An architect’s dream

For more than 200 years, DuPont says it has brought world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace through innovative products, materials and services. Its market-driven innovation introduces thousands of new products and patent applications every year, serving markets as diverse as agriculture, nutrition, electronics and communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and clothing.

Here, we concentrate on case studies on the application of one of DuPont's innovative building and construction products - the solid surface material Corian. DuPont was the pioneer in solid surfaces and engineered stone, producing Corian nearly 50 years ago.

This original resin composite still commands an enviable worldwide reputation. It can be used to create fl at and curved surfaces for furnishing and design solutions in residential and public applications. It is uniform throughout its entire thickness, nonporous, does not require additional fi nishing, is easy to clean and, if necessary, repairable.

It can be thermo-formed into custom shapes and contours, sand-blasted, routed, carved, laser-etched and back-lit.

Corian was chosen by Powerdesk UK, specialists in 'Intelligent furniture', to create a winning fi rst impression with a fi ve-metre long reception desk at the London 2012 Olympics headquarters.

The headquarters were designed by Huw Owen of Owen+Kimble Architects to both inspire and reassure that the city aimed to be the very best.

The furniture design - an elegant elliptical shape - makes full use of the material's ability to be thermoformed into sensual curves and to be joined to create a seamless, monolithic effect. In cool fresh Glacier White, the desk is also completely homogeneous and non-porous, stain-resistant and easy to clean and maintain.

Architect Jean-Jacques Marvielle decided to use a 'Bayadere' style for the renovation of a traditional Basque home situated on the banks of Arcachon (southern Atlantic coast of France).

The multi-coloured, wide-striped fabrics of Basque textile traditions demonstrated the design versatility offered by Corian and its many colours.

The distinctive Bayadere character of the kitchen is recreated on the countertops, sink, cooking area, cabinets and central table, as well as the wall cladding.

The specifi c arrangement of colour bands between the sink and the countertop, and between the countertop and the cabinet, required meticulous skill.

A large sheet was created using calibrated coloured bands of Corian glued together, with special attention paid to the shade of glue used, so as to avoid the mixture of colour.

The large Bayadere-patterned sheet was then cut, assembled and glued to create the worktop, borders, cupboard and sink.

Architect Jean-Jacques Marvielle, was pleased with the result: "The strength of the material, the possibility to obtain round shapes, the absence of visible seams, the uniform colour and the artistic freedom, are all qualities that led to the choice of using this material".

The sleek, icy white façade of the Seeko'o Hotel is making a statement in the dockland area of Bordeaux, France.

Seeko'o means 'iceberg' or 'glacier' in Inuit, and from the start this was an unusual and adventurous concept.

Creating a 'designer hotel' in downtown Bordeaux, on the left bank of the Garonne, was always going to make waves - this is a strategic landmark of a town, well known for respecting its heritage and 'stone city' spirit. Yet this was precisely the challenge: to build a project that would both break with tradition and yet harmonise with its environment.

In order to create the desired 'iceberg' effect, architect Jean-Christophe Masnada, of the Atelier d'architecture King Kong, had the idea to develop a façade made from Corian. While both the aesthetic and performance qualities of the material made it a clear choice, an exterior cladding process such as this had never been done before.

The project builds on all the inherent qualities of Corian for outdoor applications: it is smooth, non-porous, resistant to weathering and graffi ti, has good UVresistance and provides edges which have the same colour as the faces and joints between each panel.

The façade panels are laid on a double metal framework in order to ensure a good evenness across the panels.

Mr Masnada said: "We were impressed by this noble and rich material from DuPont, which enabled us to withdraw from the traditional façade fi tting systems. The façade panels are laid on a double metal framework in order to ensure a good evenness throughout: the tolerance between the panels is adjusted by one millimetre."

Mackay + Partners provided an interior design scheme, including a 400-seat restaurant, at the new admin and R&D campus for the Merck Serono biotechnology business in Geneva.

Following a brief to integrate elements of nature into this space, Mackay + Partners specifi ed Corian for a backdrop featuring fl ower and leaf imagery as part of the overall restaurant design, which incorporated graphic and lighting effects.

In another area, the winning interiors of Platinum Casino in Ploiesti, Romania are embellished with Corian.

Amidst casino closings caused by the ongoing economic crisis, Romania's Platinum Casino has opened an additional operation, situated in Ploiesti. A project conceived by Romanian architect Vadim Ionescu, the alluring environment of the new Platinum Casino welcomes its guests to be entertained, excited and spoiled.

Fluid shapes, curved lines, outrageous lighting details and fanciful highlights make up the interior design focus of the Platinum Casino. The distinctive and dazzling key elements of this place depict again the versatile properties of Corian.

High-tech, innovative architectural wall cladding, made with Corian, has been created for the entire network of SOCAR's automotive fuel stations in Azerbaijan.

Employing approximately 59,000 highlyqualifi ed people, SOCAR is the state oil company of Azerbaijan Republic and one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world.

This architectural upgrade brings the fuel station network to a world-class position in terms of innovation, elegance and functionality.

The image of Nefertiti at the Neues Museum in Berlin is recognised all over the world. Only a few people know that the beautiful Nefertiti queen actually 'governs' from a 1.5m Corian pedestal in 'Coffee Bean' - a colour which blends perfectly with the overall interior concept of the northern cupola. Many of the museum's stands and archival displays are made with the highquality solid-surface material.

The Swedish jeans brand Acne recently opened a retail shop, the Acne-Store, in Berlin. The sophisticated, original design has no resemblance at all to conventional denim boutiques.

The store was designed by Berlin architect Judith Haase, with her partner Pierre Jorge Gonzalez. The most prominent feature of the shop is a multi-functional, organically formed, sales counter made of Corian. Shaped like a traditional tailor's table, the counter also displays clothing and shoes.

Architect Judith Haase explains the reasons for using Corian: "We love working with Corian because of the way it refl ects light. Playing with different materials, we frequently mix polished surfaces with matte ones such as Corian".

When independent oil company Tullow Oil relocated its offi ces to a new 132,000ft2 space in Chiswick Park, London, Peldon Rose designed a scheme that would not only refl ect the company brand, but also embrace the ethos that "people come before bricks and mortar".

This human-friendly design includes carefully laid-out workstations, staff health and recreational facilities, meeting rooms and an elegant reception area with sensuously curved Corian solid surface panelling.

According to designer Cara Rodrigues of Peldon Rose: "The design philosophy behind the new space was to create an exciting workspace and an energetic, fl owing environment with emphasis on Tullow Oil's global relationships. There was also a strong focus on environmentally sustainable materials and products".

Data Nature Associates has designed several international stores for the chic London-based footwear label Manolo Blahnik. The fi rm turned its creative vision to the brand's new emporium in Moscow's Tretiakov Plaza where they sought to reimagine traditional Russian motifs within a glamorous contemporary scheme.

The concept was to introduce a contrast, displaying the collections in all their of-themoment beauty, while capturing the romantic charm of the classic Dacha cottage.

This architectural homage was executed through a combination of ebonised wood cladding, complemented by the delicate beauty of white Russian lace.

This lace design was created in wall panels made with Corian.

The Corian panels create a softly feminine, almost fairy tale, effect and form a striking backdrop against which to display shoe designs