Case Study
The aesthetic transformation of a façade thanks to the lightness of Dekton
T&P Tucher & Partner Beratende Ingenieure Projektmanagement GmbH & Co.
Location
Munich (Germany)
Designer
AMP Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
Material
Dekton
Aplication
Ventilated facade
Quantity
2,500 m2
Architecture/Design
T&P Tucher & Partner Beratende Ingenieure Projektmanagement GmbH & Co.
Builder
Dwuzet Fassadentechnik GmbH
Colour
Bromo, Danae
Thickness
12 mm
End date
2023
Designed by Katrin Hootz and Marco Goetz and completed in 2002, this building in the bustling city of Munich has undergone a major aesthetic transformation. While its main façade was made of natural stone, the rest of the building – including its large atrium and rear façades – was a combination of natural stone and glass panels. Over time, however, the façade deteriorated significantly, with stress cracks and chips appearing in the stone and glass panels.
The arrival of a new owner in 2017 marked the beginning of a new era for the building. It was decided to renovate the damaged parts of the façade, which involved the logistical challenges of working in a busy area and minimising disruption to occupants and neighbours.
The initial solution was to clad the entire façade in natural stone, but according to Michael Heider, site manager of Tucher & Partner Ingenieure, “35-45 mm thick slabs with a weight of about 140 kg/m2, would have required a redesign of the façade.” In addition, according to Andre Mertens, Façade Designer at AMP Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, “the stone slabs would have required thousands of anchors to be fixed to the building. The drilling alone would have caused months of unbearable noise pollution for residents and neighbours.” All these reasons led them to choose Dekton, Cosentino’s ultra-compact stone.
Dekton brings lightness and precision to this urban redevelopment
Dekton stood out for its versatility and light weight. “With a weight of only 32 kg/m2, the ultra-compact stone has a similar load class to glass panels,” says Heider. This allowed for a renovation that did not require new building permits. The colours chosen were Dekton Bromo and Dekton Danae, which blend harmoniously with the existing natural stone to create a consistent aesthetic finish.
The choice of Dekton offered a number of significant advantages. According to Karuam Karim of Dwuzet Fassadentechnik: “The Dekton panels were supplied cut to size, with machined edges and undercut holes. All we had to do on site was to insert the anchors, fit the clips and then fix the panels to the substructure as if they were picture frames.” This efficient method not only facilitated logistics, but also allowed the panels to be accurately placed according to the planned joint layout.
Respecting time slots and minimising noise was also key. “We grouped unavoidable drilling into time slots, minimising the impact in a planned and coordinated way with occupants and neighbours,” says Mertens.
The best partner to overcome difficult technical challenges
The project faced several technical challenges, such as tolerance deviations around the windows. According to Heider: “The area around the windows showed tolerance deviations of 6-12 mm, which we had to take into account when fixing the new cladding panels.” Despite this, the team was able to achieve a very clean joint layout thanks to the precision provided by the Dekton panels.
A key factor in the success of the project was the commitment shown by Sebastian Bremm, Architect & Design Sales Manager of Cosentino. Heider highlights: “Even before the contract was awarded to the façade builder, Cosentino pre-manufactured the Dekton panels and cut them to size according to the façade plans, allowing them to be delivered on time.”