The historical centre of Cuenca, located in the heart of Spain, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The passage of time and the city’s surroundings have shaped an urban architecture the greatest example of which is the well-known Casas Colgadas (Hanging Houses), a group of three Gothic-style residential buildings on a cliff overlooking the Huécar river.

The Casas Colgadas, which date back to the 16th century, have been restored on many occasions to maintain their essence to the present day. The latest restoration has been carried out by the Redondo Soria Arquitectos studio, which has performed a complete refurbishment of the outdoor and indoor spaces, areas that also house the Spanish Abstract Art Museum and the Casas Colgadas restaurant.

Respect for the historical heritage, the restoration and optimisation of the spaces, and their appropriate accessibility have been the main aims of this challenging refurbishment project in which Cosentino Natural Stone has been used for different surfaces of the restaurant, such as the flooring, cladding and furniture.

As an extension of the historical group of buildings with a marked Gothic character, both the museum and the restaurant adopt different urban features and bring them inside the building – the staircases. These single flight staircases in Negro Zimbawe granite with a vintage finish flow from the mezzanine level of the dining room to welcome the user and take them to the upper floor, as if they were a continuation of the floor, to one of the dining rooms, known as the Sala Negra.

A wine cellar has been created in the space previously intended for toilets, and Ónix Miel in Polished finish has been chosen for a high table. The result is a stunning piece of design that stands out in an intimate space for wine tasting.

Another of the dining rooms, the Sala Pétrea, has a powerful and abstract design, with granite and geometric materials as the main features. The use of Pacific Grey for flooring, as well as wall cladding and the central table, has achieved an impressive room that brings the gothic style of the streets into the restaurant.

One of the major project refurbishments has taken place on the second floor, where there used to be a house with a space under cover for storage, in disuse and in very poor condition. The framing has been demolished to make the space look bigger, creating a geometry similar to the main hall of the Spanish Abstract Art Museum and trying to recreate the textures, light and colour of the so-called Sala Blanca, where the Blanco Thassos colour has been used for flooring, also in Natural Stone and in Polished finish.

All in all, the refurbishment of the Casas Colgadas together with the museum and the restaurant has achieved harmony between the historical and heritage outside and the artistic and culinary experience offered inside this iconic architectural landmark.

Natural colours and a very contemporary design renew the aesthetics of the new showroom of Salboy, a property development company based in Salford, UK. In this way the project by Studio Power has achieved an image in keeping with the success of this company, which has delivered more than 2,400 homes across the UK and focuses on the development of high quality residential accommodation. Domis Construction helped bring the project to life from conception to construction, while Granite Tops UK was the manufacturer.

The multidisciplinary architecture studio chose Dekton by Cosentino surfaces for this project, not only because of their natural appearance, but also because of their durability and zero carbon footprint throughout their life cycle, thus contributing to an environment focused on sustainability.

After the complete redesign of several areas, including the lobby, restaurant, meeting rooms and bathrooms, one of the landmark hotels in the Italian city of Milan is sporting a fresh new look. The renovation, carried out jointly by Spanish architect Álvaro Sans and Vittorio Grassi Architects, has given a new look to the Meliá Milano, a hotel located in Via Masaccio, very close to the trendy area known as City Life, the new centre of luxury shopping in the city.

The functional and architectural approach of the renovation project led to the rebirth of this 20-year-old hotel, opening up spaces by creating a new, spacious and flexible layout of the common areas. The interior gardens, high skylights and contemporary use of materials and textures give the bar, restaurant and co-working area a sophisticated feel.

A humanistic and sustainable approach

‘In my project, I try to capture the personality of my clients by tailoring my work to their needs. My design is born out of their need, I never forget that,’ says Erico Navazo who, on this occasion, has made the New Bauhaus designers’ way of working more than ever his own, with a humanistic and sustainable approach, based on craftsmanship and noble materials. For this group, everyday objects should improve people’s lives and be made in a sustainable way so that they last over time and in a universal spirit, integrating traditional elements from different cultures. In this space, wood, natural stone, leather and wool are paired with other reclaimed materials, maintaining the tradition of environmental friendliness and true sustainability.

More than an office complex, Continental Towers in Illinois is a space for collaboration and connection. This was the driving force behind the refurbishment process of its main lobby, which connects the three towers, and its service area, which was transformed into a meeting point. Whitney Architects, the firm in charge of the project, worked closely with the client to achieve a refreshed and contemporary look for these spaces.

For this purpose, a material was needed which, in addition to being aesthetically strong, could withstand the heavy daily traffic of people and metal trolleys on which the company’s material is delivered. The client had already thought of Dekton as the ideal material for this, especially because of its hardness and low porosity, and preferred the Soke and Kelya colours for the interior cladding of both rooms.

Among the 250 companies housed on the 2,800-hectare Research Triangle Park corporate campus in North Carolina, a recent project stands out for its innovative use of design to create a space for collaboration, creativity and interaction. Elisa Christopher, from Phillips Architecture design studio, was commissioned for this project in which the company wanted to give a new look to a lobby and staircase area using Dekton by Cosentino.

The client wanted a material that would surprise potential and existing employees and create a striking appearance at first glance. The designer had already worked with Cosentino in the past and thought that it would be the ideal material to add character and elegance to the space. At Cosentino’s industrial park in Almería, Christopher was able to see the product first hand and discover the endless design possibilities that Dekton has to offer. Taking advantage of its technical and aesthetic properties on such a large campus was a challenge for her and she jumped at the chance.

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.

In the Italian city of Taranto, Apulia, there is a legendary meeting place that is now coming back to life after the renovation carried out by the architect Lello Nigro. Caffè Tarentum is a historic café restaurant that has been run by the same family for 35 years. The owners want to freshen up this place that offers coffee, pastries and home-made ice cream.

This renovation, carried out by Scrimieri Lab under the supervision of Nigro, aimed to create a warm, welcoming, restrained but elegant space. Materials such as Canaletto Walnut, Dekton by Cosentino and an array of natural matt lacquered finishes have been used to add a sophisticated and very comfortable character to the café.