Kap West Building’s Dekton Façade

Kap West Building (Germany) with Dekton Keon façade

The ultracompact surface Dekton by Cosentino is the perfect façade solution for the soon to be completed Kap West office building in Munich, Germany.

Due for competition in late 2019 and offering imposing views across the Alps and Munich city centre, the Kap West building in the new Am Hirschgarten district will be home to inviting, flexible modular office space over more than 41,000 m².  The ultracompact surface Dekton by Cosentino in the colour Keon was selected for the 12,600 m² façade. It is the defining feature of the building’s assertive, urban image from every perspective.

The new Kap West building, image copyright: OFB Projektentwicklung GmbH

The Kap West Building

The Am Hirschgarten district is a great example of how innovations in construction are able to shape and lead a developing location to flourish.  Within only a very brief period of time, the area surrounding the Friedenheimer bridge underwent an impressive transformation from industrial wasteland to a promising residential and commercial location with key transport links including its own tram stop.  The Kap West building is already set to be the surrounding area’s most prominent landmark, due to a spectacular design by the award winning Wiel Arets Architects (WAA) for property development firm OFB Projektentwicklung GmbH.

The new Kap West building, image copyright: OFB Projektentwicklung GmbH

With limited space available, this challenging project was realised through clever design.  As the name suggests, the two U-shaped engineered plinth buildings – with towers rising 53m and 60m high respectively – resemble a monumental cape.  The taller south tower is the real eye-catcher of the complex, featuring a cantilevered block with a sophisticated counter clockwise rotation, which hangs a good 18 metres freely above the ground.  The campus-like layout of open spaces – including the green courtyards and roofs – rounds off the visionary design, resulting in a modern and inviting workplace.

Why Dekton?

Clearly, such a visual property invites focus on the façade.  In order for the Kap West building to be impressive from every angle, it demanded a material meeting all technical and aesthetic requirements.  Dekton was chosen due to its technical properties, innovative manufacturing process and the wide range of colours available.

Walter Schelle, the leading architect at HPP Architekten GmbH – the company engaged to carry out the project – sums it up as follows: “The basic requirements for a long-lasting façade are an impact-resistant surface that can withstand extreme weather and has a high degree of mechanical resistance. Dekton fully provides these functional benefits, thus making it the ideal material for Kap West.”

Created using Cosentino’s exclusive Sinterized Particle Technology (TSP), which is an innovative ultra-compaction process, Dekton uses a sophisticated mixture of the raw materials used to make glass, next-generation porcelain surfaces and quartz surfaces.  It is thanks to its innovative manufacturing process that Dekton offers wide range of technical benefits, making it perfectly suited to a project of this type, including consistent colour stability, frost resistance and consistent protection against seeping water.

Schelle explains: “In the context of urban development, we can’t neglect facility management aspects such as graffiti removal.  We benefit immensely from the panels’ resistance to stains and scratches.  In addition to UV resistance, we achieve a uniform look for the façade with long-lasting and brilliant colours.”  Last but not least, as a CE-marked material for exterior façades, Dekton has the maximum fire resistance class applicable to the façade construction of high-rise buildings.

A close up of the Dekton® Keon façade on the Kap West, image copyright: OFB Projektentwicklung GmbH

From an aesthetic perspective, the large format Dekton panels allowed the architects to achieve a uniform look.  The colour Keon from the Tech Collection was chosen due to its industrial colouring. It is inspired by the appearance and texture of concrete.

The Façade Construction

Independent façade consultants, Fassadentechnik Scharl used a curtain wall system consisting of 220-mm thick structural components with horizontal and vertical exterior pilaster strips (350, 550 and 750 mm wide).  The Dekton panels are then mounted on the curtain wall’s structural components using concealed aluminium anchors.  The surfaces are prefabricated and delivered to the construction site as custom (+/- 0.5 mm) façade components manufactured by Rupert App GmbH & Co, composed of Dekton panels including framed windows with ventilation elements.  This allows the shortest possible time to construct the façade and provides a crucial advantage when trying to comply with tight deadlines.

Due to its high material density, Dekton is very thin (only 12 mm thick) and therefore relatively light compared to thicker natural and cast stone; making the façade appear refreshingly “airy”.  The use of compact, high-quality surfaces also allows for precisely-cut edges without nicks, with corners that can also be sharply mitred and bonded.  The rear aluminium suspensions comprise a uniform, joint-free cladding without any visible holes or other visual defects.  This all comes together to allow Kap West to fully realise its aesthetic potential.

As a high-quality façade material, Dekton not only helps create a stand out look for an urban business location but also helps create a functional and technologically advanced exterior.  By using this innovative surfacing solution – together with Cosentino’s high level expertise in terms of delivery volume and reliability – the total 12,600 m² façade requirements can be obtained and installed on time.  The completion of Kap West is expected by the end of 2019.

The Kap West building under construction, image credit: Cosentino

Project details

Address:                                                                        Wilhelm-Hale-Straße/Friedenheimer Brücke/Birketweg

Munich Neuhausen-Nymphenburg

Construction period:                                                January 2017 until (estimated) end of 2019

GFA (upper level):                                                     41,000 m²

KAP WEST Nord:                                                         18,700 m² total area

KAP WEST Süd:                                                           21,920 m² total area

Storeys:                                                                         17

Basement storeys:                                                    3

Stakeholders

Property developer:                                                 OFB Projektentwicklung GmbH

Architectonic design:                                                Wiel Arets Architects

Architectural project realisation:                        HPP Architekten GmbH

Façade planning:                                      Fassadentechnik Scharl

Façade construction:                                                Ruppert App GmbH & Co.

EnEV 2016 (Energieeinsparverordnung [Energy Saving Ordinance])

Planned certification: LEED Gold

Façade

Materials:                                                                     DEKTON® by Cosentino

Application with full-height windows including ventilation elements

Colour:                                                                           KEON from the TECH Collection

Thickness:                                                                     12 mm

Volume:                                                                         12,600 m²