Waterproofing and radon gas protection of Art Nouveau villa complex in Milan

The project in brief

Construction typology
Residential
Place
Milan - Italy
Applicator
Costruzioni Scarpinato
Designer
Studio AESSEI – Arch. Maurizio Lopresti
Products used
See all

Twelve Art Nouveau villas in Milan. Basements to be recovered, humidity to be blocked, radon gas diffusion to be contained, a historic specific finishing effect so called “martellinato” (hammer effect) to be faithfully replicated. And all this with the Art Commission supervising the external appearance of the buildings.

 

The project was curated by architect Maurizio Lopresti of the AESSEI studio in Milan, who followed the intervention both in the design phase and as construction manager. The work was carried out by the company Costruzioni Scarpinato of Sant’Angelo Lodigiano.

01

The Challenge

At the time of the first inspection, the villas had already been freed from furnishings, internal partitions, doors and everything that was not structured. A favorable condition: the empty rooms allowed an accurate evaluation of the wall support, which is essential to define the most suitable solutions for waterproofing.

But the problems to be faced were multiple and interconnected.

Humidity and infiltration — the basements presented problems of rising damp and water infiltration, with the external skirtings of the facades particularly exposed near the level of the countryside.

Structural appearance — masonry required structural reinforcement beyond simple waterproofing. Preliminary investigations were carried out with flat jacks to assess the mechanical resistance of the walls and define the most suitable mortar, capable of responding to both the waterproofing and structural reinforcement needs at the same time.

Radon gas — according to the guidelines of the Lombardy region LR 12678 and subsequent reference regulations such as Legislative Decree 101 of 2020, the intervention also had to address the issue of protection from radon gas. Based on the provisions of LR 7 of 2017 for the recovery of basements, technological packages have been provided in order to replace the traditional ventilated crawl space and ventilated façade both for defense against humidity and for the mitigation of radon gas.

Volteco solutions

The design response was developed through a coordinated system of technologies, capable of simultaneously addressing waterproofing, consolidation and healthiness of the environments.

Amphibia 3000 Grip, a waterproofing membrane and radon gas barrier, was installed on the horizontal surfaces, which made it possible to protect the basement rooms from both the presence of water in the ground and the migration of natural gas.

The retaining walls were consolidated using Fibromix 40, a fibre-reinforced structural mortar in class R4, subsequently waterproofed with plastic, waterproof coating, modified polymer, two-component with high flexibility, capable of working even in negative hydro-static pressure. The integration with insulated false walls has also improved the thermo-hygrometric behaviour of the rooms and allowed the passage of the systems without compromising the continuity of the waterproofing.

 

A combined system consisting of TripleZero and macroporous dehumidifying plasters with the Calibro PE system was adopted to control rising damp, a solution that made it possible to block capillary rise and promote the progressive drying of historic masonry.

 

Particular attention has been paid to all the construction details, to the fittings and to the new openings made for the insertion of the openings, ensuring the continuity of the waterproofing system even in the connections between existing structures and new elements.

The result

One of the most significant aspects of the project concerned the recovery of the external plinths. The original finishes, a characteristic element of Milanese Art Nouveau architecture, had to be faithfully reproduced while using materials compatible with the new dehumidifying system.

Through application tests, sampling and constant dialogue between the designer, the company and the client, it was possible to obtain a finish capable of respecting the aesthetic identity of the buildings without sacrificing the performance required by the new intervention.

The renovation of the complex has transformed the basements into safe, dry environments that comply with the most current performance requirements, while preserving the historical and architectural value of the villas.

The intervention demonstrates how the redevelopment of the existing heritage today requires an integrated vision, in which waterproofing, structural consolidation, healthiness of the environment and conservation of historical finishes become parts of a single project.

The consolidated collaboration between the designer, the company and Volteco’s technical consultancy has made it possible to develop a solution capable of responding simultaneously to the needs of technology and architectural protection, confirming the role of waterproofing as a fundamental component of the quality and durability of the building.

 

Discover the complete reference.

8

Products associated with the value project

AMPHIBIA 3000 GRIP

AMPHIBIA 3000 GRIP is an EPDM waterproof membrane, reactive to contact with water, self-repairing, self-sealing and self-fastening to the concrete.

AKTI-VO 201

Synthetic rubber hydro-expansive mastic.

REVOMAT

Alkali-resistant fibreglass mesh.

FIBROMIX 40

Fibre-reinforced, cement-based, ready-mixed compound with medium modulus of elasticity.

PLASTIVO 250

Two-component flexible waterproofing compound.

BI MORTAR PLASTER SEAL

Fibre-reinforced waterproofing mortar for thick layer applications.

TRIPLEZERO

Super-hydrophobic anti-humidity creamy emulsion for injection.

CALIBRO PLUS EVAPORATION

Salt-resistant rough coat and anti-humidity, anti-salt and anti-condensation plaster.

X-LIME

Lime-based finishing plaster.

Discover more valuable projects

Contact us on WhatsApp Whatsapp privacy policy Whatsapp Request support Consulenza