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St Kevin’s College by Chandler Architecture with Cosentino
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s prestigious Toorak, St Kevin’s College recently added a new learning facility, Glendalough.
The junior campus extension, finished in April 2024, stands as a testament to modern architecture’s ability to marry form and function. The brief called for a calming environment that would serve both students and staff, blending effortlessly with existing buildings while making a fresh, bold statement. Chandler Architecture rose to the challenge, opting for Dekton by Cosentino for the building’s facade, a choice that has proven to be as practical as it is visually striking.
For the architect, Dekton was the ideal material to meet the demanding specifications of this project. “It was important to find a product that mimicked the visual characteristics of natural stone while being lightweight and durable,” explains Loris Rebeschini, an associate at Chandler. With its ultra-compact porcelanic surface, Dekton ticked all these boxes. It not only offers the aesthetic appeal of natural stone but also surpasses it in performance, boasting scratch resistance, UV resistance and a low-maintenance surface, crucial for longevity.
The project required 200 square metres of Dekton and its installation was both swift and seamless. The panels fabricated by Cosentino were designed to be lightweight yet strong, making them easy to adapt to the building’s existing structure. This adaptability, combined with Dekton’s zero porosity and carbon-neutral manufacturing process, makes it an ideal choice for facade applications. The material’s versatility is further highlighted by its ability to perform under the most demanding conditions, ensuring the new facility will stand the test of time.
“It was important to find a product that mimicked the visual characteristics of natural stone while being lightweight and durable.”
A global, family-owned Spanish company, Cosentino is known for producing and distributing innovative, sustainable and high-value surfaces to the architectural and design market. Its involvement in the project went beyond just supplying Dekton, as Cosentino worked closely with the architect from the design concept stage, conducting a facade study and providing technical solutions that ensured the project’s success. As Cosentino’s Australian architecture and sales manager Laura Neville notes, “we were involved from concept to installation, ensuring that Dekton was the perfect fit for the project.”
St Kevin’s College’s new learning facility is not just a building. It’s an example of how modern materials like Cosentino’s Dekton can redefine architectural possibilities, offering a perfect blend of beauty, functionality and sustainability.
Architecture by Chandler Architecture. Fabrication by VCLAD.
