Spanish architects Carlos Ferrater and Joan Gibernau designed an eloquent innovative detached home in Sant Cugat, Barcelona, with a built floor space of 1,000m2. Tiles by Saloni were used to clad both the façade and roof, creating an imposing visual impact.
The building stands out for the use of a ventilated façade incorporating 45x90 through-body porcelain tiles from the Vivendi collection by Saloni. With its concealed anchorage system, the façade contributes substantially to the sustainability of the building.
The whole roof was also clad in tiles to eye-catching effect because, thanks to the tiles’ lightweight versatility, the architects were able to create innovative geometries that add more volume to the building and set it apart from the rest. At the same time, practical benefits were ensured due to the porcelain tiles’ nil water absorption rate, offering first-class insulation regardless of the weather while also avoiding noise pollution.
The incorporation of porcelain tiles in ventilated façade systems represents a big step forward in architecture, allowing for the creation of buildings that combine comfort with beauty. They reduce the weight of the façade and thus the structural load, the assembly process is rapid, and the tiles can easily be replaced thanks to their modular format. Aesthetically they come in a wide variety of colours and surface finishes.
Technically they combine a very low level of permeability, moisture expansion and thermal expansion with a high bending strength and resistance to corrosion, atmospheric agents, frost and ice, staining, and industrial pollution.
Porcelain tiles also stand out for their energy-saving and environmental benefits in comparison with other materials because they generate a lower amount of harmful waste and consume fewerraw materials during the manufacturing process.