The Shartava Pool House luxury residential and office tower, inaugurated in May 2018 in time for the summer season, is capped by two roof-top pools. PENETRON crystalline technology ensures that the water stays on the roof.
The real estate market in Georgia continues to grow at a double-digit pace. Real Estate Laboratory (a joint project of TBC Bank, ISET research institute and JumpStart) reports a significant 20.2% jump in transactions in 2016 for Georgia’s real estate market. The market in Tbilisi, the country’s capital, grew even more quickly (37.5%) during the same period. The number of new buildings for the capital rose by 42%, with residential properties making up almost 80% of the growth.
“The level of home ownership in our country is 93%,” adds Dzhimsher Shengelia, Director of Penetron Georgia. “This is easily one of the highest rates in Europe, and much higher than the 65% level in the USA.”
A Completely Waterproof Solution
Penetron’s newest project in Georgia is the Shartava Pool House, a 24-floor luxury residential tower in the attractive Vake-Saburtalo district of Tbilisi. Built by X2 Development, the towers feature 120 apartments, along with office and retail/commercial space. The top (23rd & 24th) floors of the tower feature two rooftop swimming pools: an indoor pool with a terrace and a circular outdoor pool. A gym, coffee shop, and bar complete the layout of these top two floors.
“With that much water at the very top of a luxury apartment and office tower, the developer wanted to be sure there would be no problems with the pool structures.” explains Dzhimsher Shengelia. “The solution needed to be completely waterproof and ensure that the finished pools would last a long time without any problems.”
Limiting Permeability in Concrete
To provide the necessary strength and durability for all the pool structures, the concrete was treated with PENTRON ADMIX, added to the concrete mix during the batching phase to ensure a completely waterproof concrete matrix for both pools and the terrace.
A key parameter of concrete durability is limiting any permeability by water or waterborne chemicals. The “Report on Chemical Admixtures for Concrete” published by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), explains that ‘permeability-reducing admixtures for hydrostatic conditions, such as crystalline admixtures like PENETRON ADMIX, resist water penetration against hydrostatic pressure and have proven to be the most effective permeability-reducing admixtures with clear advantages over hydrophobic materials based on other mechanisms or ingredients. They are also able to bridge cracks formed by thermal or mechanical movement.’
“An added benefit for the Shartava Pool House was the reliability of the PENETRON ADMIX product,” notes Dzhimsher Shengelia. “The builder was able to finish the lower floors without worrying about all the water on the top-floor pools. This also helped X2 Development keep to their construction schedule.”
Pouring PENETRON-treated concrete: The rooftop (23rd & 24th) floors of the Shartava Pool House feature an indoor pool with a terrace and a circular outdoor pool, both waterproofed with PENETRON ADMIX.
PENETRON reliability: With that much water at the top of a luxury apartment and office tower, the developer specified PENETRON ADMIX – to be sure there would be no problems with the pool structures.
Permanent waterproofing: PENETRON ADMIX was added to the concrete mix during the batching phase to provide the needed strength and durability for both concrete pool structures and the terrace.
