An architectural precast concrete panel system is a solution that is not commonly used in Brazil. Stamp (owned by BPDL Precast Concrete in Quebec) has been a pioneer in this type of solution, introducing the technology in 1994 in the Sao Paulo area. Since then, hundreds of projects have been using this technology in Sao Paulo and in the surrounding regions as well, including Rio Grande do Sul, where the Atlântida project was launched.

This project covers an area of 12,200 m2. The design is complex, with intercalated cantilever balconies.

Principally, two types of panels were developed for the project:  apartment panels lightly sand-coloured and with a special stacked stone finish that required unique moulds; and white-colour panels to cover the cast-in-place balconies.

For the general contractor and owner, the principal benefit of this technology is the erection speed. For the construction company, precast concrete panels translate into durability, better thermal and acoustical insulation, low-maintenance and uniformity in the finishing.

The project itself is aligned with the USGBC sustainability guidelines: an automated system for lighting, measurement of water use and water reuse, a solar-heating system for the pool, higher thermal insulation, and double-glass windows (not common in Brazil). The use of precast concrete panels in such an environment provided the most sustainable solution and was a win-win for all.

Usually, external finishing in Brazil is defined during or even after the structure is executed. Precast concrete changes that vision of this process, allowing the construction company to build the structure and the precast design simultaneously. Another benefit of this project was the punch-window panels, an improvement over most Brazilian construction systems. 

Over 1,950 precast concrete panels were produced in Stamp’s plant, located at about 1,000 km from the jobsite of Atlântida. The total area is of 10,870 m2 and the average weight of the panels was 1,200 kg. The installation rate was 10 panels/day, resulting in rapid construction.