A jewel of Veszprém was reborn with the cooperation of local patriotic companies

The re-creation of the façade decorations was one of the biggest challenges in the construction of the ActiCity Dance and Movement Centre, where we report on the façade works with the help of the consortium that built the project and the manufacturer that supplied the products. The largest cultural infrastructure development of the Veszprém-Balaton European Capital of Culture 2023 programme was carried out by the consortium VEMÉV-SZER Kft. and VeszprémBer Építő Kft., based on the designs of Anthony Gall. A number of products and services were supplied by Cemix Hungary Kft.

Cultural and sports activities have found a home in the ActiCity

During the investment, a former hospital building in the centre of Veszprém, next to the university, which had been falling into disrepair for decades, was reborn: it had stood unused for nearly 30 years since its closure in 1995. until its handover in May 2023, which was also reported by our newspaper. The investment, covering an area of 13,500 square metres, was carried out by Veszprém 2030 Kft., owned by the municipality of Veszprém, and the new institution is operated by Swing-Swing Kft..

The building has a total of 12 rehearsal rooms, a wall climbing course suitable for competitions, an event hall with a capacity for hundreds of guests, a restaurant and a café. The main building is used for ballet and other dance and movement classes, while the annex (which was used as a laundry in the 1980s), with a glass corridor, is used by folk dance groups and wall climbers from Veszprém. On one side of the Acticity there is a park with ancient trees and a petanque court for the city's competitors. In front of the building there is also an open-air event space for 1500 people.

The original façade image has been restored

According to the report submitted to this newspaper by the consortium of contractors, the building also showed signs of years of abandonment on its façade when the work site was taken over. "A significant part of the plaster and plaster ornaments on the façade had become unstable and detached from the load-bearing structure, and their removal was essential for the construction of the new façade," the report said. "On the north side of the façade, small trees had also taken root between the façade render and the load-bearing layer."

It was stressed that the main aspect of the façade was to restore the original façade image, including the original colour of the building, due to the local protection. The VEMÉV-SZER - VeszprémBer consortium has used Cemix products in several cases to renew the entire façade, including

• repair of the base plaster in the required places with Cemix Eurosan VS screed and Premium hand repair plaster;
• the remaining base coats were consolidated with Tiefengrund deep primer before the final smoothing coat (Renti Fein) was applied;
• the restoration of the façade ornaments with Cemix pans;
• the façade surface was finished with Cemix Renti Fein plaster.

Specific tools and knowledge of old technology were also needed

In addition to this, the consortium also carried out the painting of the facade of the structured surface. They added that in designing the façade, Cemix Kft. had samples of its products made on site with the company's master mason, supporting the design decision. "The materials and final layouts were selected based on these sample finishes."

The most significant challenge was identified as the recreation of the façade ornaments using traditional plaster-cutting techniques.

"To create the ornaments, it was necessary to model the original façade elements, to make special tools for the cornice, and to employ masonry experts who were familiar with traditional techniques. It also required the selection of the right materials."

The project was monitored from the contractor's parade

Gergő Grósz, regional project manager of Cemix, which provides the products, informed us. He said that the façade works started after the complete reconstruction of the roof structure.

In response to a question, he added that Cemix had been monitoring the events from the moment the contractor arrived, so that they could provide the right solutions at the right time. "By the time the building was set up and the façade work started, we had practically ready proposals." This was due to the fact that both the colour samples and the surface texture samples were prepared before the façade works.

In places the facade has been cleaned down to the bricks

He said that the layering scheme proposed by Cemix was accepted and successfully implemented. Turning to the repair of the base coat, he said that only the parts that could be retained remained. Where the base plaster no longer adhered to the structure, a completely new plaster system was applied: for this, the surface was cleaned all the way to the brick, removing the unstable base plaster. "On this surface, the Eurosan VS screed was applied as a bonding bridge, and on top of this, the Cemix was hand-applied with the Premium hand-held base plaster."

Where the base plaster could be retained, the paint was removed. "In some areas the Premium basecoat had to be repaired, but in other areas this was not necessary and Renti Fein could be applied straight away."

How to avoid cracks where different materials meet

In the end, the repaired surface and the completely new basecoat surface were integrated into a single smoothing surface. "The homogenising, repairing Renti Fein fibre-reinforced smoothing mortar gave the façade a completely new structure, followed by the application of the silicone façade paint, which we also recommended as a good vapour permeable coating." Finally, the exterior was finished in a unique colour dreamed up by the designer and produced by Cemix, as requested.

He highlighted a crucial feature of Renti Fein in such projects: it homogenises the retained good condition surface and the new plastered surface. "This is important because of the structural differences between the renders in patch repairs. And where the two materials meet, it is not uncommon for cracks to develop between the softer old render and a new stronger render. Renti prevents these cracks from forming."

Although the Cemix was mainly involved in the façade works in this project, it was also involved in the interior repairs of the base plaster: "Also with the base plaster Premium and the Eurosan VS screed."

A good choice for surfaces requiring a high plaster thickness

It was important to mention that the building is adorned with cornices on the roof and under the roof, many of which had to be rebuilt. "Here they used our product called pansy plaster, which is a good choice for surfaces that require a greater plaster thickness in one coat. Here, a greater thickness than usual has to be applied at one time, which is then planed back to its fresh state using what is known as a puller."

He stressed that this material must have two important properties: "On the one hand, it must not crack due to the high thickness of the plaster, and on the other hand, it must have stability: that is, the thickness of up to 3-4 centimetres applied at a time must not fall off, and it must be possible to shape it during the pulling process. In addition, this material is compatible with the base plaster, essentially an improved version of it, with good vapour permeability."

Construction companies in Veszprém have been cooperating for many years

He added that they also used a relatively new product, Sockeltop, a plinth and concrete stain, on the basement floor. "We recommend this for vertical surfaces basically, but it can also be used on the floor in spaces that are not busy. It's a concrete stain that makes the surface cleanable, moppable, increases abrasion resistance, replacing the tiles."

Finally, he also pointed out that they have been working with the construction companies VEMÉV-SZER and VeszprémBer on many projects, all of them based in Veszprém and have been working together for many years as a local patriotic company. "During a project, we are in constant contact with the project managers and try to solve any problem with our product portfolio," he concluded.