From concrete behemoth to modern office building

In 2015, the aging 'Apollo Plaza' office building in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht literally went under the hammer. Now the forty-year-old building is again ready for the future. Owner De Mijl Vastgoed and application company IJsselmonde, the contractor for the facade work, look back with pride on this successful metamorphosis.

The Mile Realty bought the property at auction and initially fixed up the inside. Within a short time, all offices were leased. "Last year the plan for large-scale preservation of the building took definite shape," says co-owner Martijn Onnink of De Mijl Vastgoed. "With this we gave the building a second life, with new installations, a new insulating and air-purifying roof, plastic window frames with triple glazing and a renewed, fully insulated facade. The building transformed from concrete behemoth to a sleek and modern office building."

The end wall in detail.

Exterior wall insulation best option

De Mijl Vastgoed commissioned IJsselmonde for the aesthetic and energetic improvement of the facades. Onnink: "Sto's exterior wall insulation, which IJsselmonde works exclusively with, was the best option for us. Moreover, we were charmed by a number of IJsselmonde's reference projects." The StoTherm Classic exterior wall insulation system was chosen on this project. Jacco Oostenbrug of IJsselmonde explains, "First, we glue an insulation layer onto the original exterior wall. On top of that we apply a reinforcement layer and then the top layer. The facade finish on this job consists mostly of white stucco. The first floor, the facade above the circular entrance and some accent areas are done with mineral stone strips."

The distinctive circular entrance to the office building, executed in mineral stone strips.

Pleasant cooperation

"The rounding in the facade, as well as the large neggen edges of the window frames, were a point of attention in the execution," said IJsselmonde project manager Tymen van der Werf. "Despite this, the work went smoothly. Especially the cooperation with the client was pleasant. Martijn Onnink was very involved in the project and kept the tenants well informed of developments and upcoming work." Onnink is also satisfied: "The building is beautiful and can again last at least forty years."