Projects / 7/2/2024

A tunnel with mosaics

Mapei products contributed to the creation of colourful, durable mosaics representing local flora and fauna in Tyresö, a town near Stockholm

Mapei products played a crucial role in creating colorful, durable mosaics for the Bäverbäcken tunnel in Tyresö, Sweden. Artists Emelie Solklippa and Hanna Westin Skogh designed mosaics depicting local flora and fauna, supported by Mapei's technical expertise and materials. The project, aimed at enhancing the tunnel's aesthetics and durability, utilized Mapei adhesives, grouts, and waterproofing solutions, ensuring a long-lasting and environmentally sustainable installation.

Tyresö is a town near Stockholm immersed in a natural backdrop characterised by the nearby Baltic Sea, various islands, centuries-old forests and countless lakes and hills. The local council recently started work to improve road safety in general, which included the construction of the Bäverbäcken tunnel with a footpath and cycle lane.

The council also wanted the walls of the tunnel to be decorated with images representing the landscape of the Tyresö archipelago. In fact, 500 m² of walls and ceilings were decorated with a mosaic featuring animals typical of this area, as well as the forests and skies of Tyresö.

Two artists were commissioned to create the mosaics: Emelie Solklippa and Hanna Westin Skogh from the company Mosaic Sweden. Right from the very start their intention was very clear: “We want those passing through the tunnel to have a real experience of our territory, from dawn until dusk”, they both declared. “Foxes in their den, a family of ducks crossing the rocks and an osprey flying free high in the sky are just some of the animals that visitors will encounter in the tunnel”.

An osprey flying free high in the sky is one of the animals that visitors encounter in the tunnel decorated with mosaics created in the tunnel in Tyresö.

The right systems for mosaics in a tunnel

The project was not without its challenges. The client wanted a safe, bright environment to be created for those passing through, in spite being inside a tunnel. The inside of a tunnel, in fact, is a very particular environment, where surfaces are exposed to the effects of atmospheric agents, vibrations from the road and even acts of vandalism. And lastly, the mosaics had to be durable and, considering what they represent, have a low impact on the environment.

To meet all these needs the contribution from Mapei AB, the Group’s Swedish subsidiary, proved to be fundamental and enabled the best conditions to be created to carry out the installation work and guarantee a “long life” for the works of mosaic art.

Emelie Solklippa and Hanna Westin Skogh already had experience of the advantages of Mapei products on other projects they had completed in the past. Together with the Technical Services team from Mapei AB, they chose a system which met all the requirements in terms of high performance, durability and sustainability.

The system included MAPELASTIC elastic cementitious mortar reinforced with MAPENET 150 fibre glass mesh, which was used to waterproof the substrates of the tunnel walls to prevent damp damaging the finished surfaces.

ELASTORAPID adhesive was chosen due to its fast drying properties which allowed the works to be completed in shorter times.

The mosaic tiles were installed in some of the sections with ELASTORAPID, a highly deformable cementitious adhesive which, apart from having excellent workability, has rapid-drying properties which enabled bonding operations to be carried out quickly.

In other sections, on the other hand, particularly the vertical surfaces, the mosaic was bonded with KERAFLEX MAXI S1, a cementitious adhesive with no vertical slip.

The joints were grouted with ULTRACOLOR PLUS, a rapid-setting and drying, anti-efflorescence cementitious mortar which is also particularly resistant to mould (BioBlock technology), water-repellent and easy to clean thanks to its DropEffect technology. It is available in an extensive range of colours which, as in the case of the tunnel in Tyresö, exalts the colours of the tiles installed.

Both KERAFLEX MAXI S1 and ULTRACOLOR PLUS are also sustainable because CO^₂emissions measured throughout their life cycle in 2024 using LCA methodology, verified and certified by their relative EPD, are offset through the acquisition of certified carbon credits in support of forestry protection projects.

The expansion joints were sealed with MAPESIL AC silicone sealant, which is also resistant to mould, durable and available in all the colours of the Mapei grouts range.

ULTRACOLOR PLUS mortar was used to grout the joints in all mosaic surfaces.

“They helped us create exactly what we had in mind”

It was not only with its products that Mapei AB helped in creating the mosaic. Also fundamental was the support from Fredrik Derwinger, the local sales agent and technician from Mapei AB specialised in adhesives and grouts for ceramics. Fredrik worked on the project from the very first phase, suggesting the best methods and products to prepare the substrates and install the mosaic.

“It is very difficult to create a work of art in a tunnel because of the particular environment, but all those who took part in the project wanted to achieve a long-lasting result with low impact on the environment. I am really pleased that Mapei know-how contributed in creating such a work of art so special for the inhabitants of Tyresö”, said Derwinger.

His help was highly appreciated by the two artists: “We wanted to create a detailed and realistic image of the life of the local flora and fauna and this posed a number of challenges when it came to bonding and grouting the mosaic tiles. For us, to be able to call on someone that could come up with ideas and solutions was priceless.

“Fredrik and his colleagues from Mapei AB were always on hand to give us the technical assistance we needed and enable us to create exactly what we had in mind. They know which the best technologies and they put us in the best condition possible to carry out our work”, added the artist.

Constant support for a record-breaking mosaic

Mapei AB has been collaborating with the artists since 2009 and, in this case too, was involved in every phase of the project. Fredrik Derwinger worked alongside them right from the start, recommending, for example, sandblasting the substrates of the surfaces in the tunnel before proceeding with waterproofing and installation operations, so that the finished surfaces would be more durable.

The objective of Mapei AB’s suggestion to use a complete installation system of adhesives, grouts and sealants was also to guarantee maximum bonding strength and durability, as well as to make it easier to clean the mosaics and maintain them in the future.

For Mapei AB this is the longest mosaic it has worked on since its foundation but, in the words of Fredrik Derwinger, “We can’t wait to start work on the next project where we can collaborate again with these artists. Working with someone that has a good understanding of every aspect of such a large project makes everything much simpler.”