MZA Architects, planned a comprehensive renovation of the façade aimed at achieving a high-impact visual change. At the same time, the project aimed to find a technically feasible solution to the problem of dealing with an old structure in a dubious state of repair.

Both the architect and the developer visited Cosentino City New York to see first-hand DKTN’s technical and design possibilities for large outdoor surfaces. That first visit was enough to convince them of the suitability of DKTN for their project. They even chose three colours that matched the desired design concept. For the exterior façade they opted for DKTN Danae, a beige tone from the Natural Collection reminiscent of the sandy beach. For the lobby floor, they chose DKTN Edora, a shade in the same beige colour range as the façade, which creates a visual continuity between the exterior and interior of the building. Finally, for the interior walls of the building they chose DKTN Borea, a material reminiscent of wenge wood, which adds the stylish touch they were looking for in the renovation.

The result creates a balanced and warm look, in tan colours, which contrasts with the coldness of the typical black and white buildings of 1990s Manhattan.