Silestone Blanco Zeus, harmony in the heart of nature

On the ground floor, the generous eating and cooking zone opens up to the garden. The transition is almost invisible, thanks to the floor-height glazing. This gives you an uninterrupted view into the greenery while cooking or when the family come together to eat at the simple oak table. “The intention is not to separate the kitchen off or place it in the middle of the space, but create a link to the living area,” says Juan Gonzales. “This way we have combined a kitchen area with plenty of storage space and a kitchen island that reflects the multifaceted shape of the building and creates a light, airy transition to the eating area.”

“The specially shaped kitchen island can be used from both sides,” explains Ian Hunziker from the carpentry firm SCHREINEREI HUNZIKER. "In essence, the furnishings are based on standard elements that we have individually adapted. As a result, the interior of the floating wing contains a robust, extremely durable beam construction to which the 60 cm wide cupboard elements are attached. The fronts are made from strong, 19 mm MDF panels with slightly rounded edges painted in RAL 9016 matt white. The work surfaces and rear wall of the kitchen area are made from Silestone in the Blanco Zeus Extreme shade."

Cosentino supplies Silestone in over 80 designs. “But only Blanco Zeus Extreme from the Mythology Collection had the desired white shade that creates a timeless and energetically warm effect. The builder was delighted,” recalls Ian Hunziker, who had the low-silica mineral surface precisely cut to size and supplied by SCHÜRMANN NATURSTEINE. “Silestone is very hard-wearing and offers a high level of stain and fade resistance. It is also easy to clean, which makes it ideal for kitchens, bathrooms and furniture. It also has a uniquely beautiful and glossy surface, which in the “Casa Forest” now reflects the hazy outlines of the trees.”

A balanced colour range

All floors in the house are laid with white oak, except for the wet areas, the patios and the multimedia areas in the common area. This, together with the use of white predominantly on the walls and ceilings, makes the rooms look more spacious and enhances the large amount of natural light that the interiors receive through the large windows. In keeping with this range of neutral and light tones, the design team decided to use Silestone for the worktops. In particular, they opted for the Blanco Zeus colour in a polished finish. Its bright but restrained white colour blends perfectly with the modern lines of the interior design of the entire house. This material has been combined with dark furniture on the kitchen island and in one of the bathrooms, creating a very contemporary contrast.

Durable and sustainable

Among the reasons for the decision to use Silestone in this project, the architect highlights ‘its visual aesthetic integrity along with durability and hygiene factors’. The material is ideal for worktops as it is easy to clean and resistant to stains and dirt. ‘As part of this project, which has a modern and contemporary concept, the added value of Cosentino products was of paramount importance,’ he continues. Furthermore, the surfaces are in line with another key feature of the refurbishment project: sustainability. The whole project was intended to maintain a sustainable and integrated concept in the landscape. This also applies to the guesthouse, which was restored to blend in with the main house.

Stylish shapes

According to the studio, orientation, views and location were decisive in the design of this unique building which houses a total of 32 flats. “The sunlight and the wide, clear views to the south-east determined the location of the building’s rooms, with the main rooms facing southeast and the sleeping areas facing north-west, opening onto the common space that gives access to the dwellings”. The south-east façade, with large terraces framed by Corten steel volumes running along the façade as an extension of the main rooms of the flats, opens up to the clear views of the valley. Meanwhile, the window openings on the north-west façade, also framed in Corten steel, are designed to optimise the capture of natural light.

Lasting and timeless beauty

The visual appeal of the material is not the only reason why GBL Architects and Brenhill Developments, the project developer, opted for Dekton. Its technical features also helped to make the right choice. This is shown by the format, weight and thickness of large Dekton panels, which make it the perfect material for ventilated façades. Furthermore, its high reflection coefficient, non-combustible properties and resistance to UV rays as well as freezing and thawing are exactly what this elegant façade needed. All this makes it an ideal material to withstand harsh weather conditions in both winter and summer without losing its properties or colour. As a result, the façade has a shiny surface on which the sun’s own reflection enhances its unforgettable beauty.

Silestone & Noli Studios: a successful partnership

Of all the suppliers involved in the project, Cosentino played a key role in supplying the kitchen worktops for the 263 studios and common areas. Given its high brand recognition in the Nordic countries and its extraordinary performance in semi-public spaces, Silestone emerged as the best choice.

Silestone Blanco Orion, an off-white surface with small, grey veins that create a feeling of cleanliness and spaciousness, was the chosen finish for the studio kitchens.

On the other hand, Silestone Merope was the choice for the communal kitchens. With this black finish, the aim was to create the opposite effect: a more welcoming and cosy atmosphere in the large and impersonal communal kitchens.

A non-porous material to withstand humid climates

Dekton was used as the main cladding of the house. It was installed using a cladding system with mechanical fasteners and adhesive cement. In addition to its unquestionable beauty, when it came to choosing this finish, the peace of mind of working with a material of great quality and purity and with the backing of a highly professional company was paramount.

Cosentino provided RS Arquitectura with technical advice throughout the entire construction process on a number of aspects such as the cutting and how to make the most of each slab without compromising on design. Cosentino also collaborated in the design of the façade, the training of the personnel in charge of installing it and the monitoring of the entire project to ensure that there were no problems.

In terms of product features, in addition to the extraordinary size of the slabs, RS Arquitectura highly appreciated Dekton's zero porosity. In humid climates with large temperature contrasts, such as Sant Julià de Vilatorta, a non-porous material is the best guarantee that it will age well.

Dekton Kira: the perfect combination with stone

Once Dekton had been selected, the next step was to choose the most suitable colour from an infinite number of options. Michael opted for the Kira colour because it best matched the stone. To do this, he ordered several samples from Cosentino and fitted them, along with the other materials, in the right place and exposed to the light they were to receive. He fell in love with Kira’s small grey veining and texture.

As for the cutting of Dekton Kira, although the original idea was to use it in a large seamless format, in the end O’Brien preferred to cut it into long pieces of different widths. By doing so, the façade achieves a visual effect of greater height.

In this home, twelve 12mm thick slabs were used to clad an area of 100m2. The slabs were ‘glued’ directly onto an existing façade, which precluded the use of other more efficient systems, such as a ventilated façade, but significantly reduced the cost.

The use of five materials, the irregular cutting and its installation with adhesive are the special features of this unusual façade. Without a doubt, the façade is the best introduction to this impressive home perched on the cliffs of Cork.