In the heart of Melbourne’s suburb Toorak, on the Glendalough campus of St Kevin’s College, Chandler Architecture was commissioned to design a new multipurpose facility that would integrate seamlessly with the existing buildings while creating a tranquil environment for students and staff.

The two-storey building, with its considerable scale, required a material that offered a natural visual finish, yet was lightweight. The solution was found in Dekton, as Loris Rebeschini, associate architect at the studio, explains: “The great thing about Dekton is that it is durable and very low maintenance, so it met all the requirements of our design brief. Dekton strikes the perfect balance between beauty and functionality.”

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A design that blends in

The building blends in effortlessly with its neighbours, while making a bold and contemporary statement with its Dekton Albarium facade. “The panels needed to be lightweight yet natural looking, so Dekton was the ideal choice as its durability and low maintenance ensure long-term performance.”

The Dekton panels were fixed to the ventilated façade by Vclad using a concealed system of Fischer undercut anchors. This fixing system (DKT1) offers high performance, great design versatility and maximum adaptability to large formats, complex shapes and high wind loads. The ventilated facade construction solution also improves the thermal efficiency of the building, among other benefits.

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The school is delighted with the result and admits that their favourite part of the project is “the first impression it makes. It is the first thing families and pupils see when they walk through the school gates, and I think it blends in effortlessly with the neighbouring buildings”.

Project details

Project: St Kevin’s College – Glendalough Campus

Location: Melbourne

Architecture/Design: Chandler Architecture

Manufacturer/Fitter: Vclad

Material: Dekton

Application: Ventilated Facade

Colour: Albarium

Thickness: 8mm

Quantity: 200m²

Completion: 2024

Photography: Tim Kaye

Architecture & Design Team

Cosentino

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