Case Study
A modern and sustainable façade in A Coruña thanks to Dekton
Javier López Cabana
Location
A Coruña (Galicia, Spain)
Developer
Urbanizadora Herculina, S.L, (URBHER)
Fitter
José Rey
Colour
Kovik, Eter, Moone, Sirocco Grip+, Strato, Portum, Argentium
Quantity
1,590 m2
Photography
Roi Alonso
Architecture/Design
Javier López Cabana
Collaborators
Teresa Jove (interior designer), Raquel Bouza (technical architect)
Material
Dekton
Application
Façade, kitchen worktop, flooring, wall cladding
End date
2022
With a prime location next to A Coruña’s promenade, this modern building is a real eye-catcher thanks to its striking façade. The building, which is called ‘Escuela de Náutica Urbher’ (Urbher Sailing School) because of its location opposite the said institution, is clad in Dekton Kovik, Eter and Moone, three colours that exude sobriety and elegance.
Inspired by natural materials, with neutral base tones and a subtle pattern, Kovik is characterised by subtle, random veins running through a neutral light grey background. Meanwhile, Eter features a dark granite structure in black and grey tones with a markedly contemporary vibe. Finally, Moone gives the façade a warm and timeless white hue.
“For this project we considered different porcelain tiles, but in the end we opted for Dekton because of its warranty and durability”, says Javier López Cabana, project manager and designer.
Dekton is a comprehensive and customised technical solution for the cladding of façades resistant to the most demanding conditions: UV rays, fire, heat, frost, thawing… It also remains unaffected by rain, abrasion, scratches and stains, providing a uniform colour throughout the façade that will remain intact over time. In fact, it comes with a 25-year warranty.
Maximum sustainability and energy efficiency
Beyond its ease of cleaning, which played a key role in the choice of this stone, its availability in large format slabs – 0.85 x 3.25 m slabs were used for this project – was also key in its choice. “We wanted to have as few joints as possible”, says López Cabana. As a result, the appearance of the building exudes modernity and, at the same time, accomplishes one of the core objectives of the project: to achieve the maximum possible sustainability and energy efficiency.
“We want to provide an energy efficient building, with thermal insulation throughout its envelope to ensure maximum comfort and savings throughout the year, as well as an air recovery system to prevent energy losses from the ventilation of the dwellings. This is combined with a collective heating and domestic hot water system that uses aerothermal energy, a system that ensures a constant supply with the lowest consumption and which has been proven to be the most efficient system on the market”, says Urbher, the developer of the building.
Beyond its insulating properties, the fact that Dekton is a carbon neutral material throughout its entire life cycle also contributes to its sustainable approach.
Dekton, also for use in bathrooms and kitchens
In addition to its use on the façade, Dekton was also used for the entrance flooring. In this case, the colour used was Sirocco, a surface echoing the colour of the wildest natural stones. To improve its non-slip properties – a particularly useful feature in a place as rainy as Galicia –, it was decided to give it the Grip+ finish, which provides greater safety to avoid possible accidents, while offering a soft and comfortable feel.
Dekton was also used for the bathrooms and kitchens of the 28 dwellings in this building. Specifically, it was used for the wall and floor claddings in the bathrooms and for the kitchen worktops, with the colours Dekton Portum, Dekton Argentium and Dekton Moone. “Dekton stands out for its technical properties, as well as for its strength, ease of cleaning and design. For us, working with this product has meant the reaffirmation of a solid and reliable company with a top quality material”, López Cabana says finally.