The past few years have been tough for architect Santiago Calatrava, as several of his buildings have demonstrated serious problems after their completion. Valencia’s stunning Opera House may be one of the most public and embarrassing examples of this – the ceramic outer skin of the Palau de Les Arts in the architect’s home city was ripped apart by high winds and the building has been closed. Now, an Alicante-based company claims that they can save it with a novel graphene-based paint.
The company, Graphenano, has sent an official proposal to city authorities claiming that their Graphenstone product can help save Calatrava’s famous building. Only eight years after its completion, the building started deteriorating and its mosaic façade was heavily damaged by winds. The badly-designed detailing on the opera’s façade caused it to start peeling off, leaving the ribbing exposed.
According to Graphenano, coating the façade with their super-strong graphene-based paint could significantly reduce costs of future repairs. Called Graphenstone, the product is a mixture of limestone powder and graphene that “acts as a supporting mesh on a molecular level.” The product is supposed to act as a protective layer against environmental changes as well.
+ Santiago Calatrava
+ Graphenano
