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.

The design of the new Grill Bar in Tel Aviv was a great challenge for interior designer Racheli Ben Avi. The aim was to create a seamless space that would offer clients a sensory experience through its atmosphere. “The biggest challenge of the project was planning the restaurant space. The idea was to create an open space that would encourage a natural and dynamic flow, allowing visual connection between the different parts of the space”, explains the designer. In addition to this, the combination of several different styles posed the challenge of maintaining a well-balanced and refined design.

“The eclectic style was achieved by integrating industrial materials, an exposed black painted ceiling, bronze light fixtures, a wine display cabinet, green plants and a brightly coloured pop art piece in the cladding”, she explains. To merge all these different elements, Racheli Ben Avi opted for Cosentino materials. The entire restaurant is clad in Dekton, including the bar counter, walls, cabinets and floor.

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.

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.

Built in 1931 by Dr. Richard Spector, this 600 square metre villa was brought back to life after renovation by Burçin Dinler, from Tasarimca Design Office. On a 1.2 hectare site in Connecticut, United States, this renovated mansion has been converted into a welcoming, contemporary and harmonious space.

The refurbishment process of Westport Villa took about a year. The interior design concept of this project has focused on enhancing the brightness of the spaces with a contemporary style based on the use of quality materials. These include Cosentino cladding, which was used for the bathroom and kitchen worktops.

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.

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