One-day site-visit projects related by foundation decarbonization and Reuse

On May 30, the final day of the 2nd Annual Conference on Foundation Decarbonization and Re-use, the Geotechnical Department of KIVI will host a field day that can be attended separately from the main conference.

Participation does not require registration for the entire conference. The cost for the day is € 40,- for KIVI members and € 60 for non-members, which includes lunch.

For both the morning and the afternoon various options are available, and participants can select which of these options they would like to attend.

If you're interested in practical examples of foundation decarbonization and reuse in and around Amsterdam, this field day is for you and we hope that you will join us.

Morning program

Tour 1: NDSM Kraanbaan
9.00 – 11.30hrs

Sweco holds sustainability in the highest regard. One of the most sustainable practices is reusing existing structures. Our structural consultants, frequently evaluate plans involving existing buildings to determine the potential for retaining or reusing as much as possible.

We are excited to invite visitors to our Amsterdam office at Kraanspoor for a morning session. We'll begin with a tour of the building, a prime example of sustainability where the old Kraanspoor has been transformed into modern office spaces. Although Sweco was not the consultant for this project, they consistently aim to make sustainable choices in the office selections.

Following the tour, the participants will move to the 4th floor, where there will be a presentation how Sweco integrates sustainability into structural designs. Two projects will be highlighted where existing buildings are expanded: one from 1989 in Amsterdam and another from 1975 in Amersfoort. Both projects involved significant challenges for the existing foundations. Insights will be shared into the iterative process between the structural consultants and the geotechnical consultants in assessing the feasibility of reusing these foundations.

Tour 2: Historical Quay Walls and Bridges in Amsterdam
8.30 – 11.45hrs

In this morning tour, we will start with a presentation about the geotechnical assessment of quay walls and bridges in the inner city of Amsterdam. After the presentation(s) and a cup of coffee, we will start walking towards Amsterdam Central Station from the PBK visitor center of the municipality. We will come across a range of centuries-old buildings and structures from which the foundation has been assessed, inspected, and reused to increase its life span. Participants will have a 1.5-to-2-hour leisurely stroll to experience examples of foundation re-use in-person, with plenty of opportunity to discuss the technical details of the projects.  

Tour 3: The Edge in Amsterdam
9.00 – 11.30hrs 

The Edge is “a place where history, technology and modern architecture merge to create a biophilic and sustainable office environment. An absolute eye-catcher in the architectural landscape of Amsterdam, this redevelopment is an office where people can collaborate, develop and be inspired daily”. During the first day of the conference there will be a panel discussion with all the participants of this project (including the owner, the architect, the structural engineer, and the regulatory agency), but during the field day the participants have the opportunity to visit the building itself and to have a more in-depth discussion as the review the construction drawings.

Afternoon program

Tour 1: Museum ‘t Schip and Westergas Factory
13.00 – 16.00hrs

During this afternoon program, we will start at Museum ‘t Schip with an in-depth presentation about the history, redevelopment and foundation assessment of the Westergas Factory in Amsterdam. The site is located on the West side of the city and was built in the 19^th century to supply the city’s energy demand. Nowadays, it is a recreational and cultural site hosting many events. The presentation will explain technical details and challenges such as soil pollution, foundation inspection, and other monitoring tools to be able to re-use and maintain the monumental buildings in the future. The program will continue in a walking tour around the “Spaarndammerbuurt” showing examples of the Dutch “Amsterdamse School” architecture. Last but not least, we will end our afternoon program at the Westergas site to walk around the explained area and spot signs of foundation re-use and monitoring.

Tour 2: The Koepel
13.00 – 15.30hrs

The Koepel (the Cupola) is the former dome shaped prison building in Haarlem just west of Amsterdam. After the prison was closed in 2016, the building was used in various ways, and then between 2020 and 2022 it was converted to a multi-purpose building. It now houses a university and a movie theater and is the home of numerous start-ups that rent former cells as their office space. During the visit the facility will be toured, after which there will be a more in-depth discussion how this conversion, that included creating space underneath the original floor for the movie theater, was realized.