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.

Het renovatieproject Zeeduin situeert zich op de hoek van de Franslaan met de Lefebvrestraat te Nieuwpoort. Na enkele decennia vertoonden de gevels - bekleed met relatief dunne prefab silexbeton elementen - betonschade omwille van carbonatie. Bouwheer en architect opteerden voor een totaalrenovatie voor de gevels, met 4 mm dikke Dekton Slim platen van Cosentino, verlijmd op een geventileerde aluminium draagconstructie.

Het appartementsgebouw dateert van de jaren ‘70 en telt 6 bovengrondse bouwla-gen. De galerijterrassen, uitgevoerd in ter plaatse gestort beton waarbij de vloer-plaat van binnen naar buiten doorloopt zonder thermische onderbreking, waren voorzien van een betegeling in mortel-bed. Indringing van water zorgde voor betonschade en algemene degradatie van de betoncoating. Ook het ontbreken van gevel- en dakisolatie leidde mee tot een totaalrenovatie.

De architect ging voor een donkerkleuri-ge sokkel (de gelijkvloerse verdieping) en een lichte bovenbouw om de verdiepin-gen een meer zwevend effect te geven. “Voor het gelijkvloers werd geopteerd voor een bekleding in gevlamde blauwe hardsteen, een goede match met de kleine grijze spikkels, de witte massa van het type Nayla en de terrasvloeren in een grijstint”, zegt Deconinck over de keuze voor de Dekton-kleur “Nayla” (wit gespikkeld).

“Dankzij zijn eigenschappen levert Dekton hoogkwalitatieve, technische prestaties in vergelijking met andere bestaande oppervlakken: sterk krasbestendig, vorst- en dooibestendig, én bestendig tegen zilte lucht en UV-stralen. De kleurstabiliteit, dimensionale stabiliteit en de drukweerstand zijn hoog. Met een brandreactieklasse A2,s1-d0 kan Dekton zelfs voor hoge gebouwen gebruikt worden”, zegt Stephanie Bevernagie van Cosentino.

The contemporary design of the suites at Hotel Gränsö Slott blends in with the historic surroundings and coastal landscape of this resort near the idyllic town of Västervik, Sweden. The setting could not be more privileged: a castle dating back to 1800 and a private beach. There, four new beach villas with sea views have been built. These 45 m2 holiday homes feature spacious bathrooms, a bedroom, living room and large terraces. The four villas of the hotel, Lillön, Skanvik, Ekholmen and Tärnskär, have been designed in partnership with Amelie von Essen, from the AHA Anders Holmberg Arkitekter studio.

“When creating the new interior design concept for the Gränsö beach villas, the most important thing was to create a warm and welcoming space with a Scandinavian touch that integrated the surrounding nature”, explains Amelie von Essen. Dekton was chosen as the main material for the bathrooms, with this being used on the walls, floors and countertops. In addition, independent and well differentiated spaces were created, with a separate bathtub, shower and toilet.

The Ette hotel is a newly built hotel in Kissimmee, Florida, USA. There are several Disney parks in the same city. As a result, the hotel welcomes thousands of tourists every year. This 126-room hotel attracts mainly families who, after their visits to the parks, make the pool area the center of the hotel’s social life.

Both the architect and the project developer were clear about the properties of the material to be used in the construction and the façade of the pool area. They wanted a finish with the texture of natural wood which, at the same time, would blend in with the façade. Furthermore, the material needed to withstand the wear and tear of a busy area, sudden changes in temperature and even possible damage in a hurricane-prone state like Florida. In addition to the technical specifications, design played a key role: both the architect and the developer wanted the look and feel of wood for its beauty and warmth.

Dekton Odin stood out from the start as a very interesting option: firstly, because of its extraordinary strength and hardness which, together with its hazelnut colour, perfect for the modern and functional style of the hotel, provided the desired combination of strength and design; and secondly, because it also met the necessary requirements for installation with the Elemex Ceramitex® Facade system.

The Arrecife Gran Hotel & Spa is a classic style hotel on the island of Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands. Better known as the Gran Hotel, at 54 metres high and 15 storeys, it holds the record for being the tallest building on the island since it was built in 1970. The five-star hotel, which completed its renovation in April 2021, will reopen in September with fully upgraded suites.

The architect Quirina Morales is responsible for the refurbishment and interior design of these suites. For the bathroom update, she opted for a white material which contrasts with the blue of the sea and is resistant, but at the same time aesthetically pleasing. Silestone Calacatta Gold was chosen as a nod to the classic style of the hotel, which is over 40 years old.

The fifty Calacatta Gold countertops have been designed with a very modern cut that allows towels to be hung, thus avoiding the use of other elements and improving functionality. The washbasins –also in white– have been placed over the countertop, giving a neat and modern effect.

The Ritz-Carlton Abama is a five-star resort in Tenerife, the island of eternal spring. It is the perfect place to rest and relax while enjoying excellent guest service, in line with the philosophy of The Ritz-Carlton chain. With this purpose in mind, the renovation of one of its restaurants, “La Veranda”, was carried out in 2019.

The hotel has an extensive gastronomic offer with eight different restaurants, some of which have been awarded several Michelin stars. “La Veranda” is dedicated to breakfast and pop-up proposals. Therefore, this restaurant is equipped with large buffet counters where the food is beautifully presented and live cooking is performed.

During the modernisation project of the restaurant, led by Gregory de Clerck, all worktops were replaced with a single material: Dekton Olimpo. The result is a clear, relaxed and elegant atmosphere, in contrast to the warmth of the wood used in the dining area. Dekton Olimpo is a material from the Stonika collection inspired by Carrara marble. Its white colour with grey veins adds character and enhances the look of the restaurant.

The LD Sevilla hotel is located in the north of the Andalusian capital, next to a service area and motorway exit. This strategically located hotel does not compromise on style, offering its guests a distinguished experience based on quality services and attractive designs. VAU Arquitectura has been in charge of the hotel's design. The architecture studio relied on Dekton’s ultra-compact surface for a multitude of applications, using 3,100 m2 in the building.

From the exterior façade, which must withstand high levels of solar radiation, to the always busy common areas, such as restaurants and toilets, Dekton's unique features perfectly meet the needs of a bustling hotel.

Crowne Plaza - The Warsaw HUB had its opening in November 2020. This modern, multifunctional hub in the center of Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is an outstanding building and attention catcher. Two skyscrapers connected by a bridge are a place for conference centers, relaxation zones, hotels and office space. This is also the place for the first hotel from the Crowne Plaza chain in Poland. The interior design was entrusted to the Tremend studio from Warsaw, experienced in similar projects.

The main theme in the interiors of Crowne Plaza is the Vistula River and its unique wild nature. Respect for nature is manifested not only in this clear reference to the river, but also in the conscious selection of materials. Common areas are covered, among others, with Silestone by Cosentino, company that constantly develops its circular economy model. On top of that, Cosentino surfaces are characterized by exceptional durability and wear resistance.

“We decided to choose Silestone because, first of all, we want to cooperate with producers that respect the natural environment. Besides, this material fits perfectly into our main theme. The veins presented on the slabs bring to mind a river, which is in the center of our project”, explains architect Magdalena Federowicz-Boule, CEO of Tremend.