Steel to build on

STEEL STRUCTURE TO EXISTING STAR FACADE
Vic Obdam Steel Construction's steel structures lay the foundation for many a construction project. This company takes care of the entire process, from design to assembly. Regardless of whether it is a residential complex, an industrial hall or renovation. De Ster involved a transformation in which the steelwork was of great importance for the realization of the balconies.

Office buildings generally have little outdoor space. When an office building is transformed into a residential tower, that outdoor space has to be created somehow. Such was the case with De Ster in Rotterdam. Although the concrete shell was strong enough for the building's new function, the exterior walls were not suitable for balconies. As a result, the steel structure had to pass through the outer wall so that it could be structurally attached to the concrete shell. Vic Obdam supplied these and mounted them to the existing shell. It also put the new roof structure on top of the building and made a structure for the roof terrace on the tenth floor.

Everything correct

"With existing construction, you cannot rely on archive drawings. This is because these do not always reflect reality. When working out the steel structure, not everything always fits. That is why we also made adjustments to the structural engineer's drawings to make everything fit. For us, the complexity lay in the assembly to the existing shell, for which we had to drill through the facade," says project leader Oscar Obdam. To get this done, the building was completely measured even before it was in scaffolding. The facades were completely mapped. Vic Obdam's engineers could now map out where they would go through the exterior facades with the construction. It was property developer and builder Van Omme & De Groot who then made holes in the facades once the scaffolding was erected. Then the initial measurement was picked up again and traced back to the concrete shell. 

Multiple collaborations

Some 300,000 pounds of steel were delivered. The concrete slabs were also installed by Vic Obdam. At a later date, the fencing and cladding were installed by other parties. The cooperation went well, says Obdam. "We do complex renovation projects like this every day. Before De Ster, we provided The View of Rotterdam with a steel structure commissioned by Van Omme & De Groot. From that collaboration, we started picking up this work. I love it when you start doing the next project from a collaboration."