The March 2025 opening of the New Time residential towers brings a new level of luxury – and a striking modernist design – to the waterfront of Maceió, Brazil. PENETRON ADMIX, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was specified for the below-grade concrete structures to provide enhanced durability and resistance to chloride penetration.
The capital and largest city of the coastal state of Alagoas in northeastern Brazil, Maceió is located on a level strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Norte (or Mundaú) Lagoon. While tourists come to see the candy-colored historic homes and enjoy the bustling downtown, sheltered lagoons, and numerous picturesque beaches, Maceió is also the commercial hub of the state. The local economy is industrial, with textile mills, steel, iron, and zinc foundries, distilleries, and chemical, cellulose, and cigarette factories; oil is extracted from nearby offshore platforms; sugar, cotton, and rum are exported.
Directly facing the Atlantic Ocean, the New Time residential complex is located on Paju?ara beach, a popular waterfront area of hotels and shops with easy access to downtown Maceió. Designed by the architect Adriano Moura, this upscale residential development features two 15-floor towers connected through an atrium-style ground floor lobby and aerial walkways on higher floors. The street level offers retail spaces for restaurants and shops. Available as studio and one-bedroom units (27 to 110 m2 / 300-1,210 ft2), the apartments feature floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views of the ocean. Amenities include a fitness gym, rooftop infinity swimming pool, playground and pool for children, and a rooftop restaurant.
The construction site of the New Time towers had a water table level only 1.20 m (47 in) below street level. The project called for two underground garage floors (at a depth of 3 m and 6.26 m). The foundation slab (2,400 m2 / 26,400 ft2) was designed for a thickness of 26 cm (10 in), a cracking level of 0.2 mm, and a hydraulic gradient of 5.64 m of uplift pressure under the slab.
To stabilize the site, 400 mm and 350 mm overlapping injected rotary piles spaced 10 cm apart between faces were used, with approximately 40% of their length embedded, along with berms around the perimeter to ensure stability.
“With the greater robustness and resilience required for marine concrete structures like New Time, Colil, the general contractor, understood the need for a concrete mix with a low chloride diffusion coefficient to ensure greater durability,” adds Cláudio Neves Ourives, CEO and Managing Partner of Penetron Brazil.
Due to the high groundwater pressure on the below-grade concrete structures –the foundation slab and basement walls – the PENETRON ADMIX-treated concrete used was 35 MPa, class 4, with the addition of microfiber. Construction joints were sealed with PENEBAR SW-55, a swellable waterstop strip.
In the presence of moisture, the active ingredients in PENETRON ADMIX generate an insoluble crystalline formation, which prevents water and water-borne chemicals from entering the microcracks, pores and capillaries of the concrete, even under high hydrostatic pressure. Cracks that develop during the lifetime of the concrete piers are automatically self-healed, resulting in permanent concrete protection.
“Thanks to our experience in a number of successful marine projects, including docks and harbors, wharves, tunnels, and beach hotels, the builder was confident in choosing Penetron for the New Time project,” notes Cláudio Neves Ourives
Robust and resilient with Penetron: The below-grade parking garage of the New Time tower lies largely below the groundwater level. PENETRON ADMIX ensured an impermeable concrete structure.
