A dream collaboration to achieve the Brunello Cucinelli facade

William A. Weis, Vice President, W.R. Weis gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his partnership with Cosentino for the Brunello Cucinelli facade.

Cosentino partnered with W.R. Weis Company Inc. to create the stunning facade of the revamped Brunello Cucinelli facade in Chicago’s premium shopping district. 

We sat down with William A. Weis, Vice President, W.R. Weis Company Inc. Design Build and Project Management for an exclusive interview where he gave us incredible insights into the project, the rise of modular facade systems, and more.

As the installer on the Brunello Cucinelli flagship in Chicago, tell us a bit about the project and some of the opportunities and challenges you faced.

This project was a unique rainscreen build in the heart of Chicago’s premium shopping district. We were contacted by the General Contractor Monoceros Corporation to put together a proposal for this facade. The original specification was granite, then it was switched to limestone and back to granite. They had concerns about these natural stones being able to withstand the harsh Chicago winters and the salt used on the street to melt snow in the winter. This generates moisture migration which can damage these absorbent stones. 

By using a rainscreen system with Dekton, we solve all of these issues. With this product, there is no discoloration at the bottom of the building since it is not an absorbent material!

What has been your experience working with Cosentino? What made Dekton the right material for this façade?

Cosentino has been a trusted partner for some time and the use of their Dekton was a no-brainer. Dekton is revolutionizing cladding and all different types of installation because it’s so resilient and durable. It is also a very uniform and consistent material, where you can expect colors to remain consistent from slab to slab, whereas with natural or quarried stone there are extreme variations in color which makes it difficult to achieve a consistent look.

What are some interesting industry trends and where do you see the industry moving toward in the next 5-10 years?

I truly believe modular systems that allow for future hassle-free façade changes. Dekton is a very easy material to work with, and Cosentino has partnered with a multitude of support systems. Using modular training systems that are removable allows you to clad an entire facade and easily change the panels in a few years if desired. 

Having worked with all types of facades and cladding, these lightweight thinner panel systems are the future, and Dekton has become a frontrunner in that. Consistency in color and fabrication, availability of size and thicknesses makes it truly special.