According to multiple works written by Plato, there once existed an island nation located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This island was a utopian paradise that possessed bountiful natural resources and became a center for commerce and wealth. For centuries, the existence of this utopian island has been debated. Did it ever exist? Was it submerged in the ocean? Whatever the answer, there is no questioning the existence of a new paradise that has been erected to carry on its name.

Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas is every bit as intriguing as the Atlantis of mythology. This tropical resort and hotel features a large marine habitat, a marina, a spa, and a first-class gaming and entertainment center. When construction began on the newest additions to the island, the residences at Atlantis and the Cove Atlantis, there was no room for imperfections. As the applicator for the project, Jorge Angel, owner of Applitech Inc., had high expectations to meet. Knowing Dryvit Systems’ products and line, he called for its Outsulation Plus System to clad the new towers.

“We use Dryvit for over 90 percent of our business. It all comes down to reputation, reliability, and warranty,” says Angel.

This $200 million Atlantis development project is a partnership between Kerzner International Limited and Turnberry Associates. The Residences at Atlantis, an exclusive condominium-hotel, includes 495 units comprised of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites. The Cove Atlantis, the new resort within the world of Atlantis, features one-, two- and three-bedroom oversized suites as well as multiple pools and restaurants. The new construction on these two Atlantis facilities includes over 800,000 square feet of the Dryvit Outsulation Plus System, with Sandpebble, Sandpebble Fine and Quarzputz finishes. Various other Dryvit products were also used on the towers, including AquaFlash, Backstop NT, Genesis and Panzer Mesh for optimal durability.

“There was a very tight schedule for the project. We completed all the work on the Resort and Residence towers in about nine months,” Angel says. Because of his extensive experience with Dryvit systems, Angel knew that it is a great product for fast-track construction projects. The system reduces expensive structural requirements needed with conventional construction materials because of its light weight properties and its ease of application speeds up project timelines.

Dryvit’s Director of International Sales and Business Development for Latin America, Pedro Fernandez, worked closely with Applitech to ensure that all needs were met. According to Fernandez, Outsulation made the most sense for the project because, “it would be incredibly expensive to keep those facilities cool if another cladding were used. The insulation properties of EPS give us the upper hand in cost-efficiency.”

“We also applied Backstop NT over the concrete to provide a more effective water-resistive membrane and used AquaFlash to prevent any leakage in the window areas,” says Fernandez.

For Angel, the most important drivers behind the decision to use Dryvit products were reliability and warranty but for the owners of a facility, appearance always plays a leading role. In the tropical setting of Paradise Island, the Sandpebble finishes created a beautiful, natural appearance that fit perfectly into the surrounding seascape. There is no question that Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas rivals the Atlantis of mythology in both reputation and beauty.