Hyde Park: lively capital district

'Our aluminum window frames and curtain walls look great in Notting Hill block'

Notting Hill

Responsible for the development of Hyde Park are Snippe Projecten and BPD Ontwikkeling. For the construction of Notting Hill building block, they chose main contractor KBM Groep. "A contractor we can rely on for more than 20 years," says André Snippe. Building block Notting Hill, designed by Roberto Meyer of MVSA Architects, was inspired by the London neighborhood of the same name and consists of six buildings around a central courtyard. Notting Hill contains a range of aluminum facade solutions from Intal. In addition to Notting Hill, Intal is also providing aluminum facade solutions for Camden Town (together with Dura Vermeer) and Knightsbridge (together with Heddes Bouw
& Development).

Luxury look

"The luxurious look is reflected in the choices of materials for the building envelope of each individual building," says Michel van den Berg, Architectural Consultant at Intal. "Luxury cladding bricks will be used and there will be special colors here and there on the aluminum window frames. Furthermore, daylighting and thermal insulation play a major role in this project. Noise, privacy and quality are also important factors because of the outdoor spaces, the proximity to highway and train station, and the adjacent blocks." On this project, Intal is providing a whole range of aluminum facade products. "From sliding doors to curtain walls and various aluminum window and door series, including Harbour Fenster: our innovative aluminum facade solution with a unique combination of ventilation, noise reduction (13 dB) and interior washing. The high level of quality and aesthetics combined with the warranty that Intal issues contributed to the choice of our systems," Van den Berg says. 

A lot of repetitive work

This project involved both a large amount of repetitive window frames, and beautiful custom solutions: the combination that Intal is so strong at. "With the approximately 6,500 m2 of window frames, we standardized some things, such as the hidden hardware. Many frames were delivered by us prefabricated so that they could be assembled efficiently on the project site. Where that was not possible, at some loggias for example, we developed beautiful solutions with inside and outside corners in consultation with Hyde Park. Furthermore, we delivered 1,000 m2 of curtain wall for the commercial space on the first floor." Van den Berg emphasizes that Harbour Fenster is an important facade solution for this project: "Aesthetically, Harbour Fenster completely matches the other window frames and functionally, of course, because of the combination of ventilation, noise reduction and glass washing from the inside." Intal has set up profiles, color samples and trial elements in the Hyde Park showroom especially for architects and interested parties. "Also, there is a mock-up of our Harbour Window in Snippe's Experience Center."

Ideal construction partner

Van den Berg: "At Intal, we like to work with permanent partners. We have short lines of communication and can move quickly because we do everything in-house." It makes Intal an ideal construction partner for these types of large projects. As a systems house and facade builder in one, the company offers absolute added value in both product and process. Hans Barnhoorn, superintendent at KBM Group for Notting Hill Hyde Park project, agrees: "If all parties working on Notting Hill performed like Intal, I would be very satisfied." He gave Intal an 8.5 during the latest client evaluation. "A great result," agrees Schipper, "because our aspiration is an 8."

Sustainable cooperation

Conversely, Intal is just as pleased with the long-term cooperation with KBM. Schipper: "We have already acted as a partner for the aluminum frame and curtain wall systems in many KBM projects. These years of cooperation have shown time and again that trust and openness, some core values we share with KBM, lead to successful projects. With significantly better performance, happier team members and satisfied clients. The years of preparation, in which we faced many challenges together in advance in the areas of budget and realization, among others, we also turned this project into a successful execution and a beautiful final result."