New training space for hairdressing professionals: learning surrounded by design and tranquillity

The new training space by ICON is born directly from the brand's identity: a company renowned for its haircare products and its commitment to comprehensive training aimed at hairdressing professionals. Based on this premise, Verónica Zúñiga has conceived a project that inspires learning.

The proposal unfolds as a sequence of fluid and continuous spaces, without visual interruptions, wrapped in a serene, warm, and natural atmosphere. To achieve this, noble materials such as natural oak wood with open-pore water-based varnish, untreated terracotta present in lattices and planters, indoor vegetation, and large openings to the exterior are used. These openings allow abundant natural light to enter and make the academy's activity visible from the street.

This sensory foundation is complemented by high-performance technical materials, essential in a space subject to intensive use and constant traffic, such as Cosentino's ultra-compact surfaces, which complete a design intended to endure, last, and maintain its impeccable appearance.

In this context, Dekton Albarium plays a leading role. The material has been used in large format to define the atmosphere of the main room, as well as in key furniture pieces: worktops, dressing tables, washbasins, and drinking water fountains.

The choice of Dekton responded to a dual need. On one hand, its ability to create a serene and calm environment, allowing work with a reduced palette of materials. On the other, particularly strict technical requirements derived from the professional use of the space.

“The choice was based on very demanding premises regarding the technical properties of the material, especially its zero porosity,” explains Verónica Zúñiga. In an environment where colour dyes are used intensively, cleanliness and chemical resistance are essential. “Until now, this greatly limited the materials that could be used for these surfaces; however, Dekton opens up a range of possibilities in terms of finishes that we can bring to such technically demanding environments.”

The architect also highlights the work done in the constructive design: “We have tried to make the most of its possibilities, studying cuts and resolving joints,” integrating the material coherently throughout the project.

Another colour used was Dekton Domoos, an intense black chosen for the presentation room. In this case, applied to the floor of the small stage where it will remain as pristine as the first day, regardless of the traffic in this space.

The versatility of Dekton was decisive. “The variety of dimensions and thicknesses helped us use it in different pieces,” notes Zúñiga, who also emphasises the importance of coordinating the material's rhythm with the spatial logic of the project. In this case, the design is based on a dressing table module, creating a 120 × 120 grid applied to both walls and floors, reinforcing the sense of order and continuity.

Regarding maintenance, “it has been the essential requirement for this project, where dyes are used daily, and the surfaces must always remain impeccable.”

After more than twenty years working for the ICON brand and having used materials such as steel—noble and effective—the challenge of this project was different. “We were looking for a warmer environment, and Dekton gave us that possibility.”