Ventilated Facade System for the Distrikt Residential Project in Lisbon
The Distrikt residential complex, developed by Kronos Homes and designed by Morph Studio, is the developer’s largest residential project to date and a clear example of how the choice of facade material becomes decisive in large-scale developments.
The aesthetics of STONEO: a key element in the selection
In this context, ULMA Architectural Solutions contributed more than 5,200 square meters of STONEO ventilated facade, using the LOOK – Vertical Mini-Wave texture as a counterpoint to the dynamic rhythm of the terraces.
The system introduces order, repetition, and coherence, creating a unified architectural reading of the complex through a simple color palette based on the contrast between black and white.
The architecture responds to these conditions from the design stage itself. The 45° rotation in the orientation of the apartments, introduced during the development of the project, allows each unit to receive sunlight from the early hours of the day, improving interior comfort and strengthening the connection with the outdoors.
This decision translates into a facade defined by the rhythm of the terraces, one of the studio’s distinctive features, adding movement and depth to the overall composition.
STONEO is a non-porous stone-derived material with extremely low water absorption (0.1%). It offers an ideal solution for large-scale residential developments where the facade must respond both to architectural expression and to the technical demands of the site.
Work hand in hand with ULMA’s Architectural Office to develop facade construction details from the earliest design stages.
ULMA Architectural Office: development of construction details
A challenge for ULMA’s Architectural Office, which worked meticulously on the development of the construction details of the terraces — the true heart of the residences.
Particular attention was required in the cutting and modulation of the panels, a critical aspect when working with textures such as Vertical Mini-Wave, where pattern continuity is essential.
Panel layouts, corners, and junctions between different materials were carefully studied to ensure a precise and coherent facade composition.
This process was carried out in close collaboration with AGI (Augusto Guimarães & Irmão), ULMA’s distributor in Portugal and a trusted partner in the local market.
Their knowledge of the local construction environment and experience with STONEO helped translate technical solutions into the realities of construction, ensuring the correct execution of the designed details.
Because in projects like Distrikt, construction detailing cannot be separated from the place where the building stands.
In Lisbon, light is another architectural material. Changing, intense, and always present, it defines the relationship between buildings and their surroundings.
Distrikt belongs to a landscape that is not the historic Lisbon of Alfama, with its trams and steep streets, but Parque das Nações, a contemporary district where architecture has turned — not 45°, but nearly 180° — toward the city of the future.
PROJECT DATA
ARCHITECT: Morph Studio
DEVELOPER: Kronos Homes
DISTRIBUTION: AGI (Augusto Guimarães & Irmão), Lda.
TEXTURE: LOOK – Vertical Mini-Wave
COLOR: Black M03
FACADE AREA: 5,200 m²
PHOTOGRAPHY: Eduardo Montenegro
