Kulturhus De Spil, Nieuwleusen | Hardwood alternative for facade Kulturhus De Spil

For the realization of Kulturhus De Spil in Nieuwleusen, LKS- VDD Architecten decided to clad the facade with NobelWood from Foreco Houtproducten from Dalfsen. Cladding company Keppelink Projecten from Vriezenveen installed the softwood on the new development center.

"A great alternative to tropical hardwood." That's how Gert Swager of Foreco Wood Products describes NobelWood. Using biobased chemistry, the fastest growing softwood in the world is modified. "The softwood gets the same look and enjoys the same life span as tropical hardwood."

Local cooperation

From Nieuwleusen, not far from the location of Foreco Wood Products in Dalfsen, the municipality requested main contractor Jansman Bouw to work with local suppliers. The latter decided to work with Keppelink Projecten, which had already installed the wood from Foreco Houtproducten before, to install the cladding.

Kulturhus De Spil in Nieuwleusen.

Gert Swager: "Indeed, we have already worked together in several projects. This project was challenging and also larger than average in size." Over the entire length of the facade, 20 kilometers of wood were used, in different widths of 140, 90 and 65 millimeters.

Because of the modification, NobelWood meets durability class 1. After impregnation, the wood is heated, after which a polymerization process begins that takes ten weeks.

Foreco Houtproducten was responsible for the complete production process: the material was made, processed and planed in Dalfsen so that it could be delivered to the construction site as a total product. Then it was Keppelink Projecten' turn to assemble the work so that a nice pattern was created. Swager: "In good consultation with Keppelink Projecten, a product was delivered, a process that went well for us. The demand for sustainable products that last a long time is increasing, as is the demand for sustainable production using biopolymers. With NobelWood, we are filling the growing demand for tropical hardwood in a sustainable way."

Insulated support structure

For Keppelink Projecten, which focuses entirely on the supply and installation of facade cladding, it was not the first time that it had worked with Foreco Wood Products in this way. Keppelink: "The planning that we have together-

am prepared, has been amply achieved. After mounting the final cladding of Foreco Wood Products on the facade, we also made the fully insulated support construction. Per project we look at what the thermal resistance of a construction should be, which in this case was an Rc value of 4.5."

At peak times, employees of Keppelink Projects averaged ten people at the workshop. After fifteen weeks, the work was over for them.

The wood, with an FSC seal of approval, is maintenance-free and is expected to serve the facade for more than 50 years. In July 2018, just before the summer vacations, the Kulturhus was completed. Keppelink looks back on a "fantastic project. "Recently I drove back to our facility in Vriezenveen from Staphorst. With pleasure I drove a little detour, to have another look at the premises in Nieuwleusen." Meanwhile, Foreco Houtproducten and Keppelink Projecten have already started work on another project: the front of a company building is being taken care of.