Liquids

Waterproofing a hydroelectric power station

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The new hydroelectric plant of Casale Monferrato

Waterproofing a hydroelectric power station built on the banks of the Po River with the Drytech Tank watertight structure.

Building for water can sometimes mean having to build underwater too. The new Casale Monferrato hydroelectric power plant was built below the left bank of the Po, and the river also completely flooded the construction site during the 18 months in which the work was carried out.

The natural flooding in the floodplain area where the construction site was opened did not represent a problem for the Drytech Tank, because the construction characteristics and materials of the system cannot be altered by the presence of water, not even during construction.

The same DRYflex resin, which is injected into the construction details to seal them, is effective in the presence of water, even under pressure.

Built by Allara SpA of Casale Monferrato, the system consists of a mobile weir in the riverbed, an intake structure upstream of the weir from which the diversion canal begins which conveys the water to the central building which houses the groups of energy production and, downstream of this, the return channel into the riverbed.
The work is completed by two access ladders – one on each bank – for the ichthyofauna and the ramp for the passage of canoes.

The mobile barrier crosspiece, made up of a tubular structure in water-inflatable rubberized fabric, guarantees the diversion of the water flow to the lateral intake work of the left bank.

When the water level upstream reaches the maximum authorized level, the crossbar is depressed under the pressure of the water that overcomes it, avoiding flooding.

With its 200 meters of longitudinal development, it is the largest flexible dam in the world built with this technology.

The production plant hosts four turbines that generate an average power of approximately 3000 kW, for an annual production of 21 GWh.

Access to the turbine room is guaranteed by an underground tunnel connected to an entrance hatch. The tunnel is also a full Drytech Tank (waterproof floor, walls and slab), connected to the main body by a movement joint which has been waterproofed with DRYset injectable Waterstop Tape.

Owner: Idropana, Turin

Technical direction: STA Engineering, Pinerolo

Structure: Eng. Gianluca Odetto – SERTECH, Loranzè

Construction: Allara SpA, Casale Monferrato

Drytech Tank: 1,200 m2

Waterproofing swimming pools garage SPA

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The Corten cladding of the walls in architect Mino Caggiula's design.

The waterproofing of swimming pools, garage, spa and lift pits of the Blade villas was realised with the Drytech Tank system.

For architect Mino Caggiula “Designing means reworking what we have absorbed to find new solutions. Blade is the product of the experience lived inside a work of art by the American sculptor Richard Serra.”

The Ticino architect feels it is “a great responsibility to leave a balanced and integrated mark on the territory, capable of generating a harmonious connection with the space and the surrounding landscape.”
The operation was to carefully “scratch” the hilly terrain through the insertion of curved Cor-Ten steel blades, positioned so as to prospectively override the view of the forest to the south and lead the gaze towards the lake.

Organized into two separate blocks, the housing units are divided by a system of primary and secondary blades. The distribution on two levels also generates large terraces, which take on the dimensions of real private hanging gardens.

Tognola Group, which is the promoter and general contractor of the project, also developed the interior design of the villas. The complex also includes a wellness area reserved for residents, with gym, sauna and Turkish bath, plus an outdoor swimming pool.

Promoter: Tognola Group, Lugano

Project: Architect Mino Caggiula, Lugano

Strutture: Engineer Alessio Casanova, Pazzallo

Construction: GTL, Gravesano

Foto: Paolo Volonté

Drytech Tank: 2’875 m2

waterproofing garage basements pools

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Infinity pool of the Reka holiday village in Albonago, built with the Drytech Tank.

Drytech carried out the waterproofing of the garage, the basements, the swimming pools and the wellness area of the Reka village in Albonago.

“Making holidays and free time accessible to all”: it was with this objective that the Swiss Travel Fund (Reka) was founded in 1939, founded by visionary entrepreneurs, trade unions and tourism and transport companies. At the time, travel and holidays were prerogative of an elite.

Reka was created with the aim of making them accessible to an ever-increasing number of families, initially with a targeted savings system, then by developing its own holiday offers at affordable prices.

Reka has expanded and reconfigured the tourist village of Albonago with an investment of 33 million francs, creating 49 apartments, two hotel rooms, a tavern/pizzeria, a panoramic swimming pool, a wellness area, a bicycle station, areas for barbecues and playgrounds, for approximately 270 guests.

Drytech created all the waterproof structures of the car park, underground areas, swimming pools and wellness area with the Drytech Tank.

One of the symbols of the Reka village is undoubtedly the infinity pool overlooking Lake Ceresio, with an incomparable view that embraces the entire Gulf of Lugano, the iconic Mount San Salvatore and extends to the horizon as far as Malcantone. A privilege truly available to all families.

Preliminary project: Itten+Brechbühl, Lugano

Project: Charles De Ry Architettura, Paradiso

Structure: Pianifica, Locarno

Direzione Lavori: Implenia Building, Besso

Construction: Barella, Chiasso e Giovanni Quadri, Cadempino

Drytech Tank: 5’360 m2

waterproofing Livigno Olympic Pool

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The logo of the Livigno Olympic Federal Centre

Drytech carried out the waterproofing of the Federica Pellegrini Swimming Area in Livigno, with the new Olympic swimming pool.

Added to the hyper-training altitude of Livigno are the 50 precious meters of the “Federica Pellegrini Swimming Area”: the new Olympic swimming pool, built by TMG of Berbenno di Valtellina.

The new swimming pool has 12 competition model starting blocks (6 on each side), with 5-position track start platforms. With particular attention to the swimmer’s well-being and the environmental impact, the water is disinfected with a hypochlorite (with low chlorate content), produced on site with electrolytic salt transformation technology, which among other things allows the reduction of chlorination waste products.

The safety of the structure is also at levels of absolute excellence. The pool is in fact equipped with the Angel Eye system: 20 underwater cameras that record images of the swimmers in real time. The system is able to identify dangerous situations and, in the event of an alarm, sends a signal directly to the lifeguards’ smartwatch.

Drytech carried out the waterproofing of all the foundations of the building, all the perimeter walls and the recovery tanks, collaborating with the structural engineers right from the design phase. All these structures are in contact with the waters of the Federia stream, a tributary of Lake Gallo, whose flow varies depending on rainfall regimes and, above all, seasonal thawing phases.

Naturally the new Olympic pool of the Federica Pellegrini Swimming Area is open to the public. Inside the Aquagranda center you can also snorkel while admiring the fish on the seabed or travel to the interstellar stations of Mars, Moon and Venus. All this thanks to Divr: a new form of virtual reality that uses multisensory technology, amplified by immersion in water.

Ownership: Aquagranda, Livigno

Project: Architect Giovanni Colturi

Project collaborator: Geom. Demis Spiller

Structure: Eng. Fabio Fabiano, Varese / Engineer Marco Finazzi, Palazzolo Sull’Oglio / Eng. Fabio Sibaud, Como

Construction: TMG, Berbenno di Valtellina

Drytech Tank: 2,300 m2

Waterproofing of basement and fountains

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Aerial view of the Polis multipurpose centre in Pregassona.

Drytech has created the waterproofing of the basement of the Polis Centre with the Drytech Tank and the surfaces of the fountains with the Drycoat architectural coating.

The plan of Polis Multifunctional Center in Pregassona is a double L that welcomes and embraces, enhancing the sense of openness towards the outside. An architecture that is both symbolic and functional, which guides routes, creates aggregations and integrates the Center into the urban fabric.

The structure was designed by Studio Mario Campi, winner of the international competition in 2008. The subsequent development of the work was managed by the architect Rosario Galgano, until the inauguration in 2021.

The complex is an important resource of the social services network for the elderly in the Lugano area.

On the lower level, the nursery, with its own outdoor play area, overlooks the courtyard, which contributes to the intergenerational and interconnected character of the Polis Centre.

The opposite wing instead houses the structures for the functionality of the centre: radiology, underground car parks, supplier entrance, technical rooms, etc.

This level, partially buried in the profile of the hill, is made with the waterproof  Drytech Tank structure.

Drytech also created the waterproof covering of the courtyard pools, with the continuous Drycoat covering in two colors obtained from the mixture of quartz sands (not from paints) and therefore resistant to continuous exposure to atmospheric agents, without chromatic degradation.

The complex, like every new building in the city, complies with the Minergie energy standard, significantly reducing energy needs. Furthermore, the Polis Center is unique for the self-production of electricity, through an integrated photovoltaic system (BIPV) which exploits both the horizontal surfaces of the roof and those of the facades, equipped with a further 1,600 meters2 of photovoltaic panels.

Project: Studio Mario Campi

Executive project: Architect Rosario Galgano, Lugano

Structure: Afry Engineering, Rivera

Construction: Consortium Garzoni – Rizzani De Eccher

Drytech Tank: 2’900 m2

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The main façade of the Vira-Mezzovico Aqueduct.

The waterproofing of the new Vira-Mezzovico aqueduct basin was carried out with a complete Drytech Tank, including a waterproof slab.

The new water storage and supply basin is part of the General Plan of the Aqueduct of the Municipality of Vira-Mezzovico.

Set into the mountain slope to minimize its visual impact, the Drytech concrete structure is entirely waterproof, both to the water present in the ground and to that collected in the internal basins. Even the slabs, covered by the lawn, are in Drytech Tank, therefore also resistant to root development.

The perfect correspondence between structure and function of the Drytech Tank makes it not only a solid barrier to water (the waterproofing is as thick as the structure), but also a durable system, because it is predisposed to extraordinarily practical maintenance. To the point that, specifically, any intervention does not require emptying the reservoirs or even interrupting the service.

The modernization plan of Aqueduct of Vira-Mezzovico also affected the water network, renewed for flow and efficiency in all its twenty kilometers of underground pipes.

Drytech Engineering collaborated already in the design phase with Lucchini & Canepa Engineering, for all aspects relating to the waterproofing of the structure.

Structure: Lucchini & Canepa Engineering, Lugano

Construction: Implenia Switzerland, Bioggio

Industrial Water Clarifier, Genoa

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An industrial clarifier

An industrial clarifier receives wastewater laden with metals, hydrocarbons and other pollutants.

It separates these elements from water through mechanical and chemical processes.

It then conveys the clarified water to the sewage systems and retains the residual sludge from the purification.

The walls of a clarifier are therefore exposed to a series of more or less aggressive agents. Conversely, they must not release any material into the water, much less polluting.

The DRYflex resin – used to seal joints, crossings and cracks in the Drytech Tank – has this dual ability to resist aggressive agents (starting with salinity) and even be compatible with use in drinking water facilities.

It is important to emphasize that the resin saturates joints, cracks and crossings for the entire thickness of the structure.

In the case of the Genoa clarifier, the barrier opposite the water has a variable thickness from 30 to 120 cm, coinciding precisely with that of the structure.

On the other hand, the characteristic single structure of the Drytech tank allows direct and non-invasive access for any maintenance interventions, which are simple and immediately verifiable.
Moreover, without particular limitations on the use of the system.

As part of the construction of the Genoa plant, Drytech Engineering collaborated with the structural engineer already in the design phase, proposing solutions for waterproofing the critical points of the structure. Engineering also contributed to the definition of the recipe for controlled shrinkage waterproof concrete, based on the characteristics of the plant chosen by the client.

Structure: Dr. Ing. Raffaele Ghitti, Darfo Boario Terme

Construction: SEMAT spa, Artogne

Drytech Tank: 700 m²

Grand Hôtel des Iles Borromées, Stresa

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La façade Art Nouveau du Grand Hôtel des Îles Borromées

In September 1918 a 19-year-old American soldier was wounded in the trenches and spent his convalescence in Stresa.

That boy is called Ernest Hemingway and, fascinated by the beauty of Lake Maggiore, he set part of his novel A Farewell to Arms – A Farewell to Arms, 1929 – there, making the Grand Hôtel des Iles Borromées famous throughout the world.

It is just one of the many connections with history that have built the legend of the great hotel, inaugurated in 1863.

With the opening of the Simplon railway tunnel, Stresa became a privileged destination for elite European tourism and, in 1919, was included in the sixth route of the Orient Express: the one which from London reaches Istanbul through Italy, via Milan, Venice and Trieste.

The Simplon Orient Express soon became the most successful route and getting off at Des Iles gave wealthy travelers their first evocative impact on the Bel Paese.

In over a century and a half of history, the Hôtel des Iles Borromeés has been able to adapt the concept of elegance to the evolution of times and tastes, without distorting its inimitable Art Nouveau style.

The new Spa was inaugurated in 2022, with wellness programs, saunas, Turkish baths, salt rooms, as well as indoor and outdoor swimming pools and hydromassage tubs, all made with the integral waterproofing of the Drytech Tank.

The speed of construction of the Drytech system allowed the Bellani company of Arona to remove the waterproofing activities from the work calendar, delivering the new structure in time for the opening of the grand season.

Drytech Engineering also designed the solution for a sensitive structural detail such as the passage between the internal and external swimming pool, subject to significant temperature variations depending on the season.

Project: Architect Statilio Ubiali, Verdellino

Structure: Eng. Marco Danioni, Dormelletto / Eng. Carlo Sammartini, Cassano Magnago

Testing: Architect Alberto Marzaro, Mercallo

Construction: Bellani, Arona

Drytech Tank: 2,850 m2

Residence Rivabella, Magliaso

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The new pavilion of the Rivabella Residence in Magliaso

Inaugurated 30 years ago on the shore of Ceresio, the Rivabella residence in Magliaso has been equipped with a new and very modern wing which, together with the historic buildings, forms a spectacular courtyard overlooking the lake.

The new pavilion appears extraordinarily light, almost suspended by virtue of the retreat of the podium, camouflaged by the shadow cast by the upper volume and by the large windowed walls of the common areas, which make it permeable to the background.

Water represents an equally central element in the architecture of the residence. In addition to the lake, which naturally orients and catalyzes the views, in the center of the lawn there is a small lake with a water garden, water lilies and fountains.

The ground floor houses the large restaurant room, the gym, the physiotherapy and the wellness centre, with the spa equipped with Kneipp path, salt room, massage centre, and then the waterproof structures created with the Drytech Tank: sauna, bathroom Turkish, indoor swimming pool and hydromassage.

The Residence is organized to guarantee guests the possibility of maintaining their habits and independence.

The attention to the personal history and individuality of the residents also includes the possibility of choosing the furnishings of the rooms and suites, even using their own furniture.

Due to its exhibitions and concerts, the Rivabella Residence has become a cultural reference, to the point that its Art Gallery is the main exhibition center in the region. This cultural offer is accompanied by a notable concert season which, in the summer, has this fascinating corner of the lake as its backdrop.

Project: Luca Gazzaniga Architects, Lugano

Structure: Ing. Galli & Associati, Cadempino

Construction: Garzoni, Lugano

Photo: Enrico Cano, Lugano

Drytech Tank: 380 m2

Alpine Lodge & SPA, Campra

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L'Alpin & SPA Lodge, progettato da Durisch+Nolli

Since 2019 Campra, the legendary Val di Blenio x-cross center with its 30 km of slopes, has been enriched with a welcoming and modern Alpine Lodge & Spa, with spectacular views of the woods and mountains.

Designed by the architects Durisch+Nolli around the main theme of valorising the context, the new building enhances the essence of the place, generating a natural interaction with the surrounding landscape.

The natural difference in height of the land is taken up by a concrete plinth which contains all the services and infrastructures functional to the various athletes.

The wooden accommodation structure rests on this concrete element, which on the ground floor houses the reception, the bar, the kitchens, a bright self-service restaurant, an elegant gourmet restaurant and a welcoming lounge bar.

The head of the building is strengthened in its expression by an additional floor entirely dedicated to the SPA: a wellness center with sauna, Turkish bath, hydromassage tub and relaxation area, offers a bright self-service restaurant, an elegant gourmet restaurant and a welcoming lounge Cafe.

The structure also has a versatile, bright multi-purpose room designed to accommodate different types of events, from private parties and aperitifs to conferences and meetings.

Property: Campra Alpine Lodge & Spa, Campra

Project: Durisch+Nolli Architetti, Massagno

Structure: Reali and Guscetti Studio d’Ingegneria, Quinto

Construction: Ennio Ferrari Company, Lodrino

Drytech Tank: 2,850 m2