Mesmerizing Passage

Within the arched spaces of the historical vaulted warehouses beneath Milan’s Central Train Station, visitors to Milan Design Week 2019 will become an integral part of Raytrace, a large-scale architectural installation created by LAYER, a strategic design agency in London. Commissioned by Cosentino, a worldwide leader in the production and distribution of innovative surfaces, Raytrace showcases the strength, durability, beauty and innovative design qualities of the large format surface Dekton.

Raytrace watercolour sketch ©Jose Santopalomo

As one enters the 25-meter long by 6-meter high triangular passage, a mesmerizing caustic pattern dances across the ultracompact surface, emulating the refraction of light through water, evoking the serenity of being underwater. Mirrors at either end reflect the shadows cast against the structure’s surface, creating the illusion of infinite space. The design of the installation references the highly technological qualities of Dekton as an indoor/outdoor architectural product and the process used to produce the ultracompact material, while concurrently expressing the harmony between nature, light and architecture.

The installation, designed by Benjamin Hubert, founder of LAYER, was developed to emulate the metamorphic changes that naturally occur with stone. “We take the idea of water and architecture, two integral themes in the conception of Dekton, and create an architectural structure, filled with an immersive caustic lighting effect – a powerful combination of architecture and nature.”

Santiago Alfonso of Cosentino Group explains further, ”The installation demonstrates the limitless versatility of Dekton, hoping to inspire architects and designers with the beauty and technological qualities of the material.”