The idea of the milkmaid has been implemented in the balcony glazing.

The Catharina in Zaandam

In 1632, Russian Tsar Peter the Great lived briefly in Zaandam to learn about shipbuilding, among other things. The street names in the Russian Quarter between the railway and the old harbor subtly refer to this period. The same applies to the De Catharina residential tower, named after a Russian tsarina who was at least as important. The impressive 16-story residential tower is clad in glazed green bricks reminiscent of a satin skirt and nodding to the mosaic history of the area. For the shape of the building, architect Liesbeth van der Pol of Dok Architects opted for a quirky milkmaid carrying a yoke with milk buckets on her shoulders. This idea is also reflected in the balconies of De Catharina and in the balcony glazing by Solarlux.

De Catharina offers space for 103 rental apartments, 42 of which are in the mid-price segment and 61 in the private sector. The top floors also feature spacious, double-height penthouses with stunning views over the city. A total of 74 balconies were installed, for which Solarlux supplied the balcony glazing. “We were involved in De Catharina by contractor Bot Bouw as early as 2020, to contribute ideas about the balcony glazing in this project,” says senior account manager André Jansen. “Instead of just providing a quote, we identified the desired connections, details, and any potential issues at an early stage. One challenge, for example, was the large dimensional tolerances. Another was the steel decorative structure for the building, which had an impact on how our balcony glazing could be opened and slid open. Our highly experienced work planner Auke Postma visited the construction site several times to examine all the details carefully.”

Second home facade

For this project, Solarlux's Proline T slide-and-turn system was chosen, which stands out thanks to its extremely narrow profile views. “The balcony glazing provides a so-called ‘second skin’ for the exterior façade,” says Jansen. “The transparent sliding/turning system acts as an intermediary between the outdoor and indoor climate and makes smart use of the air heated by the sun, allowing residents to enjoy extra living space in the early, high, and late seasons. Thanks to the ingenious system, they can ventilate as desired and set the sliding/turning panels to a day/night ventilation position to make optimal use of the weather conditions. In good weather, Proline T can also be opened completely.“

Construction of a milkmaid

The balcony glazing is mounted on the balcony railings from Wopereis Barendsen. “Initially, we planned to position all the wings exactly in the center of two balconies,” says Jansen. “In consultation with the structural engineer and contractor, we recommended moving these wings to the outer sides. This ties in with the milkmaid concept, which reflects the architect's vision down to the smallest details.”