Not everything was better in the past, but some principles were smart. The sustainable benefits of separating the load-bearing structure from the building services, in this case by means of a column structure with beams and floors, are clearly visible in this old office building in the Buitenveldertselaan in Amsterdam. It’s one of the reasons why we think the Kroonenberg Groep made excellent choice by acquiring this property.

Because no load-bearing facades and walls were used, the architects at Dam & Partners have almost complete freedom to redesign not only the outside, but also the inside as they see fit. This is a great example of how sustainability starts with the design - by separating structure and installations.

It doesn't stop there. By replacing the roof with a Slimline floor, an additional 800 m2 of lettable area has been added to the building. For this purpose, the contractor De Geus Bouw completely removed the existing roof and installed lightweight Slimline floor elements between the existing construction.

The choice for a Slimline floor to top up an existing construction makes a lot of sense. The floors are relatively light (350 kg/m2 incl. top floor), have a fire resistance of more than 145 minutes and offer excellent sound insulation. The Slimline floor is a self-supporting and dry floor system that guarantees quick installation without inconvenience or delay of work on the underlying floors.

In this specific project, with a circulation area and roof terrace, the floors in the office area are equipped with higher IPE beams and a Lewis top floor from Reppel applied on site. This eliminates the need to create a labor-intensive raised floor and creates a smooth transition from inside to outside.

All structural steel in the floor area in the longitudinal direction of the building, previously used for the head cantilevers and supporting the roof columns, has been removed. Thanks to a smart beam layout in the Slimline floor elements, the function of all that steel has been taken over by the beams of the Slimline floor. Cantilevered Slimline floor elements are suspended from the adjacent Slimline floor elements.

Are you curious about the benefits that Slimline can offer your top-up or new construction on an existing foundation? Please feel free to contact us. We are happy to advise you on the best solution for your project.