Building on a postage stamp

New construction and renovation of a monumental school building

Construction company Van Wijnen of Stolwijk is handling the renovation and expansion of the Galvanischool in The Hague. After the necessary struggles, the school building will be completed by the end of the year.

The project includes a large-scale renovation of the existing building and an extension at the rear of the school. Construction started back in 2018, then with a different main contractor. However, the latter went bankrupt fairly soon after, which led the client to issue another tender in 2019. Van Wijnen Stolwijk was awarded the contract and started in 2020, until construction came to a halt again due to various objection procedures. Mark Terlouw, project manager at Bouwbedrijf van Wijnen Stolwijk, says: "In the meantime, the judge has decided that the project can go ahead and we are in full swing. It was especially annoying for the residents of the neighborhood. They wanted a new school, but the completion has now been delayed for almost five years. In addition, they have been in a construction pit all this time."

Many materials already in stock

By early 2022, the objection procedures were behind us, but during that period the prices of glass, gasoline, gas, steel and aluminum rose because of the situation in Ukraine. "And so we had to sit down again with the client to make a new budget. In the end, we couldn't really get back to full work until spring. Fortunately, we already had many materials on hand. Concrete prefab walls, for example, usually take a long time to deliver. We had them ready for three years. The same was true for the window frames. So we could start again quickly."

Meanwhile, the shell of the new building is at height. On the first floor will be a large gymnasium with two floors of classrooms above. "Currently, the last wood frame elements are going in and the roofer is also in full swing. The renovation will come right after this. The plan is to be able to deliver the school building by the end of the year."

Monumental building

All in all, it is a special project, also because it is a monumental building from 1898. Thus, the monumental staircase had to be preserved. "Due to years of vacancy, the building has also suffered some damage. For example, there was a leak after a storm, which caused the stucco to come loose." The entire building will therefore be re-plastered and wallpapered, and there will be new flooring in the classrooms, new ceilings, interior door frames and interior walls. A heat recovery system will also be installed and the electrical system renewed. The glasswork will be replaced and fitted with screen blinds. Finally, there will be a new schoolyard at the front and new sports plazas with a large bicycle storage area at the rear.

"The combination of renovation and transformation makes it a fun project. although the location is challenging. For the new building we use prefabricated concrete walls, which are put in place with large cranes. That is quite a puzzle in the narrow streets around the school. We also can't store anything on site, so everything is delivered the moment we need it and put in place immediately. It really is building on a postage stamp. Fortunately, in consultation with the local residents, everything is proceeding in good harmony."