Torre Velasca

By Editorial Staff - 4 September 2023
Mapei has participated in the project

After an 18-month renovation project led by the BBPR architecture studio, the iconic façades of the Torre Velasca office block were returned to the Milan skyline last September in their characteristic iridescent color, thanks to the use of a plaster specially developed by Mapei Research. The restoration is part of a larger project for which Hines is the development manager and that was much needed as the tower’s façades had never been maintained in more than 60 years of exposure to pollution and weathering. The restoration of the façades required a great deal of coordination between Mapei and the other parties involved, with the initial focus being on reinforcing some of the supporting structures, especially on the corners, using FRP Mapei systems.

Torre Velasca Giacomo Albo

The next step was to restore the surfaces: after removing the deteriorated portions of plaster and concrete, and treating the oxidized reinforcement with Mapefer 1K anti-corrosion mortar, the missing sections were rebuilt with Mapegrout 430. Once these steps were completed, it was possible to proceed with the restoration of the original colors of the elevations, an operation that required scientific and material analyses, laboratory tests, the choice of aggregates, granulometry and colors, and the use of a special plaster: the Velasca Binder. Developed by Mapei to reproduce the pinkish-grey color of the building from which it takes its name, Velasca Binder is a white cement-based decorative plaster formulated with specific polymers to be mixed with other aggregates from the Bellamoli and Ferrari quarries.
In order to reproduce the original formula, the type and granulometry of the original construction were reproduced. The prior application of Planitop HDM Maxi mortar ensured perfect adhesion of the binder to the façades, while the subsequent application of Planiseal WR 100 provided waterproofing and protection against surface deterioration, ensuring the durability of the intervention.