Havenkwartier

The project

The Havenkwartier is being realised by Heijmans and reflects the character of Katendrecht: stubborn, tough and at the same time intimate and playful. The leading design incorporates elements of post-war reconstruction architecture and is inspired by the characteristic harbour buildings in Rotterdam's inland ports. A combination of materials such as concrete, aluminium, wood and large areas of glass contribute to the layered, sophisticated design. And thus to Rotterdam's reputation as a city of architecture.

The housing offer in the Havenkwartier is more than diverse. There are two hundred homes in all shapes and sizes and for all stages of life.

The challenge

The challenge was to develop a method of installing wooden façade elements from the inside for a high-rise project in Rotterdam. The standard system using J-anchors, rubbers and pressure plates is not always workable for the increasingly thicker elements. This is because more and more often frames are placed inside the elements, so that the weight to be carried is on the outside of the element.

The solution

In cooperation with Heijmans and the joinery, various solutions were considered. First, a strip was devised in which a vertical lip is welded onto the strip. In practice, this works very well because the weight and wind load are absorbed in one product. However, producing such a large project turned out to be very labour-intensive. We have therefore developed this product into a shaped strip with punched lips. This product no longer needs to be galvanised afterwards and can be sent to the customer as soon as it is ready. If the element is placed on the assembled strip, the element can be simply screwed on from the inside.

Want to know more about Gebr. Bodegraven's capabilities in construction anchoring and project consultancy? Email us at techniek@gb.nl or call +31 (0)172 520 110.

Reference projects