Mapei solutions employed for the Under restaurant in Norway

Mapei, one of the market leaders in the chemical products sector for the construction industry, supplied products and systems for Under, the largest underwater restaurant in the world and the first of its kind in Europe.

Located in Båly on the south coast of Norway, the restaurant, designed by the Snøhetta Architecture and Interior Design Studio, sits on the bottom of the North Sea at five metres below sea level.

The Under restaurant has the form of a 34 metre-long inclined tube and has been purposely designed to avoid disturbing the surrounding habitat and, to achieve this, exposed-finish concrete was chosen and has proven to be decisive in order for the restaurant to blend in with the rocky coastline rising up from the sea and to encourage the growth of seaweed and mussels below the water line.

Thanks to its imposing 11 by 4 metre window, the restaurant also acts as a marine biology study centre and a place where the ecosystem in this part of the North Sea and on the seabed may be observed.

This complex project required Mapei’s assistance and input to supply the best solutions available to resist the extreme environmental conditions caused by the particularly harsh climate and cold water.

Mapei supplied numerous products to repair and skim the surface of the concrete (CONFIX*, CONFIX FIN* and REDIREP 45 RSF*), anchoring and grouting products (MAPEPOXY BI*, MAPEPOXY LR*, MAPEPOXY L* and NONSETT 400*), MAPEFIX VE SF chemical anchor for structural bonds, MAPEPRIMER M, the first epoxy primer for concrete with a damp surface, PLANITOP FINE FINISH skimming compound for exposed-finish concrete, RESFOAM 1KM and RESFOAM 1KM AKS* waterproofers for structures with percolating water and the admixture for mortar, SUPERFLYT*.

And lastly, ULTRABOND MS RAPID adhesive with a high sucker effect was chosen to install the 3D ceramic tiles in the bathrooms.

*manufactured and distributed on the Norwegian market by Mapei AS.