Iconic tower transformation

The exterior of the iconic 170-metre Emirates Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth has been repainted using protective anti-carbonation coatings manufactured by Flexcrete Technologies Limited.

The renovation was carried out as part of a major £3.5 million five-year naming rights partnership between Portsmouth City Council and Dubai-based Emirates Airline. The Tower was painted in Flexcrete’s Monodex Smooth coating in blue and white for the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series. Monodex Smooth is a water-based, high build, elastomeric, decorative coating which was specified due to its protective properties, fast curing nature and ease of application by brush, roller or airless spray. This was crucial as the coating was applied by specialist access contractors The Abseilers Limited, so they were able to rapidly apply the coating by brush and roller to the concrete legs of the structure whilst using roped access equipment and techniques.

The bottom 50 metres of the concrete legs were painted in a special Portsmouth blue colour, and white above. It was then decided to enhance the appearance even further by requesting supply of Emirates’ individual corporate metallic gold colour to cover a large central section of the Tower. This led to Flexcrete developing Monodex Metallic, the world’s first metallic anti-carbonation coating, which is applied as a lustrous feature finish over an existing Monodex Smooth base coat. Monodex Metallic is equally suited for internal surfaces to produce a unique, sparkling architectural statement.