Duinhotel Breezand in Vrouwenpolder:

'Preliminary process with a lot of practical knowledge had its advantages'

With many round shapes and various green roofs, Duinhotel Breezand in Vrouwenpolder, Zeeland, is a real eye-catcher. Contractor Bouwgroep Peters was involved in the project at an early stage to help think about implementation.

Project manager Gert-Jan Dronkers looks back on Bouwgroep Peters' role in the construction of Duinhotel Breezand with a satisfied feeling. "Actually, only the first pen strokes were on paper when we were involved in the project in a kind of construction team. This was a conscious choice by client Breezand Vakanties and doesn't happen very often. We were asked to contribute our practical knowledge to the design process - a process in which everyone was left to their own devices. This led to a brilliant design and had its advantages during implementation. It allowed us to deliver before the deadline."

Temporary substructure

Budget-wise, Dronkers points out, some knots had to be cut in that preliminary phase. Among other things, the planned basement was dropped. A challenge during construction, he says, was the structure. "A concrete skeleton normally involves both columns and walls. In this building, only columns were, so we had to put in a temporary substructure with stability towers and underpinning for stabilisation." That, combined with the pyramid-like shape of the building, required some extra thinking. "You normally build the shell upwards and then make the building wind- and watertight in reverse order. Because of the supporting structure, however, that wasn't possible here. So then you have to come up with other solutions."

The round shapes in the design were given extra attention, in terms of size, in the preparation.

Comfortable and durable

The round shapes in the design did not pose many problems. "We paid extra attention to that in terms of dimensions in the preparation. The same applied to the installations," says Dronkers, who goes on to explain that an installation consultant and two installers were already involved during the preliminary process. "Comfort and indoor climate are two essential concerns, especially in a hotel, as is sustainability. Among other things, heat pumps were installed and solar panels were installed on the roof. Moreover, the method of insulation was carefully considered and some green roofs were created. Furthermore, in terms of materials, only sustainable wood has been used." He then points to the anhydrite screeds. "That was deliberately chosen, because of the time savings, because you can work faster and because they enclose the floor heating better."

The first construction activities for the hotel, the laying of the pile foundation, started in autumn 2018. And although there was a lost-time period of between three and four weeks in all during the winter period, construction could be delivered in November 2019, before the deadline. "So thanks to that careful preparation and to good communication during the construction work. Two schedules were used: an overall schedule and a schedule for the finishing phase, when all subcontractors were known. Based on the latter planning, there were fortnightly consultations within the execution team. In addition, there was a daily check to see if we were still on schedule. That worked fine, resulting in a beautiful new hotel for Breezand Vakanties."