Foundation work on a listed building

The swampy ground in and around Amsterdam has been a source of concern for housebuilders and residents for centuries. Subsidence in old buildings is therefore certainly not news, although the buildings on Amstel 100-112 are a special case in point. This row of historic listed buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries has become known as the ‘dancing houses’ and has been a popular attraction on canal tours for years. Although, the buildings are now more slanted than ever, following the recent replacement of the old foundations, they will be able to withstand the test of time in the future. EversPartners took responsibility for the advice and engineering for the repairs to the foundations of Amstel 108, including the measures to ensure stability and the designs for the concrete and steel portals. There is no doubt that our wealth of experience in repairing foundations in Amsterdam city centre contributed to the result.

Groundwater levels

Our client’s wishes included a change to the height of the existing lower ground floor, and therefore increasing the existing ceiling height. This created some serious challenges because of the prescribed ratio between the height of the lower and raised ground floor. It was also important to avoid pumping away too much groundwater in order to ensure that the building’s foundation piles remain underwater. 'It proved to be a real puzzle to determine the maximum height and align it with the thickness of the floor and the foundations. We also had regular site visits to check on the reinforcement and work on the foundation piles,' says Construction Specialist Ronald de Jong.

Added value provided by EversPartners

Ronald de Jong: 'The location, the historic significance, all the research involved, and the support needed made "the dancing houses" into a challenging project. Thanks to our flexible approach, we were able to achieve an excellent match between the client’s wishes and the requirements and circumstances involved in renovating a monument of this kind. We also had regular consultations with the City of Amsterdam, architect, client and contractor. I’m proud that we were able to complete the project to everyone’s satisfaction.'

Architect
Architectenbureau W.J. Klein B.V., Wormerveer

Contractor
NCT Betonwerken B.V., Waverveen

Location
Amstel 100 t/m 112, Amsterdam

Year
2020

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