Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
On the outskirts of Amsterdam Sloterdijk, the Makerstoren brings together stacked commercial spaces, workshops, offices and apartments. There are also general facilities such as catering, a library and a gym. It is the first time for Staton Bouw to see this combination together in a project.
Project manager Axel Bruystens says Staton Bouw was involved in the project early on. “We have good experience with high-rise, commercial and residential construction. That's all in here.” In the first phase, the construction company thought along with the client about the feasibility. “In the construction team phase, we optimized many points to make the project a reality.”
The biggest challenge was in the compact construction site. Which, on the outskirts of Amsterdam, was very limited. On-site storage was hardly possible.
“We worked just-in-time. Trucks arrived and materials were placed directly from the truck.” That required tight coordination with suppliers and the municipality, such as temporary roadways.
On the construction site, many parties were working simultaneously. “Good communication is indispensable then.” There were daily meetings to monitor safety and planning. The limited space made working with equipment extra difficult. “Often two aerial platforms could not even drive past each other,” Bruystens illustrates. The execution team was therefore constantly present with several people. “Purely to direct subcontractors and ensure safety.”
The 40-meter-high Makerstoren has a steel main load-bearing structure, combined with a cast-in-place core and hollow-core slabs. The front facade consists largely of glass. This placed additional demands on the execution, especially on a small construction site. The glass facades are the real eye-catcher of the building. “When people ask what the Makerstoren is, I immediately think of the large glass facades with the durable wooden CLT stairs behind them and behind the yellow glass the bright yellow stairs. That immediately stands out.”
Several sustainable and circular choices were made in the project, such as recycled concrete and CLT wood for the stairs and balustrades. The steel structure is demountable. Seven waste streams were separated at the construction site. Infiltration crates and sedum roofs were also installed for water buffering. As such, the building is targeting a BREEAM Good certification.
The Makerstoren stands in an industrial park on the edge of town. According to Bruystens, the building marks a turning point. “This is the first development in an area where more developments will undoubtedly follow. This building is going to give the whole area a boost.”
