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.

This spectacular home in the heart of Cork was completed in 2020 The designer, Michael O’Brien, wanted to do something different on the façade and Dekton immediately came to mind. Michael had discovered Dekton in the showroom of Hickey Granite. When he first saw it, he was impressed with the size of the slabs and the material’s resistance to external factors such as ultra-violet rays, freezing and scratching.

Dekton Kira was fitted on the front façade of the home and on the side walls, which are highly exposed to unfavourable weather conditions. It was also used to frame the windows of the barbecue area (ground floor) in a more aesthetically pleasing way.

The uniqueness of the Ballycotton house lies in the five elements of its façade: Dekton, natural stone, plaster, zinc and wood. The combination of textures works perfectly in both visual and functional terms. The materials used are low maintenance and ideal for a house situated on a cliff top and exposed to Irish weather conditions.

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.

In dialogue with the surrounding traditional architecture, rich in masonry façades, the luxury residential building ‘8x On The Park’ literally shines with its glass façade and the off-white colour of Dekton Halo. Located in the northeast of Emery Barnes Park in Vancouver, it is a symbol of the city’s luxurious and exclusive lifestyle. Not only for its design, by GBL Architects, but also for its interior design and complete facilities.

According to Joey Stevens, from GBL Architects, ‘Dekton was chosen primarily to establish a contextual dialogue with the adjoining building, using the heritage masonry, but giving it a more contemporary expression. Durability was also an important factor for the developer’. Thus, the grey shades on off-white Dekton Halo provide a soft and shiny tone like the reflection of a crystal. It is the perfect counterpart to the protruding windows, glass balconies and ‘X’ shapes that give the building its name.

Designed for multifunctional living, whether cooking for the family, entertaining friends or simply catching up over coffee, this kitchen from My Fathers Heart features stunning Dekton worksurfaces on both the central island and the surrounding cabinetry within this large, open-plan space.

Created by Sheffield-based kitchen designers My Fathers Heart, the room combines stunning SieMatic S2 handleless cabinets in the Umbra velvet-matt finish with Dekton in Kira, an earthy toned ultra-compact surface that has the look and feel of natural brownstones. Highly resistant to UV rays, scratches, stains and thermal shock, Dekton is the ideal choice for homeowners looking for a durable, hardwearing worksurface solution and it can also be used for flooring and wall cladding both indoors and out. What's more, carbon neutrality has been achieved for the entire life cycle of Dekton, so homeowners can rest assured that their surface of choice is sustainable and helps build a better future.

Within the central island, Dekton blends effortlessly with rich walnut, which creates visual contrast and provides a warm tone for the breakfast bar area with its high stools for snacks and coffee. The BORA Professional extractor hob in an all-black steel finish sits neatly within the surface while antique brass pendant lights from Italy drop stylishly from above. The slim profile of the worksurface beautifully enhances the elegance of the appliances and kitchen furniture, while the colour palette is warm and inviting, creating a relaxed, contemporary look.

Noli Studios is the first co-living project developed by NREP (Nordic Real Estate Partners) in the historic neighbourhood of Katajanokka, in Helsinki. For this first project, NREP wanted the best partners and therefore entrusted the renovation and interior design to dSign Vertti Kivi & Co, a company with extensive experience in office, restaurant and hotel projects.

The project involved a change of use of a 1940’s office building. Work began at the end of 2016 and was completed three years later, in October 2019. A total of 263 studios of between 18 and 24 m2 were built, with a total built-up area of 12,000m2. In short, a project of significant scale that needed to “do well” in order to be replicated in other Helsinki neighbourhoods. Indeed, NREP opened a second co-living in November 2020 and expects to expand to a further ten new hotels in the next five years.

The renovation process was not without its challenges. For the renovation of the façade, the dSign team was forced to completely remove the old brick façade, even out the different floor heights and level the original concrete pillars. For three years, architects, contractors, site managers and even the Finnish Heritage Agency made a huge effort to meet the deadlines.

When architect Jomana Lahham was asked to design the lobby of the G10 project in Nazareth, it was clear to her that she wanted to create a dramatic effect. The lobby of a residential complex is a place of connection between outdoors and indoors, and it is the first impression the tenant has after a long day away from home. This area should make the most of natural light during the day and provide soft lighting at night.

Inspired by a giant cave and using beautifully textured natural materials, Lahham creates a powerful experience of high ceilings and interplay of light and shadow with a huge Dekton Kelya wall cladding. This material features fine veins which give a sense of fluidity and the natural stone look that the architect likes so much. In addition, it provides a pleasant texture to offer warmth in this cosy space.

The architect turns the difficulty of a small, narrow lobby into its greatest strength by creating a dramatic and deep contrast through the use of a large, dark, veined material.

For the façade of this residential building located in Durango, a small town in the north of Spain, IDOM’s team of architects strived for a simple, elegant finish. Lines and right angles work together with the creamy tone of Dekton Ariane, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing look. From a distance, this ventilated façade offers a sense of continuity, which becomes more pronounced the closer you get thanks to the minimal joints which vertically style this four-storey new building clad in Dekton.

On façades, the ultra-compact Dekton surface offers high UV resistance, ensuring colour consistency over time. Furthermore, as a non-porous material, Dekton is easy to clean, even in urban environments where it is exposed to dirt, wear and aggressive stains such as graffiti. Thanks to its light weight and its availability in a thickness of just 0.4 cm in its Dekton Slim version, this surface has become a benchmark for the installation of ventilated façades in architectural projects of any size and complexity.

Despite being a private residence, Skallan House resembles a museum of modern art. Its straight lines and large windows, together with the use of brutalist materials, make this house an example of monumental yet minimalist architecture.

The structure blends in perfectly with its surroundings, thanks in part to the Dekton colour ‘Kadum’, which has been used on the second floor of this ventilated façade: the Dekton cladding frames the large windows which look out onto the lake. The location of the house is unique not only because of its beauty, but also because of the wear and tear to which the exterior materials are subjected.