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Over 10 Years of Innovation: Europe’s First High-Rise Building with a Ventilated Natural Marble Facade Panels Duramica — Setun Valley Complex in Moscow

Nov 12, 2024
2 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

The pale marble ventilated facade of a Setun Valley tower rises above the viewer, with blue window rows under a clear sky.


More than a decade ago, Moscow’s Setun Valley complex became Europe’s first high-rise building to feature a ventilated facade made of natural marble panels. This revolutionary project set a new standard for durable exterior coverings, combining the aesthetic appeal of natural stone with the performance of ventilated cladding systems in high-rise construction.


Setun Valley architecture with two tall towers clad in pale marble and glass, seen from below beneath a cloud-filled sky.

The First Ventilated Marble Facade in a High-Rise Building

The Setun Valley’s standout feature is its unique ventilated facade system. As the first high-rise in Europe to use natural marble facade panels in a ventilated system, it spans an impressive 24,000 square meters, making it one of the largest ventilated wall systems of its kind. The architect and lead designer faced challenges with marble’s natural properties, like high water absorption and softness, which limited its application in traditional exterior cladding. Duramica DuraSkin technology solved these issues, allowing for lightweight stone panels with ultra-thin stone veneers mounted on a porcelain stoneware base. This method improved water resistance and increased installation speed by 40% compared to conventional systems.


Ventilated marble facade of the Setun Valley high-rise towers, seen from below between glazed windows and a curved rooftop.

Duramica DuraSkin: An Innovative Ventilated Facade Panels

Duramica DuraSkin is a composite stone panel that combines a thin layer of natural stone with a durable porcelain base. This technology produces lightweight yet strong panels with an overall thickness of only 12–16 mm, making it possible to use large-format decorative wall panels up to 2400 x 1200 mm. Additionally, the lightweight stone veneer enables complex architectural designs, including columns and angled sections.


A Duramica DuraSkin panel shows a thin beige natural stone facing over a white ceramic backing, visible at two adjoining edges.

Key Advantages of DuraSkin:

• Lightweight and Durable: The reduced weight of these stone veneer panels minimizes structural loads, making installation easier and reducing costs.

• Waterproof and Fire-Resistant: Panels provide excellent protection against moisture and fire, ideal for high-rise ventilated facade panels.



The Setun Valley towers with pale stone facades and tall window rows rise beside a tree-lined road under a partly cloudy sky.

Economic and Environmental Sustainability

Duramica DuraSkin is not only a technologically advanced solution but also environmentally responsible. The Setun Valley project achieved zero material waste during construction, underscoring the importance of sustainable resource use. By using ultra-thin stone panels and slim stone veneers, this project exemplifies how composite stone panels can enhance building durability while minimizing environmental impact.


Duramica DuraSkin marble facade at Setun Valley, showing pale cladding panels between windows and a suspended work platform.

Architectural Legacy and Recognition

The Setun Valley project has been celebrated within the architectural community. It was nominated for the Best Building Awards for its unique spatial solutions and advancements in facade technology. As one of Moscow’s most distinguished projects, it showcases the innovation possible with lightweight stone cladding and modern ventilated wall systems.


Moscow’s Setun Valley high-rise with a ventilated marble facade, beside the European Property Awards emblem for 2014–2015.

DuraSkin: A Breakthrough in Facade Technology

Duramica DuraSkin represents a significant advancement in ventilated cladding systems, providing architects and designers with new possibilities for combining the aesthetics of natural stone with modern, high-performance facade panels. This solution allows for high-rise ventilated facades without height limitations, accelerates construction speed, and reduces operational costs. Thanks to its lightweight and durable design, DuraSkin is ideal for large, complex architectural projects.


Duramica DuraSkin establishes a new standard in facade cladding, merging the timeless beauty of natural marble with cutting-edge composite panel technology.


Three facade views show tall buildings with pale marble cladding and dark windows, illustrating Duramica DuraSkin stone panels.



The Duramica logo displays gold lettering on a black background, with the words LIGHTWEIGHT STONE PANELS below the brand name.

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DESIGN & PROJECT DISCLAIMER

DURAMICA creates custom architectural and decorative solutions according to clients’ requirements. The designs presented on this website reflect our clients’ visions and preferences, but not necessarily our own.

They demonstrate only a small part of our capabilities, as many exclusive and landmark projects cannot be shown due to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

Some images on this website may be created using artificial intelligence (AI) exclusively to demonstrate the possibilities of our materials and their applications in architecture and design.

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