Jerusalem Block N | Amsterdam

On the site of former nursing home 'Willem Dreeshuis' on the Hugo de Vrieslaan in Amsterdam, the finishing touches are being put on Jeruzalem Blok N, which includes the construction of 86 two- and three-room apartments for the social rental sector. The new construction project consists of two volumes, namely an eight-story high-rise and a four-story low-rise. Both buildings are connected by a covered and enclosed bicycle shed. All apartments have an area between 46 to 61 square meters and are built around an indoor gallery and elevator. A full-width outdoor space not only ensures optimal living enjoyment, but also gives the new construction plan a special aesthetic.

The design of Jerusalem Block N was in the hands of Studioninedots. IMd Raadgevende Ingenieurs drew the structure, while Bouwbedrijf M.J. de Nijs en Zonen BV is responsible for construction. "The new building is traditionally constructed of in-situ poured walls and wide slab floors," says Frank Ligthart, manager at Bouwbedrijf M.J. de Nijs en Zonen BV. "Precast concrete was chosen for the elevator cores and stairwells. Both buildings have flat roofs with slope insulation and standard roofing. PV panels have been installed on the roofs, providing part of the energy needs of the homes. The facades of the residential blocks are finished with Eternit facade cladding on an HSB substructure, combined with aluminum sliding doors and plain doors."

Special treatment balcony slabs
"We surrounded each floor with precast balcony slabs with a white cement," said Ligthart. "On these slabs are prefabricated decorative discs, which give the balconies a special look and feel. In addition, all precast balcony slabs were treated with hydrochloric acid; a process that is not (yet) common in the Netherlands and for which we diverted to Mouscron, Belgium." The acid treatment loosened and removed the smooth concrete skin/top layer of the balcony slabs, he says. "The natural concrete products emerged as a result. A specific wish of the architect, because the adhesion of dirt is greatly reduced by this."

To ensure that rainwater can run off the balconies properly, the noses of the balconies as well as the front of the decorative discs are post-treated with a water repellent coating.

Perfect connection
The construction was done fairly traditionally. "The work was easily manageable, with the exception of the balconies, which caused some headaches," says Ligthart. "All balconies were connected to the wet wide slab floors with Isokorf anchoring systems, which required temporary support.  

Only after removing this support did the balconies set definitively, where we had to secure a perfect connection to the external corners, with a maximum deviation of only 6 mm. By no means a sinecure, but thanks to good preparation and coordination we succeeded well in this." Shortly before completion, Ligthart therefore looks back on a project that went "by the book, in fine cooperation with client Rochdale.

Neighborhood Renewal
The new construction of Jerusalem Block N is part of a renewal plan for the entire Jerusalem neighborhood, where Rochdale owns the vast majority of the homes. Some of the homes will be replaced with new construction, but the vast majority of the neighborhood will be renovated with respect for the urban structure. In addition, the public space will be redesigned. As developing contractor, Bouwbedrijf M.J. de Nijs en Zonen BV is also involved in the new construction of two adjacent residential blocks (G and H) with a total of 82 single-family homes, which will be delivered in the second half of 2019.