Dezeen promotion: facade manufacturer Equitone has launched Lunara, a fibre cement material designed to appear like the surface of the moon.

Lunara is a high-performance material that is part of the Equitone facade range. It is the latest material to be developed by the brand and took a decade to create, review and test.

Lunara has irregular depressions and elevations on its surface that enable the material to react to light and shadow, which is intended to create a "playful" aesthetic.

"Lunara looks like something from another world, with irregular elevations and depressions which evoke the moon's cratered landscape," said Equitone.

Similar to the brand's other materials, the fibre cement panel was tailor-made in collaboration with architects via workshops and in-depth research.

"It is all-important to Equitone to involve the specifiers and artisans who will be creating with the materials in all stages of the product development process," said Gráinne Cook, brand and customer journey manager at Equitone.

"The insights gained are used to validate concepts and prototypes for their potential in the real world from both design and practical perspectives."

Fibre cement is a composite material made up of cement, mineral materials and cellulose.

Lunara is made by adding water to the fibre cement contents, which are then rolled and pressed into sheets. For a short time, the sheets are pliable and can be moulded into planks, tiles and panels.

Lunara can be custom cut into any size and can be used as a ventilated cladding system or wall facade. The panels are designed to allow air to circulate a building while keeping mould, frost and moisture out.

"Fibre cement offers a huge amount of design flexibility," said the brand.

"Over the years since its arrival on construction sites, fibre cement has proved to be an ideal material solution for exterior cladding panels due to its highly practical benefits, including durability and waterproof resistance combined with the potential for textural and tonal versatility."

The sheets are available in two natural hues, hessian or pebble, and come in two sizes: 2,500 by 1,200 and 3,050 by 1,220 millimetres. They measure ten millimetres in depth.

To view more of Equitone's products, visit its website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Equitone as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.