Puzzle work of wood and steel

Visser Konstruktie Veenwouden BV provided the steel support structure for It Swettehûs. The complexity lay in the combination of steel and wood. Project leader Eelke Hofman: "We are known for not shying away from a challenge!"

It Swettehûs is a largely Frisian project, carried out by Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma. "This is a business partner of ours, so they know our expertise. We are not purely a hall builder, but like to focus on special constructions." In the case of It Swettehûs, steel was combined with lots of new and used wood. "Some of it is visible, the steel columns and trusses for example, but the metal plates and brackets connecting the wooden beams are not."

A&I Kwant BV of Veendam did the 3D engineering for Visser Konstruktie. "In close consultation with the contractor and the chief structural engineer, she worked out for us in detail how we could best combine steel and wood." Even on the construction site, the brackets that connected wood and steel caused puzzle work. "Our mechanics were given these and had to see how to tie everything together. For example, first consoles had to be mounted to girders in the right order before the girders could be lifted into place." Visser Konstruktie was on site continuously for nine weeks to build the shell with the wooden prefabricated floor elements. At a later stage, the stairs and railings were installed. "We are very satisfied with the beautiful project and the cooperation that went well," says Visser Konstruktie.