PRODUCTS FOR ARCHAEOLOGISTS

Arch stone bridges scattered all over mainland Greece are inseparably interwoven not only with Greek traditional architecture but also with local and national history, as shown by the countless folk songs and legends linked with them. The arch stone bridge of Plaka, about 50 km from the city of Ioannina, was built over Arachthos River, in a breathtakingly beautiful landscape, on the site of an older bridge that was destroyed in 1860. It was the largest single-arch bridge in the Balkans and the third largest one in Europe, as it was 21 meters high and 71 meters long, with an arch span of 40 meters. In 1863 it was built from scratch with a grant of Dimitrios Arvanitoyannis from the nearby village of Pramanta, but it collapsed again shortly after its formal inauguration. It was reconstructed in 1866 and the cost, which amounted to 170,000 piastres, was covered by the banker Ioannis Loulis and donations from the local communities. Unfortunately, in 2007, the bridge collapsed almost entirely due to heavy rains and in February 2015 what remained of the central part collapsed and was washed away by a flash flood. The government responded immediately and the National Metsovian Technical University of Athens undertook to design and plan the restoration of the historical bridge. Nirikos Techniki SA and Iliopoulos Bros General Partnership are cooperating in this awesome construction project, which is already underway, while PROLAT contributes the materials needed. The restoration of this historical monument, which is considered to be one of the greatest challenges in the technical construction sector worldwide, proceeds based on the specifications of the original materials of the old bridge. The materials used for the reconstruction are the certified products of PROLAT used by the archaeological services for plasters and grouting. Several local masons and stone hewers contribute their valuable experience, giving stones the desirable form and shape with their hammers and chisels, to ensure a final result as close as possible to the original structure. PROLAT feels greatly honoured to participate in the reconstruction of this emblematic bridge and is proud to have a hand in the materialization of such a momentous project by contributing its quality materials.

From the very first moment you see Ermoupoli, the stately capital of Syros, when you arrive at its large cosmopolitan port, you are bound to feel captivated by its architecture, a fascinating mix of Cycladic, medieval and neoclassical elements. Naturally, any restoration work in important buildings, which reflect the rich history of the city, requires the know-how to do them, as well as top quality, wear-resistant and highly specialized materials. PROLAT possesses the necessary experience and know-how, plus the best materials for this sort of works. The certified products of PROLAT are ready-to-use mortars for building and stone grouting, grouts and cement-free plasters that offer the most practical and reliable solution for construction problems requiring special knowledge and experience. In Ermoupoli, PROLAT, cooperating with specialized crews, applied Donakon, a cement-free construction mortar containing Pozzolana, to stonework as a base before spreading the waterproofing material. The same product was used for sealing before grouts, while wetting was used to avoid cracking. Finally, PROLAT used Donakon for deep grouting on the first two stories of a traditional building, while coloured stone mortar was used on the top floor. The aesthetically perfect and provenly wear-resistant result shows that, no matter how sensitive interventions and repairs are needed for special constructions of particular value, all problems can be solved when you have know-how and passion and, of course, the most advanced and suitable for each individual case materials.

Kalymnos, the fourth largest island of the Dodecanese, which is inextricably linked with the rich Greek maritime tradition and sponge diving, is also a popular alternative tourism destination thanks to its landscape diversity and geomorphology. This is the idyllic natural environment where the house shown in these photos was built –a house that respects both nature and the needs of modern life. PROLAT stone mortar, which has been used here, is a bioclimatic product with natural ingredients that allows the building to “breathe”, while at the same time ensuring a fascinating aesthetic result. PROLAT natural paints that have been used both on interior and exterior walls have contributed decisively to this result. And what is more, although this impressive house is by the sea, there are no signs of wear, as the above materials are particularly resistant to all sorts of weather conditions, as well as to salty sea air and humidity. PROLAT has added the final touch applying LAVAPLASTER to the bathrooms and exterior steps, thus creating a functional and pleasant residence in perfect harmony with the beautiful nature that surrounds it.