Rooftops and terraces of the Panorama Plzeň apartment building: roof waterproofing membranes and films BMI Icopal and BMI Vedag in practice

The new residential complex Panorama Plzeň, after its recent completion, is one of the new landmarks of the West Bohemian metropolis. The building was developed in the central part of Plzeň on the site of a former industrial area and offers exceptional panoramic views from the higher floors. The implementation of the roofs and terraces was actively participated by the company Icopal Vedag CZ, which is a leading supplier in the Czech market focused on flat roofs and waterproofing of below-ground structures.

The company Icopal Vedag CZ provided the complete design of roofs and terraces in areas and details for the project. The technical department processed the proposals for the compositions of roof coverings and terraces, further developing the layout plans for thermal insulation and solutions for all details, especially concerning adjoining and penetrating structures.

The roof structures of the individual parts of the building were conceptually and materially very different. The roofs of the tower sections were designed as single-layer systems with a classic layer sequence – weighted with a layer of gravel, featuring a membrane waterproofing based on soft PVC Monarplan G produced by BMI Icopal. The sloping was resolved within the thermal insulation by using sloping wedges made of expanded polystyrene. The same applied to the terraces, where the weighting layer is formed by tiles laid on adjustable pedestals instead of gravel.

The most technically demanding solution was for the functional and vegetative flat roofs in the atrium spaces, or the rooftop terrace above the underground garages. The authors of the project documentation additionally proposed a combined operational use, divided into front gardens, green areas, and shared usable spaces. The load-bearing structure of the roof over the underground garages consists of a monolithic reinforced concrete ceiling structure, onto which a single-layer roof with a classic layer sequence was applied. The sloping layer was made from expanded polystyrene of a higher strength class (EPS 200). “In terms of materials, we chose a solution that carries – considering the type of proposed membrane waterproofing and the three-layer composition – increased waterproofing security, thereby also increasing the longevity of the roof structure as a whole,” explains technician Lukáš Vik from Icopal Vedag CZ. Only premium quality asphalt strips from the German production of BMI Vedag were applied. In line with the type of roof structure, it was necessary to design a material sequence above the actual waterproofing layer, including system accessories, i.e., drains, penetrations, etc., systematically and concerning the functional use of the roof structure.

The implementation in cooperation with the general contractor and the executing company was excellent, which is evidenced by the great public interest in living in this residential complex, as well as the nomination of the building in the architectural competition Building of the Year 2020.