Projects
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12/20/2023
A ceramic artwork at the Université de Montréal
A specific installation system adopted to ensure durable ceramic coverings resistant to freeze and thaw cycles
Mapei Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of Mapei Group, took part in the project through the supply of a system to install the ceramic tiles for a special artwork
The origins of the new MIL Campus at the Université de Montréal go way back. From 1910, the area of land on which this complex dedicated to the study of sciences now rises was a marshalling yard for the Canadian Pacific Railway, serving the manufacturing companies in and around Montréal in an era in which the city was the most important economic hub of the entire country.
After sitting idle for more than 20 years, the land was bought in 2006 by the Université de Montréal and transformed into an ultra-modern campus, part of a wider-reaching redevelopment programme. The new MIL Campus extends over an area of around 60,000 m2 and accommodates around 200 professors and researchers and 2,000 students from the chemistry, physics, geography and biology faculties.
A work of art with so many implications
The new campus includes various works of art, a true “artistic patrimony” available to students, professors and visitors. The collection includes a work by Alain Paiement: “Ondes croisées”, or “Intersecting Waves”. It extends over an exterior area of 650 m2, covered, with multi-coloured ceramic tiles in patterns that bring to mind a series of waves. The University website describes it like this: “On the patio floor, that ensures sufficient air circulation for the laboratories of the Science Complex, you can see two large, intersecting waves formed by tiles in various shades of red and blue. They represent a phenomenon, of intersecting waves, related to the work of various scientific disciplines, and, at the same time, the coming together of the Park Extension and Outremont neighbourhoods, now linked by the Campus itself”.
An adhesive system well up to the rigours of the Canadian climate
Mapei Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of Mapei Group, also took part in the project through the supply of a system to install the ceramic tiles, each one measuring 30 cm2. The challenge was to guarantee a strong, durable bond that would resist prolonged periods of exposure to the various weather conditions, such as rain and repeated freeze/thaw cycles.
The substrate was made up of various 61x 61 cm concrete slabs, with the ceramic tiles installed on each slab in clearly-defined patterns in four different colours. KERAFLEX SUPER adhesive, distributed in Canada by Mapei Inc., was chosen to overcome the challenges faced by the team as it guarantees very high resistance to freeze/thaw cycles and aggressive atmospheric agents.
Choosing the right grout for joints was also important because it plays such an important role in maintaining the aesthetic impact and durability of finished surfaces. Which is the reason why ULTRACOLOR PLUS FA was chosen, a polymer-modified grout distributed on the Canadian market by Mapei Inc. (the counterpart on the international markets is ULTRACOLOR PLUS). This product has the capacity to contribute to prevent changes in colour in joints and the formation of efflorescence and mould, thanks also to DropEffect technology that helps reduce absorption of water and bacteria.
So Mapei technology was able to play an important role in the creation of a work of art within a university complex dedicated to research and sciences. And with a touch of creativity and colour that will undoubtedly help inspire all those students at the MIL Centre.
Mapei technology was able to play an important role in the creation of a work of art within a university complex dedicated to research and sciences
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12/20/2023
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