Impressive craft visible at MIX Amsterdam

Masonry facades with vision

Six towers, 528 homes and 40 meters in the air: MIX Amsterdam forms the new heart of Osdorp district. In the midst of this urban transformation, Wessels Vakbouwers is delivering a top performance. "We are making the facades of this project from A to Z. That requires craftsmanship, cooperation and a lot of beautiful logistical puzzle work," says Tommy Zandbergen, Commercial Managing Director at Wessels Vakbouwers.

After six months of intensive engineering, Wessels Vakbouwers has been on the MIX Amsterdam construction site since early 2025. "We take care of the complete facade assembly," says Zandbergen. "From insulation to masonry and the assembly of our own lifting scaffolds."

The project demands more than standard solutions from the roof and facade expert. The combination of wooden frame construction, tall towers and a complex masonry method makes the work technically challenging. "Traditionally, you anchor the scaffolding to the facade, but because of the large windows this was not possible here. That requires clever engineering, creative thinking and expert knowledge."

Total approach with human eye

With more than 300 employees, Wessels Vakbouwers is the largest operating company within Wessels Bouwgroep. The team works daily on roofs and facades throughout the Netherlands. "What makes us strong is the combination of knowledge, equipment and well-trained people," says Zandbergen. "Through our own Academy, we train employees internally." And safety also receives structural attention. "We are on level three of the Safety Culture Ladder. This makes us one of a select group of construction partners that takes a truly integrated approach to safety."

Craft and automation

Although Wessels Vakbouwers works a lot with innovations, MIX Amsterdam is a relatively traditional project. "The stone dressings in this project are too complex for robotization. So we are doing this entirely by hand," Zandbergen explains. "And as proud as we are of the masonry robot we designed together with Heddes and Ropax, we also love this craft."

Team involvement is high. "I notice that colleagues are proud of MIX Amsterdam. Photos and videos fly back and forth in the group app. That's a lot of fun to see."

Building smart in a crowded city

An inner-city project requires sharp logistics. "With six towers under construction at the same time and limited space, we had to make a tight schedule, with deliveries outside rush hour. We also had to switch continuously with our regular partner Heddes," Zandbergen said. "We rotate six to eight masons from tower to tower. A nice dynamic."

A good combination

For Wessels Vakbouwers, MIX Amsterdam is a project where everything comes together: scale, complexity and room for craftsmanship. "It's great that we're not just the executor here, but were also able to participate in the preliminary process." 

Wessels Vakbouwers will complete the work at MIX Amsterdam by the end of 2025, well ahead of the scheduled completion in 2026. "With a project like this, we don't just build buildings, we build trust," concludes Zandbergen. "Both in our people, in our knowledge and expertise and in our partners. This makes us happy!"