Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
The Aurora Building in Amsterdam is a recognizable office from the mid-1960s. With a redevelopment, the appearance of the building will remain, but the inside will be renewed. Also in the basement, for example. De Heeren Bouwmeester performed a variety of concrete and construction work there, commissioned by Van Wijnen Amsterdam.
The basement plays a major role in adapting the building to today's requirements, says Arjen Eijlers, project manager at De Heeren Bouwmeester. With this kind of renovation, he says, the challenge is not in one big intervention, but in many separate parts that have to fit together. And precisely this collection of challenges is what enthuses the team at De Heeren Bouwmeester.
Work began with earthwork and leveling the basement floor. This was followed by additions to the existing floor, with cutting trays and DEMUs. An important part was the creation of a stairwell in the basement. Walls and intermediate floors were constructed there. Large piles were also poured. Screw injection piles and risers were installed in those piles. This was necessary because the work is below the water level. Steel columns were placed between the piles, between the basement deck and the floor. Finally, a new compression layer was poured over the basement floor.
In addition to the basement, De Heeren Bouwmeester also tackled the stairwell and atrium. “A section had to be sealed there and finished with steel plate concrete,” he said.”
Eijlers emphasizes the benefit of early consultation with the general contractor and consultants. “For the general contractor, it is important to involve an experienced and knowledgeable party early. Then you get an efficient working method together.” At Aurora, this also led to practical choices on the construction site. For the stairwell, for example, De Heeren Bouwmeester suggested aluminum formwork. “Light material is pleasant in a cramped basement and also easy to reuse. That plays into the sustainability requirements, because of the BREEAM ambitions of this project. In terms of sustainability here, you can think of concrete with concrete granulate, which is thus partly reused.” According to Eijlers, working in Amsterdam requires these kinds of considerations more often, with weight restrictions and increasingly electric equipment.
He calls the puzzle in the basement characteristic of this project. The combination of limited space, working under the water level and fitting new structures into existing concrete requires precise preparation and coordination. This is precisely why Aurora fits well with De Heeren Bouwmeester's role as a specialist in interventions on existing buildings. “We prefer to do the special jobs.”
