The Springvloed residential building is a former classic apartment building constructed in the 1970s in Zeedijk, Nieuwpoort (Belgium). Due to its location on the coast, it is heavily exposed to wind, sand and salt. Typical coastal weather problems caused damage to its brick cladding, with broken joints and visible damage to the concrete. So it was time for a renovation.

The project was conceived in 2019 by engineer and architect Ignace Deconinck and then realised in 2021 in collaboration with contractor Van Huele Gebroeders and fitter De Wan. Cosentino assisted the parties throughout the project, from design to completion of the façade.

In this project, the architect initially decided to thoroughly restore the concrete structure and install a waterproofing layer for additional protection. ‘After taking these precautions, we were able to start renovating it energetically and aesthetically, with additional insulation and DKTN panels. These panels were installed from top to bottom on all wall surfaces and on top of the balustrade,’ explains Deconinck.

The façade is the part of the building that is most vulnerable to many factors, especially on the coast. As the panels are ultra-compact, non-porous and extremely tough, they are made to last a lifetime. The material is resistant to all kinds of factors, such as UV rays, freezing, graffiti, salt, thawing and oxidation; it has repellent properties and can be easily cleaned.

‘DKTN is therefore a very suitable material because it is ultra-compact, which means that it cannot expand or contract. In fact, it is completely inert. The result is that you can work with it, as this project shows, with a minimum number of joints and very large panels,’ says Stephanie Bevernagie, Architect & Design Sales Manager at Cosentino.

And for those who also love sustainable materials, DKTN is a pioneering brand in its category. The material is completely carbon neutral throughout its life cycle, from cradle to grave.