Complex support structures for unique housing project

With a secret garden and buildings next to and under the railroad canopy, Crossroads in Amsterdam-Sloterdijk is a truly special project. The striking residential building of more than 30,000 m2 stands out because of the two towers of 88 and 44 meters respectively, which are connected under the railroad (the Hemboog) by a commercial plinth. Commissioned by Balak Beton, Matemco Auxiliary Structures is engineering and supplying the support structures for all floors and floor fields in the project. "Especially at the bottom of the building there is a great variety," says project manager Marc Lussenburg. "To place the wide slab floors under the track, our unique Kwiksteiger Support System and a roller conveyor were used."

Balak Beton is a trusted partner of Matemco Auxiliary Structures, says Lussenburg. "In a fine and close cooperation, we determined the right support structures for Crossroads. We provided the engineering by means of 3D drawings. Moreover, our own structural engineer was in charge of the structural calculations, while our logistics department took care of the just-in-time logistics. Crossroads is being realized at a postage-stamp location in Amsterdam's city center, which means that all materials must be delivered and processed immediately within strict timeframes. In close cooperation with our transport and assembly partners, we implement this well and quickly."

Unique roller conveyor

Most unusual and challenging in the work of the Edese support specialist is the support structure for the wide slab floors of the commercial plinth, says Lussenburg. "No crane proved adequate to lay the wide slabs in the right locations. Therefore, together with Balak Beton, we engineered a unique solution in the form of a roller conveyor, which was mounted on our support structure. Using this roller conveyor, 10 to 12 broad slabs were still rolled to their final destination." Challenges in the towers particularly concern the stairwells and elevator cores, around which the support structures must be built.

Multi-purpose Mercury scaffold system 

The support structures in Crossroads are part of Matemco Hulpconstructies' Kwiksteiger system, within which high upright loads (up to 75 kN) are permissible. The components have a higher steel quality and greater wall thickness of the scaffolding tube, making them considerably stronger and universally applicable. Moreover, the height of the support in principle does not affect the permissible scaffold load. "This enables us to put together the support structure with a minimum of uprights," says Lussenburg. "As a result, clients benefit from optimum safety as well as lower assembly costs."

Mercury Scaffold Support and Mercury Scaffold Decking 

The Kwik scaffolding system is a stand-alone system with uprights which are interconnected with (strut) links in which the struts can be easily clicked together. Again, this allows for substantial savings in assembly time. "Within the range, we differentiate between three solutions: Kwiksteiger Support, Kwiksteiger Decking and Kwiksteiger Facade Scaffolding, most of whose components are interchangeable. A combination of Kwiksteiger Support and Kwiksteiger Decking is used in Crossroads. Think, for example, of carriers, child beams and underslabs. In short: the whole support package we have in house."

One-stop-shop

Matemco Auxiliary Structures, like Jako and Yelloo, belongs to the Otri Group, within which clients are assured of a one-stop shop for formwork systems, temporary support structures, passenger and freight elevators, modular suspended platforms, hardware and tools.