‘This is going to be a very exceptional building.’ Paul Spaargaren from BAM Wonen is talking about The George, the building currently under construction on Boelegracht in Amsterdam.
Exceptional and complex | The George
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Newly built apartments The George | Zuidas, Amsterdam
It is still a deep construction pit at the moment; the bricklayers will be able to start work on a unique pattern using glazed bricks in early 2019. Prepared down to the finest details: digitally and at the construction site. ‘Everything has already been coordinated logistically’, says the project manager.
Preparation process
With six to eight bricklayers on the scaffolds, Spaargaren anticipates that the masonry for The George will take six months to complete. Spaargaren is senior project manager for special projects at BAM wonen and is intensively involved in this role in the completion of The George. From the very first design. ‘The only way to execute this kind of project well is to put a lot of time and energy into the preparation process. Everything has been carefully coordinated with the architect and with Wienerberger: how the design is translated into brick, as well as the construction logistics.'
The mock-ups that were made for the project are standing in a corner of the construction site. ‘It’s also a good exercise for the bricklayers,’ says Spaargaren. ‘The mock-ups given everyone a sense and idea of what we’re actually going to create. The mock-up has been used to devise a number of additional brick models and we also looked at how the frames can be mounted in these facades.’
Models and codes
The masonry pattern consists of pixels with different coloured glazed bricks, which incorporates a relief. ‘Each colour uses three brick models that are used frequently for the main pixels. You also have the shaped bricks for the edges and the relief. There are approximately seven of each colour. In addition, a number of specific locations have uniquely shaped bricks. With five colours – that adds up to: over fifty different shapes and colours that make up the entirety. Each brick has a unique code in the BIM mode,’ explains the project manager. ‘Obviously, we’ve made it as simple as possible. The three most commonly used bricks are placed on the scaffold, per 1.20 metres of facade height. That is the approximate amount that can be laid each day. The special bricks – the seven other models – are transported in a wheelbarrow by the bricklayer.’ The precise quantities have been calculated for each layer with Wienerberger: the models and colours. ‘Wienerberg delivers by layer to keep things clear,’ according to Spaargaren. ‘You’re actually only aiming to grab a brick once; that’s the plan.’
Intensive pointing
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It goes without saying that a project like The George demands that everyone, even the bricklayers, go the extra mile. Spaargaren: ‘You look for that as a matter of course. We want bricklayers who love special projects. And fortunately, we have found them.’ The bricklayers set to work using plastic-coated A3 drawings. ‘We think that provides sufficient guidance. You should also be able to draw the pixels on the insulation material, but it’s probably not necessary.’
Spaargaren thinks that the bricklayers will be able to keep up with the building pace. A different scenario exists for the pointing in five colours. ‘That will be a highly intensive job. From the bottom to the top, colour by colour. And after each colour they need to clean everything properly; no residue must be left on the surface. That will certainly be a challenge, because mortar is always falling off. It is definitely going to require more time and attention,’ says the project manager. ‘But once the scaffolding is taken down… then there be something really exceptional.’
Van der Pol: ‘This is a north-facing facade, which is the reason why we wanted glazed bricks, due to the way they shine and reflect light.’
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