Wai Ariki, meaning ‘chiefly waters’, is a luxury spa and wellness centre based on the shores of Lake Rotorua, New Zealand. Developed and owned by Pukeroa Lakefront Holdings Limited, the space brings Te Ao Māori to the fore, offering traditional practices and harnessing the benefits of the site’s geothermal waters long recognised by the elders of the iwi as having innate healing properties.

An Active Geothermal Field Poses a Unique Challenge

“The site sits on an active geothermal field,” explains Alex Liang, Associate Director – Architect, RCG. “Specification of the gas proof membrane below the floor slab was critical as it needed to stop the corrosive sulphur gas and water in the ground from attacking the concrete.”

With geothermal pools being central to Wai Ariki’s spa experience, the RCG team had a big task on their hands to ensure effective waterproofing of wet areas and tiling throughout. Having worked with ARDEX successfully in the past, they turned to the ARDEX team again to specify trusted and compatible systems that would ensure longevity for Wai Ariki.

ARDEX New Zealand Offers Specializes Solutions

ARDEX WPM 1500 membrane was installed across the 7000m2 site by Holmac NZ Ltd. WPM 1500 is a specialist tanking and gas barrier manufactured by ARDEX New Zealand and designed and tested specifically for use in geothermal regions.

Over 3000m2 of tiling was installed by The Tile People, using ARDEX WPM 002 — a liquid waterproofing membrane on floors, floor channels, swimming pools and shower areas; ARDEX X 10 tile adhesive was used for tiled walls; and ARDEX X 18, an extremely strong fibre reinforced tile adhesive was ideal for steam rooms. ARDEX EG 15 high performance Epoxy Grout was used for the glass mosaics within pools as it does not discolour and externally ARDEX RA 030 was used between panel joints to provide a waterproof seal, while ARDEX WPM 163 was applied to the keep precast concrete panels pristine.

Recently opened, Wai Ariki is an exciting new development for Rotorua that is set to provide opportunities in the region for generations. “Wai Ariki is not only the most significant spa development in Aotearoa for more than 100 years, but also one of only a handful of indigenous-owned operations in the world,” says Alex. “For an architect, designing a spa complex like Wai Ariki Spa is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are grateful for what we have achieved together with our client.”

(Photo credits: Jono Parker)

On one of the most beautiful stretches of Lake Constance, the new Therme Lindau invites you to swim and relax. Spacious indoor and outdoor areas with over 20 pools – from the plunge pool and the 50-meter swimming pool to the brine pool – offer the greatest variety. Themed saunas and restaurants top off the beautiful offering.

As grand as the design of the spa and the view, so were the challenges the tile setters faced. “As with any swimming pool, first and foremost everything revolves around impermeability,” explains master tiler Christoph Reiser of Reiser GmbH in Bad Saulgau. “Then there are the many special features and details: the brine pool with its aggressive water, the stainless-steel sports pool, the water bars, the 30 x 60 cm tiles as well as the many mosaic tiles. We laid some of them in organic shapes.“

Decisions on site

Seemingly floating: If you look out over the large pool through the glass front, the water surface connects with Lake Constance. The effect is similar to that of an infinity pool. Before the elements come together in such a seemingly weightless way, the pool surround made of natural stone had to be precisely installed. “My employees measured it on site – and then had it manufactured so that the pieces interlocked like a puzzle,” Reiser continues.

Consider movement

The connection of the tile to the large stainless-steel basin came with its own challenges and ARDEX employees visited the construction site regularly. “We were there again and again with our specialists to discuss the requirements,” says Jochen Polonyi, Sales Representative of ARDEX Germany. “This allowed us to understand the situation and propose individual solutions in cooperation with our Technical Service and the research and development center.“

The procedure they came up with was unique and perfect for the situation: The craftsmen first degreased the stainless-steel rim and bonded the sealing membrane with the heavy-duty sealing compound ARDEX S2-K PU. The adjacent screed edge was neatly filled with ARDEX A 46 stable exterior filler so that it was flush with the stainless-steel edge. Then the recesses were further sealed with epoxy resin and covered with sealing tape.

Sealing without sanding

The brine pool is a special highlight of the spa – and at the same time another challenge for waterproofing with its minerals and salts. The tilers were able to work with the heavy-duty waterproofing ARDEX S2-K PU once again. “We are absolutely thrilled with the quality,” says master tiler Reiser. “Above all, not having to sand is a huge advantage. It saved us time and we didn’t have to dispose of any leftover sand.”

In the brine pool, as in all other wet areas, the epoxy adhesive ARDEX WA was used. It is particularly suitable for areas subject to high chemical or mechanical stresses, such as swimming pools and spas. The surge tanks were sealed with the flexible sealing slurry ARDEX S7 PLUS. The advantage: the consistency can be variably adjusted. This meant that the waterproofing could be sprayed by machine onto ceilings and walls in the surge water tanks.

Progress at Lake Constance

In total, 12,000 square meters of tiles and mosaics had to be laid. And the delicate manual work takes time. ARDEX S8 FLOW was specifically developed to level and waterproof large areas fast and can be applied with a squeegee standing up. “My employees really want to work with ARDEX S8 FLOW and always ask for it,” says tile professional Reiser. “It’s just easy to work with, and it goes on faster.” To waterproof and level the substrate for the 30 x 60 cm tiles, ARDEX S8 FLOW was applied in two coats.

Implementing new ideas

During the construction phase, there were always changes and additions. Like the bathhouse that was additionally built. “We fully trusted the architect’s vision. Any new idea he brought up, we made it happen,” says Reiser. All the enclosures around the sauna ovens were to be clad in porcelain stoneware tiles. “It was important that the tile adhesive was also heat-resistant.” That’s why ARDEX X 77 was used. The fiber reinforced MICROTEC flexible adhesive is ideal for bonding tiles made of stoneware and porcelain stoneware, concrete and natural stone slabs.

After 16 months of work with an average of 15 employees, Christoph Reiser is pleased with the result. “It was a great team effort on the construction site. Everyone did their part.” The spa has been open to visitors since the summer of 2021.

SITUATION

Residing alongside the River Thames in Reading is the site of the King’s Meadow swimming pool. It originally opened in 1902 as the Ladies Swimming Baths and is the oldest outdoor public pool from the early Edwardian era in existence. 40 years after its closing in 1974, ARDEX products were used to modernise the pool facilities, while retaining its original character.

SOLUTION

A thorough process was followed from start to finish. In an initial site visit, the ARDEX UK team determined the requirements of the works, including any product performance attributes that would assist the contractors. From this, a detailed product and application specification, recommending a specialist swimming pool tiling system with fast drying properties to assist with the exterior working conditions, was produced:

• ARDEX A 38 Ultra Rapid Drying Internal and External Screed Cement
• ARDEX AM 100 Rapid Hardening One Coat Tiling Render
• ARDEX S 7 PLUS Flexible Waterproof Coating for Swimming Pools
• ARDEX MICROTEC X 77 Flexible Wall and Floor Tile Adhesive, ARDEX S 21 Rapid Hardening Floor Tile Bedding Mortar
• ARDEX-FLEX FL Rapid Setting Flexible Tile Grout

Following any ARDEX specification, training and demonstrations are available to fixers to ensure they are familiarised with the products before starting the works. And throughout the project, and after its completion, regular site visits ensure the application went as planned and any queries are addressed.

For the client, the quality of finish was their most important priority, and the combination of the products specified, support provided at all stages of the project and technical capabilities of the contractors, meant the swimming pool was finished to their high standards. In addition, although speed wasn’t a leading factor for the contractors, the fast-drying properties of the tiling system not only meant the works weren’t as susceptible to the adverse effects of weather in the exterior working conditions, but also kept the entire project moving along at a pace acceptable to the customer.

The new site opened in 2017 as the Thames Lido, and incorporates a new swimming pool, spa, restaurant, bar and event space; and importantly, whilst the facilities have been completely modernised, the design itself has retained the appearance and theme of the old building. The main attraction of the site its 25m outdoor heated swimming pool, which was built inside the existing pool shell to carry the original shape and features through to the new design; this method also prevented damage to the building’s foundations, which could have been destroyed if the existing pool was removed.

SITUATION:

The Schwartz Athletic Center indoor swimming pool was being fitted for a new stainless steel gutter. When the old gutter was removed, the tile walls began to crumble and fall into the pool. ARDEX Sales Professional Matt Minney was called in by Wallover Architects to evaluate the damage and recommend ARDEX Tile & Stone Installation Systems products to bring the swimming pool back to working order. D. G. March & Associates was given one month to complete the project. In the meantime, Widener University swim team traveled to a temporary location for practice and swim meets.

CHALLENGES:

• Rehabilitation of existing pool in university
• Sports complex building
• One-month installation time frame
• 15,000 square-foot installation area

SOLUTION:

ARDEX Sales Professional Matt Minney demonstrated the capabilities of ARDEX products for installers at the jobsite on a weekly basis. ARDEX AM 100™ Rapid Set Pre-Tile Smoothing and Ramping Mortar was used to repair damage to the pool walls and prep the area for tile installation. ARDEX AM 100 ensured the pool complied with the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s specifications which require that certain pool lengths and widths and fall within a one-inch tolerance for competition. ARDEX 8+9™ Rapid Waterproofing and Crack Isolation Compound prevented topside water leakage on pool walls. Rapid-setting and drying qualities of these products expedited installation. ARDEX X 77™ MICROTEC® Fiber Reinforced Thin Set Mortar securely set pool tiles while ARDEX X 32™ MICROTEC® Fiber Reinforced Rapid Setting Thin-to-Thick Bed Mortar ramped and set pool deck tiles. ARDEX FL™ Rapid Set, Flexible, Sanded Grout (Natural Almond and Ocean Grey) and ARDEX CA 20 P™ Multi-Purpose Construction Adhesive and Sealant gave the pool and pool areas a polished and finished look. Because a full line of ARDEX tile products was used, a 10-Year SystemOne™ warranty was granted to D. G. March and Associates. Ted Wallover, owner of Wallover Architects stated, “I will only specify ARDEX Tile & Stone Installation Systems products for my pool installations from now on. ARDEX products are amazing.”

PARTICIPANTS:

Installer D. G. March & Associates – Pottstown, PA
Architect Wallover Architects – Lancaster, PA

SITUATION:

At 40 years old, the Stratford Park Leisure Centre was in need of refurbishment. In 2015, Stratford District Council and Sports and Leisure Management Ltd invested £5 million to improve the centre’s facilities and create a first class building for the town.

CHALLENGES:

• Area of renovation included a 33 metre swimming pool and 1000 m2 of tiling in a shallow teaching pool
• Pool tank was rough and uneven, needed a system for rendering, waterproofing and tiling
• Tight time constraints required a fast track solution

SOLUTION:

In conjunction with Cheshire Wellness, specialist tiling contractor WB Simpson & Sons Ltd were appointed to carry out the renovation; and opted to use an extensive range of ARDEX products throughout the installation. Adam Willmott, Business Development Manager at ARDEX UK, specified the system of ARDEX products and said, “When we conducted our first site visit to assess the work required, we saw the pool tank…needed a system for rendering, waterproofing and tiling. In addition, due to the time constraints the contractors were under, a fast track solution was required, so our specification included products which minimised drying times and allowed the subsequent stages to commence as quickly as possible.”

Willmott added,“We also needed a separate system for installing the Bamberg Channels, which involved screeding the base of the channels and backfilling them. Using ARDEX S 21, the contractors were able to screed in shallow depths and quickly move on to fixing the channel blocks.”

Anthony Parrott, Director at WB Simpson & Sons Ltd, commented: “We have been using ARDEX products for 25 years, and have worked with them on a number of swimming pool projects. We have always had a good experience with both their products and their technical support and, as a result, we decided to choose them again for this project. In addition, the client requested a fast turnaround, so they could re-open the pool to the public as soon as possible – so we were under pressure to finish quickly. ARDEX fasttrack products helped us to do that.”

ARDEX UK is a system solution provider of high-performance speciality building materials, and the brand choice for installers and distributors throughout the construction industry.

SITUATION:

Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex is a £38m facility in Bangor, Northern Ireland. It offers an excellent choice of sporting and leisure activities. Designed by McAdam Design, this building features 3 swimming pools, leisure waters and extensive gym facilities.

CHALLENGES:

A state of the art leisure centre incorporates an Olympic sized swimming pool along with the following:

• Wet side facilities: Submersible booms allowing the sub division of the pool for various activities. The floor of the 50m pool is moveable to allow the depth within the pool to vary to a maximum depth of 2.0m.
• 1 diving pool
• Leisure pool facilities to include wave machine, pirate’s ship and Children’s water slides.
• All associated changing and shower facilities to service the above wet site facilities.

A full specification and technical backup was required for the construction of this large scale leisure Centre

SOLUTION:

Ardex Ireland were delighted to work alongside J&G Agencies to do a full specification for this prestigious Leisure centre in Bangor Co. Down. Ardex gave full technical back up on site as well as on-site demonstration of products to be used. We provided a system for screeding, rendering, waterproofing, adhesive and grout.

ARDEX PRODUCT(S) FEATURED:

• Ardex A 38: This rapid hardening and drying cement is ideal for internal or external use. Traditional sand/cement screeds can take months to dry, but an ARDEX A 38 screed can receive tiles after only 4 hours, regardless of thickness, to produce a bonded, un-bonded or floating floor screed.
• Ardex AM100: Specially formulated pre-blended cement/sand render, requiring only the addition of water to produce a slump free mortar which can be applied from 2-20mm, and is ready to receive wall tiling only 2 hours after application.
• Ardex S7 Flexible Waterproof Coating for Swimming Pools
• Ardex X 7W Plus: ARDEX X 7W Plus is a versatile multipurpose tile adhesive, with enhanced properties of adhesion. It is suitable for fixing ceramic, porcelain, glass mosaics, and most non-moisture sensitive natural stone floor and wall tiles. Offering frost and weather resistant properties, it can be used internally and externally.
• Ardex E G8: This is a cement/epoxy hybrid grout and adhesive with excellent resistance to most chemicals but, unlike traditional epoxy grouts, ARDEX EG 8 is easy to apply, requires no special tools, and can be cleaned off the tile surface up to 45 minutes after application.
• Ardex FS: Advanced manufacturing processes ensure uniform colour distribution of this grout powder which eliminates ‘streaking’ during mixing. The Ardex FS Grout is water repellent and dirt resistant, is suitable for wall tiling and narrow joints in floors.

SITUATION:

David Lloyd is a leading brand in the health and fitness industry with 86 centres servicing approximately 475,000 members across the UK. After being acquired by TDR Capital in 2013, £50m is now being invested into the group to expand its club network and grow membership.

The Colchester site is currently Colchester’s only club with both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, and boasts spa facilities, a state-of-the-art gym, exercise studios and indoor and outdoor tennis courts.

CHALLENGES:

The site totals 4,845m², and required approximately 3,500m² of tiling to cover the swimming pools, changing rooms, walkways and reception areas. The swimming areas included three pools, as well as spas facilities and changing rooms.

SOLUTION:

For the swimming areas Greg Paclawski of Profix Tiling Ltd contacted Adam Willmott, Business Development Manager for ARDEX, for advice on the tiling specification. Paclawski commented, “The ARDEX specification gave the client confidence in the system, and their fast track products meant we could deliver the project within the tight deadline.”

Commenting on the project, Willmott said, “My role was to liaise with all the contractors involved, from Pellikaan through to Profix, to produce a suitable specification and then ensure the subsequent installation went as planned.”

“The system met the contractors’ rigorous standards, passing independent product and application tests commissioned by Pellikaan.” Willmott continued. “Large, varied areas of different types of tiles were fixed throughout the site with a comprehensive system of ARDEX products. The overall result is a stunning leisure facility that will service its members for years to come.”

PARTICIPANTS:

Installers:
Buckingham Pools
Profix Tiling Ltd.
The Hurst Group

General Contractor:
Pellikaan Construction