After numerous construction delays and a change of construction sites, the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation Museum in Athens tapped PENETRON’s crystalline technology to help (finally) complete the first phase of construction.
The Goulandris collection, destined for the new museum, is reputed to be one of the world’s finest private art collections, valued as high as $3 billion. The trove of several hundred pieces contains true masterpieces of contemporary art, including 11 Picassos, six van Goghs, five Cézannes, a rare pair of Monets, a bronze ballerina by Degas, a Pollock and a Balthus. The collection also includes works by Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró and Auguste Renoir, among other renowned 20th century artists.
Set to officially open by 2018, the new Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation Museum in Athens is housed in a completely new 12-floor building with a total area of 7,300 m2 (77,000 square feet). Half of the exhibition floors are underground, reaching as far as 26 m (80 feet) deep.
The project was beset with problems from the start: numerous leaks in the structures sprang up due to the failure of the originally specified bentonite membrane system that was inserted prior to the shotcrete layer. PENETRON was called in as a possible alternate solution. After successfully passing water penetration tests (at seven bar negative water pressure for four to six weeks), the project engineer approved use of PENETRON crystalline products.
“One of the major challenges was the surprisingly high water table at the construction site,” says Theodor Mentzikofakis, General Director of PENETRON Hellas. “However, once the project managers became familiar with the performance of PENETRON crystalline technology, they were convinced it would solve the most serious problems encountered with this project.”
The first step was to treat all active leaks with PENEPLUG, a rapid-setting cementitious compound, before the final casting. PENETRON ADMIX was then added to the concrete for the massive 1.3 m (4 feet, 3 inches) thick foundation slab and 60 cm (2 feet) thick walls to ensure a waterproof structure. Due to the thickness of the walls, double PENEBAR SW-55 waterstop strips were applied to permanently seal the construction joints in the new concrete. Finally, any remaining damage or cracks in the concrete were repaired with a topical application of PENETRON and PENECRETE MORTAR.
“While the public will have to wait another year to see the masterpieces in the Goulandris Foundation Museum, the initial phase of construction – including the extensive concrete basement structures – is now complete, thanks to PENETRON,” concludes Theodor Mentzikofakis.
Built on PENETRON technology: The Goulandris Foundation Museum in Athens, home to a fabulous collection of modern art, has a new 12-floor building with total area of 7,300 m2 (77,000 square feet).
