The Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, in Mallorca, was created in 2016 with the aim of becoming one of the centers of international level tennis. Launched by the athlete Rafa Nadal, the academy combines tennis and education with the aim that the students can develop tennis careers while continuing to train academically. The architectural project consists of more than 24,000 m2 of constructed area and impressive facilities distributed among the residence: training school, hotel, sports courts, changing rooms, bar, clinic and green areas.
| Project | Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar |
| Architect/designer | David Iglesias |
| Address | Crta. Cales de Mallorca s/n, km 1,2. Torre dels Enagistes, Manacor 07500, Illes Balears |
| Constructor | Dragados and Melchor Mascaró |
| Opening date | 2016 |
| Area | 24,000 m2 |
Architect David Iglesias said of the project: “The premise of this project was to build a training academy and at the same time create a building for the entire city and for all of Mallorca. Therefore, the end result had to be composed of a very controlled space, specific to children, and a completely opposite one where people could move freely.
Consequently, the two buildings that make up the final project are quite poly-functional, each with its characteristics and level of security, and are perfectly related to each other, thus fulfilling the objective set. ”
The Rafa Nadal Academy becomes a true showcase for Dekton® surfaces. Cosentino Group installed more than 40,000 m2 of Dekton® in all thicknesses and for different applications such as cladding, floors, countertops, stairs or baseboards, especially highlighting its use on the facades of the two main buildings of the complex, the pools and the area spa.
| Façade | The façade is mainly composed of Dekton® and glass. Dekton®'s qualities such as its high resistance to ultraviolet rays, its resistance to ice and thaw, its color stability and its stain resistance are essential for its application on exterior facades. Also important is its ease of assembly due to the precision of the material; There is a very good combination between Wandegar's CAT1 system, used in laying, and Dekton® parts. |
| Pavement | The large format of the Dekton® pieces allowed the creation of pavements full of quality and beauty in almost all project areas. From a functional point of view, its hardness, its resistance to abrasion and its easy daily maintenance, make it a perfect product for this type of application both indoors and outdoors. |
| Stairs | Dekton® is an ideal surface for high traffic areas without suffering any wear thanks to its hardness and high resistance to abrasion. Another great advantage that Dekton® offers, and which has been highly valued for this work, is the possibility of executing the steps in one piece without having to insert joints between them. |
| Wall Cladding | Complete wall coverings, created from large Dekton® pieces, become prominent players in the final design. The flatness of the product is appreciated even in its 8 mm format for vertical installation, and the resulting uniformity is striking from an architectural and aesthetic point of view. This area again highlights that the large Dekton® format makes it possible to adapt it to the creativity and versatility of any architectural project. |
| Shower cladding | Dekton® is ideal for any bathroom cladding due to its excellent performance against water. Thanks to its high resistance to hydrolysis, the material is not altered by being in contact with this liquid substance for a long time. |
| Custom colors | For the development of the project, two personalized Dekton® shades were created: a deep blue that serves as a seal for the academy and that looks out on the world thanks to its application on the main facade, and a soft white shade characterized by weighted subtlety and covering a large number of building walls. |
