Residential island Wiborg, Amsterdam: Tough warehouse architecture, modern living comforts

From single-family homes to apartments, from multi-level homes to spacious lofts and from 45 to over 290 sq. meters. The residential island was developed by the combination De Nijs - Beemsterboer HH1B B.V and has the theme 'Tough Guys'. Tough warehouses with staggered facades, weathered bricks and subtle ornaments, but also the use of steel, rough brickwork and robust wooden details: everything refers to the warehouses of yesteryear, but with a modern twist. Wiborg is the only project in the Houthaven located on its own island. So the homes are surrounded by water on all sides.

Construction company M.J. de Nijs en Zonen B.V. is responsible for the realization of project Wiborg. In the second quarter of 2017, the main contractor started construction of the parking basement (level: -2) and apartments above. "All dwellings are constructed from wide slab floors, in combination with precast concrete walls and Alvon walls," explains main contractor Martijn Gruppen. "In the hollow wall elements, the installation techniques were installed first, after which they were filled with concrete. The partition walls are made of aerated concrete." Some of the homes have flat bitumen roofs, he says. "Other homes have received sloping tiled roofs. The monumental 'warehouse points' are made of wood frame construction and wood frame construction was also chosen in the location of the large sliding doors. The sturdy warehouses are finished with typical zinc gutters and concrete and aluminum covers, while the exterior areas are finished with hardwood decking."

Many and varied facade types

"The facades were largely constructed in masonry, in combination with facade details in fair-faced concrete, siding, steel, natural stone and wood," says work planner Raven de Jonge. "In this project, we had to deal with many and varied facade types. Roughly speaking, Wiborg can be divided into nine sub-projects, each with its own facade finish and detailing. In addition to seven types of brick, four types of mortar were used, which required close coordination. Both in the work preparation and during construction." As usual at Bouwbedrijf M.J. de Nijs en Zonen B.V., this project was also carried out in BIM, she says. "This made the couplings of the various facades, the height differences in the carcass and the arched elements in one of the buildings clearly visible. It also allowed us to check elements better, ensuring smooth execution and minimizing failure costs."

Challenging location

Still, plenty of challenges remained, according to Gruppen. "The project connects directly to two canals, which places high demands on drainage as well as the watertightness of the basement floors, for example. In addition, the special location affected the supply of materials. Our team held weekly planning meetings and carefully coordinated with all subcontractors. All materials were delivered just-in-time to the construction site and processed immediately, allowing us to keep an overview and ensure the speed of the work. A godsend, given the short construction lead time. A third challenge involved the installation of the car elevator in the parking garage, which replaces the traditional ramp and also placed special demands on the material supply." A special bicycle elevator ensures that bicycles can also be stored easily in the basement soon.

Like all other projects in the Houthaven, Bouwbedrijf M.J. de Nijs en Zonen B.V. was required to use special construction fencing, an automatic entrance gate and a porter. "Every 14 days we had consultations with the municipality. This forced us to be well organized, which we have by nature. From Conscious Builders, we even received a rating of 8 for all our efforts. We are very proud of that."

First-class finishing

Wiborg's roof is full of solar panels. In addition, the project is connected to Amsterdam's district heating network. "All homes are heated and cooled by underfloor heating," Gruppen says. "In addition, residents are assured of a first-class finish with plastered ceilings, painted in color, and sauce-ready plastered walls." De Jonge: "Approximately 30% of the residents opted for a casco delivery. We provided the other homes with a luxury bathroom and toilet. According to the buyers' wishes, an extra bathroom was added in some homes. Here and there, we also modified house layouts and/or changed the position of wall outlets and lighting switches." Gruppen: "Currently, the last homes are being delivered. In the coming weeks, all taps will be finished and the site cleared, after which all residents will be able to fully enjoy their new, unique residential location."  

Construction Info

Client 
Development Combination 
De Nijs - Beemsterboer HH1B B.V. 

Architect 
Boporai Associates architects 

Main contractor 
Construction company M.J. de Nijs en Zonen B.V.