Hidden away on a wooded slope near Basel, a crystal-shaped building can be seen. Rising up from a small clearing, it is just high enough to remain at eye level with the surrounding trees. The “Casa Forest” home belongs to a family of five who love the “art of the clear line” as much as they love nature. This is also reflected in the view from the kitchen-living room into the garden.

The house is scarcely visible from the neighbourhood road. You can only see the multifaceted building, set back among the trees, as you approach across the light-coloured natural stone slabs made from local gneiss. “The earth-coloured outer skin and the angular form of the building are in a constant dialogue with the natural surroundings,” says Juan Gonzalez from the architectural firm DALUZ GONZALEZ ARCHITEKTEN. “In dialogue with the builders we have attempted to create a contrast as well as a harmony with nature – externally as well as internally.”

The heptagonal building and the nest-like roof terrace are clad in massive fine stoneware slabs in irridescent dark brown – polished above and below like gemstones. The front of the building is interrupted by large, sometimes room-height window facades. The south side is almost completely glazed, allowing the daylight to penetrate deep inside the building. In the open eating and living area, the walls are executed in cool exposed concrete. As a counterpoint to this, the window mouldings and the shelves are made from honey-coloured oak, and this is then is also carried through in the treads of the stairs and floors of the bedrooms, conveying a natural warmth.

Dopo la completa riprogettazione di diverse aree, tra cui la hall, il ristorante, le sale riunioni e i bagni, uno degli hotel di riferimento a Milano sfoggia un nuovo look. La ristrutturazione, realizzata congiuntamente dall’architetto spagnolo Álvaro Sans e da Vittorio Grassi, ha donato un nuovo volto al Meliá Milano, hotel situato in via Masaccio, vicinissimo alla zona di tendenza meglio conosciuta come City Life, nuovo centro dello shopping di lusso della città.

L’approccio funzionale e architettonico del progetto di ristrutturazione ha portato alla rinascita di questo hotel nato 20 anni fa, aprendo gli spazi con la creazione di un nuovo assetto spazioso e flessibile delle aree comuni. I giardini interni, gli alti lucernari e l’uso contemporaneo di materiali e texture conferiscono al bar, al ristorante e all’area di co-working un’atmosfera sofisticata.

This US company’s aim was to create unique and timeless common and kitchen areas at its North Carolina headquarters. Both the client and the architecture studio in charge of the project, Gensler, were looking for a material that would be aesthetically powerful and at the same time stand the test of time, bearing in mind that these are areas of heavy traffic and daily use.

Both fell in love with Dekton Rem when they saw a sample of it. The architects knew right away that it was the perfect material, but it lacked something to add sophistication. So instead of using Rem in a matt finish, they came up with the idea of a polished finish. Thus Lincoln was born – a new and original colour designed specifically for this project. This was made possible thanks to the features of Dekton iD, a technology that allows for unlimited customisation of Dekton slabs and the creation of unique textures, colours and patterns.

Nella città italiana di Taranto, in Puglia, c'è un luogo d'incontro leggendario che sta tornando a nuova vita dopo la ristrutturazione effettuata dall'architetto Lello Nigro. Il Caffè Tarentum è un ristorante-caffè storico gestito dalla stessa famiglia da 35 anni. L’intenzione dei proprietari consisteva nel rinnovare questo posto che offre caffè, pasticcini e gelato fatto in casa.

Il restauro, realizzato da Scrimieri Lab sotto la supervisione dell’ Architetto Nigro, mirava a creare uno spazio caldo, accogliente, sobrio e allo stesso tempo elegante. Sono stati utilizzati materiali come il Noce Canaletto, il Dekton by Cosentino e una serie di finiture laccate opache naturali, aggiungendo un carattere sofisticato e molto confortevole al caffè.

This eight storey building, whose façade stands out in the landscape, is situated in the residential neighbourhood Aguas Férreas, in Lugo (Spain). For its design, “one of the basic premises of the developer, Dmanán Viviendas, was to design and execute an environmentally friendly building with an appearance that would stand out from its surroundings”, explains architect Patricia Montes from Aringal SL, the architecture and engineering firm in charge of the project. Therefore, from the very beginning of the project, Aringal’s work focused on combining the client’s objectives with the philosophy of its own company, which is very committed to incorporating sustainability into its projects.

The majestic appearance of the façades and their clean design gives this building a unique character. “The straight forms, terraces, window openings and materials used are its unique features”, says architect Patricia Montes. Two materials were combined in the façades of this building, creating a play of textures: Dekton Edora, a light grey shade with a minimalist look, and Corten steel.

This innovative and forward-thinking project by Four Architects has created a relaxing and welcoming space at a Manchester office building for commuters to shower and change after cycling into work.  Dekton in 4mm Kreta was specified for the walls and 8mm Lunar for the flooring, both from the Industrial collection, along with 11 Exelis shower trays in Nolita and three Silence basins in Miami Vena.

Dekton is a carbon neutral product for its entire life cycle, making it a truly sustainable choice perfect for climate conscious contractors.  It’s also highly durable as it’s resistant to UV rays, scratches, stains and thermal shock and it can also be used for wall cladding and flooring both inside and out for a fully co-ordinated look

The former Finnish State Railways VR headquarters building, originally designed by Eliel Saarinen and completed in 1909, has been transformed into a Scandic Hotel. The building is strongly tied to Helsinki’s railway station, an important part of the cityscape as well as culturally and historically significant, as it served as the railway administration headquarters for almost a century. The design work on the hotel was exceptionally demanding. The building is protected under the Act on the Protection of the Built Heritage.

Representing Eliel Saarinen’s Art Nouveau style, the former Finnish State Railways VR headquarters building was renovated and expanded into an elegant hotel with almost 500 rooms as well as meeting and event facilities. The cultural and historical landmark’s demanding renovation and change of use was carried out in cooperation with the Finnish Heritage Agency and the city of Helsinki.

The renovation was an exceptionally demanding project. Protected parts of the building include its entire exterior and roofing, as well as its main lobby, main staircase and hallways, the longest of which is 159 metres long.

Food as a language of love. This is how renowned chef Aitor Jerónimo Orive sums up his passion for gastronomy, heritage of his homeland, the Basque Country, a region in northern Spain. “My grandparents are wonderful cooks and I always caught them in the kitchen, stirring a pot of hot, hearty and incredibly delicious food”, Aitor recalls. For Aitor, the logical step was to become a chef and open his own culinary space. So far, nothing unusual. Except that he opened his restaurant in Singapore, more than 11,000 kilometres away from home. It was there that he opened the Basque Kitchen, a Michelin-starred restaurant where Basque cuisine has become part of international cultural heritage.

Now, after several years of hard work that have earned him the appreciation of the general public, the Basque Kitchen by Aitor moves to the historic building The Fullerton Waterboat House, and does so under the guidance of the design studio Grey Matters, featuring Dekton as the reference material. “Moving from Amoy Street to its new location was a bold move that required careful planning. Redefining a brand that has such history and so much prestige is a task that must be handled with delicacy, sensitivity and the utmost care so as not to undermine all the hard work that the Chef and his team have put in over the last few years”, explains the studio.

For the third year in a row, Cosentino is the reference partner of Team France in the famous international cooking competition Bocuse d’Or. This year, they have also contributed to the renovation of the kitchen of the ‘Refuge’ in Écully, located 10 kilometres from Lyon and very close to the Paul Bocuse Institute, where chef Davy Tissot’s team prepares for the competition.

Two Dekton colours of great beauty were used in the kitchen renovation: Kovic for the wall cladding and Laurent for the worktop. In choosing Dekton, cleanliness, functionality and excellent performance at high temperatures were paramount. The result is a kitchen that is modern and perfectly equipped, yet elegant and timeless at the same time.

Dekton Laurent is inspired by the natural stone of Port Laurent and features an almost dramatic finish with brown and golden veining. A very theatrical context for presenting the work to be judged by the best jury.