Officially opened in December 2023, the Cuddle residential tower in the Ikoyi district of Lagos, Nigeria, features a classic architectural exterior with underlying state-of-the-art construction technology. PENETRON ADMIX provided a durable concrete waterproofing solution for the seaside project.
The most affluent neighborhood of Lagos, Ikoyi is located in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area on the eastern half of Lagos Island. This low-lying area, with the highest point being only 22 feet (7 m) above sea level, is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by barrier islands and long sand spits. Ikoyi is also one of the regions with the highest amount of rainfall in Lagos, with annual rainfall often exceeding 300 cm (118”).
“Ikoyi is the most affluent area of Lagos, the capital city of Nigeria,” explains Anthony Jankovich-Bésán, Managing Director of Penetron Nigeria. “With some of the most opulent residences in Nigeria, this neighborhood is believed to have the most expensive real estate on the entire African continent!”
Part of a wave of recent high-level residential construction projects in Ikoyi, The Cuddle project is an 18-floor luxury residential development. The project was designed by Pieach Limited, an architectural and interior design firm based in Nigeria, and constructed by Cappa & D'Alberto. The residential tower comprises a selection of forty-one 3–4-bedroom flats and maisonette apartments (smaller, two-floor units) from the 1st to the 8th floor, and penthouses on the 11th- 18th floors. The 9th floor houses amenities that include a gym, sauna, and clubhouse.
Low-Lying Site Demands Robust Solution
“Because of the obvious geography of a low-lying seaside construction site, the project engineers put concrete waterproofing and protection at the top of their specification list,” describes Anthony Jankovich-Bésán. “The client specified the Penetron System because of its unfailing results from previous projects.”
PENETRON ADMIX was added to the concrete mix used for all exposed concrete elements, including the apartment terraces, six suspended swimming pools, and the tower’s underground water tanks. PENEBAR SW-55 waterstop strips were used to seal all non-moving construction joints, plumbing, and external drainage pipe outlets.
Permanent Protection from Water Penetration
Once added to the concrete mix, the active ingredients in PENETRON ADMIX generate a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete that permanently prevents the penetration of water or liquids from any direction. The concrete also acquires a self-healing capability to seal all cracks, pores and capillaries up to 0.5mm (1/51”) in size for the lifetime of the concrete. This results in a waterproof and durable structure with an extended service life, essential for any multi-storage structure in Ikoyi.
Gerrard Agbakoba, Project Manager at Cappa & D'Alberto noted: “The Penetron System of products offer world class performance – and they are backed by great local technical support.”
