Wooden Hotel in Almere: Fiberglass decking paves the way to modular (ge)building

More and more companies are opting for modular construction. This requires new building techniques, but also new materials. The Houten Hotel in Almere is one such modular building, constructed from wooden units stacked on top of each other. FiCor was called in to provide the walkways with decking. Owner Wiebe Haijtema talks about the project.

FiCor supplies fiberglass composite building materials that are light, very strong, rigid, wear-resistant and fireproof. The company is a supplier of mainly decking systems, as well as a decking system that was used for the Wooden Hotel. Customers can count on a personalized approach. "We are a small family business and we do what we say. That also has a positive result. Customers come back to us. We know how to build on each other."

Similarly, client Dennis van Lith came to FiCor: "He already had experience with our fire-resistant FiCor material. This order resulted from that. A hybrid solution with wood and plastic was chosen. We were able to supply a prefabricated plastic decking suitable for the modular Wooden Hotel." 

Appropriate solution

In modular construction, it is important that different products with different properties can be easily assembled into a functional end product. In this case, the decking system needed to be light and strong because of the relatively light substructure. "The walkways were not feasible in any other material. Concrete is too heavy. Wood or other materials are not wear-resistant enough or leave something to be desired in safety. This is the optimal solution for modular construction." In addition, FiCor's decking system can be manufactured in virtually any RAL color. "The architect had specific wishes and we were able to respond to them. The material has been given a unique color."

Beautiful puzzle

What makes the project special is that FiCor had to prefabricate on a large scale. "Normally we do a lot on site. For this project, the client wanted prefabricated elements. We made as many as 180 pieces of a certain type of decking system. Those were piled sky-high here!" 

This method of construction also offers great opportunities. "As a result, you shorten the construction time on site considerably. Everything falls into place like a puzzle. In the future, the client wants to continue working with this system."

Ready for the future

Because FiCor's material is hard-wearing and recyclable, it will last a long time. "The material has a lifespan of more than 75 years. Moreover, it is reusable (remountable). It is also recycled for concrete, for example." This makes the material future-proof and suitable for the needs of modern construction companies. "Across the Netherlands, modular builders are now looking for the right building blocks that they can come back to again and again. Think of parties making flex homes. Our materials offer a solution to this pain point."