B(r)owing for the future

"When you work well with everyone involved, you see that you can do very complex work with great pleasure." According to Project Manager Gerwin Port of Salverda Bouw, this certainly applies to one of the largest and most complex renovations of the Heineken Experience. For this, the company works closely with Ideal Projects, which had a designing role and is responsible for project and process management.

"We work with established partners on special projects," said Port. "These projects have become increasingly larger and more complex. This is precisely why it is important to see the same dot on the horizon and not work against each other. Cross-project collaborations ensure that the various parties and individuals know each other's working methods well. The client benefits greatly from this."

Project manager at Ideal Projects Carola Menken: "We have already supervised several renovation projects for Heineken Experience. Because of its work on the Anne Frank House, Salverda also came our way. We are pulling together to further develop and design the building." This is a challenge, according to Menken. "The building has a rich history. In addition, the diversity of building parts from different construction years also plays a role. The building is partly monumental and is located on Stadhouderskade, surrounded by residents."

Indoor entrance and better routing

As with the Anne Frank House, the safety of waiting visitors is another reason for the (re)construction work at Heineken Experience. "More and more visitors are coming to the Heineken Experience and to leave them standing on the sidewalk is not desirable or welcoming," Menken said. The horse barn in the courtyard has been demolished to make way for a new entrance area. Visitors can enter the new indoor entrance area without a ticket and visit the Store, even without taking the regular tour. "Internally, good routing was lacking; we are now improving that as well," he said.   

Strengthen Character

Architect Marlies Boterman: "It is a very nice assignment. The buildings already have a lot of character, for example thanks to the boilers and silos. We want to strengthen the characteristics in each building section. For example, the boilers will be restored and allowed to be seen more. Visitors can even walk through one boiler. In the brewhouse, we looked for tiles that match the old tiles. The new part is more modern, so you clearly experience which part of the building you are in." Salverda has provided a realistic plan in which quality is maintained. Heineken itself is also closely involved and the Heineken colors of green and red can be seen everywhere.

"We're dealing with a lot of factors here," Port said. "The Heineken Experience remains open and there are a lot of local residents." Salverda is doing everything possible to limit the inconvenience. "There are weekly consultations with interested parties in order to respond quickly to complaints." Ideal Projects is very pleased with the cooperation. Boterman: "I am very happy with the attitude of Salverda, which actively thinks along and goes for quality. That makes the project more enjoyable and leads to a nicer result. We are also very proud of the craftsmen and craftswomen doing the work. Their craftsmanship is something you're going to see again."