Holland Casino Utrecht goes for gold!

In Utrecht, construction is underway on the new Holland Casino, which will be an eye-catcher of note thanks to a striking facade with gold-colored panels. In the facade design, much attention has been paid to the different forms of natural and powered light. Where during the day and under the influence of the sun a lively shadow play is created, in the evening hours changing light projections become visible, thanks to the integration of LED lighting in the slots of the facade panels. As a secondary contractor of Bouwbedrijf Wessels Zeist and commissioned by building owner Rinkelstore C.V., Aldowa provides the engineering, production and assembly of the facade panels. In addition, the façade specialist from Rotterdam realizes the cladding of the triangular canopy in front of the entrance.

"The building facade is composed of approximately 6,000 gold anodized aluminum facade panels," says Edwin Nipius, project manager at Aldowa. "Initially, the design by OZ architects included triangular facade panels. However, this turned out to be too complex in execution. By looking closely at the façade design, by thinking along cleverly in terms of form and execution, and by testing different panel samples, we were able to reduce the number of elements by approximately 50%. We always combined two triangular elements into one wybert. This created a (financially) feasible and makeable design, without affecting the architect's facade image. The facade panels were made visible and tangible in a floor-to-ceiling mock-up, which convinced OZ architects. We then made a few more optimizations, after which production could start."

9,000 LED luminaires

Each element consists of a single sheet of 2 mm aluminum, which is set at Aldowa's plant in Rotterdam. "Different sizes of panels are made for the different facades, in 80, 160 and 240 centimeters," Nipius said. "Several panels feature perforations, creating a special interplay of lines. In addition, approximately 9,000 LED luminaires will be incorporated into the panels, allowing different images and colors to be projected onto the facades. To make this possible, we installed rectangular slots at the bottom of the cladding. The luminaires are already integrated into the panels at the factory, after which on construction all that remains is to connect the lighting connectors."

The final façade panels will be assembled at the end of this year, after which the casino is expected to open in the first months of 2021.

Business card

Aldowa is a specialist in the engineering, production and assembly of metal cladding. From aluminum, stainless steel, SV steel, Corten steel and prepainted aluminum and steel to expanded metal and bond material. "Every project is customized," Nipius emphasizes. "To provide the best possible interpretation of this, we like to sit down with the architect and client as early as possible. For example, to translate their aesthetic wishes into a (financially) feasible and makeable design. As an organization, we can handle complex projects without any problems. The Holland Casino is telling proof of this."