Milan Design Week Must See: RAYTRACE with Dekton

Cosentino is pleased to unveil RAYTRACE, the Milan Design Week must see installation with British designer Benjamin Hubert of LAYER design studio. The spectacular architectural installation showcases Cosentino’s innovative ultra compact Dekton surface, bringing it to life with light in this immersive experience.

RAYTRACE showcases the harmony between nature, light and architecture. Set within the dark, atmospheric tunnels of Ventura Centrale, RAYTRACE is a 25-metre long and 6-metre high triangular passage made using Dekton ultra-compact surfaces. These surfaces, seemingly balanced on a single edge, create a huge passageway in which visitors can walk under and become an integral part of the installation.

Benjamin Hubert took inspiration from the Dekton manufacturing process, reintroducing the element of water back onto the material with lighting that emulates the refraction of light through water. Upon entering this Milan Design Week must see installation, a mesmerising caustic pattern slowly dances across the surface, evoking the serene feeling of being underwater. The caustic pattern is driven by 29 glass spheres and 87 LED lights, created by the UK’s leading art lighting specialists, TM Lighting. Two mirrors at both ends of the vault create the illusion of infinite space.

“RAYTRACE brings together the size and gravitas of Dekton, brought to life with a poetic idea of bringing water back to this material with light, shape and architecture for a surprising experience for the visitor,” says Benjamin Hubert. “The most important thing about RAYTRACE is how it makes people feel. We encourage people to touch it, to interact and really experience the properties of Dekton.”

RAYTRACE uses Dekton Slim, Cosentino’s latest launch with a thickness of only 4mm. Slim combines the durability and technology of Dekton in a thinner and lighter format, making it one of the most innovative and lightweight surfaces on the market, creating new possibilities for architectural applications. The triangular element of RAYTRACE is made of 380m² of Dekton Slim in the colour Zenith, a solid off-white colour with a matte finish. The floor of the installation is composed of 365m² Dekton (20mm) in the colour Spectra, a black gloss finish from Dekton’s Basiq XGloss Collection. Surrounding the triangular tunnel are 20 stools made of Dekton, encouraging visitors to sit and enjoy this Milan Design Week must see installation and the mesmerising caustic patterns.

“Dekton is so incredibly versatile, and RAYTRACE showcases not only the design possibilities, but also the flexural strength and aesthetic beauty of the material. The intention of RAYTRACE is to inspire architects and designers to think about the future of architecture, and use our material in new ways,” says Santiago Alfonso, Vice President of Marketing and Communication at Cosentino Group.

RAYTRACE is on show in the warehouses beneath Milan’s Central Train Station as part of the third Ventura Centrale. The iconic backdrop of these arched spaces houses installations by internationally renowned brands and designers, making it a Milan Design Week must see destination.

Dekton used in RAYTRACE:

Total Dekton used – 750m²
Triangular Element – 380m² of Dekton Slim in Zenith (Solid Collection), matte finish, 4mm thickness
Floor Application – 365m² of Dekton XGloss Spectra (Basiq Collection), gloss finish, 20mm thickness
Stools – 20 stools, made of Dekton Slim Spectra (4mm thickness) and Dekton Zenith (8mm thickness)