Striking 'landmarks' in Dordrecht

Opposite the Overkamppark in Dordrecht, stand three striking "landmarks. The three slender residential towers are located in Dubbeldam, also known as the green backyard of Dordrecht. It is a dynamic area where the view will never get boring. But so is the view of the residential towers themselves.

The slender towers have a modern appearance and look different on each side. The facade has a rhythmic alternation between transparent and more closed sections. Contractor BAM Woningbouw realized all three towers in phases, but faced a major challenge after the construction of the first tower.

The aluminum sidings come from Aluform and are applied in standard 300mm without shadow joint in the color Pirite Gold Olive. The special Euramika coating process creates the beautiful pearl effect.(Image: Aluform System GmbH)

High quality appearance

Bernhard Vellinga, Area Manager Benelux at Aluform System GmbH explains, "The aluminum sidings used on the first tower were no longer produced by the supplier at the time. The company Bijlbouw, a specialist in roof and facade systems and working on this project, asked Aluform to think along and offer a perfect alternative." Guus Hoogland (Bijlbouw) adds: "Especially the specific color and pearl effect of these sidings are very important for the high-quality appearance of the building. That has to be perfect." Veillinga: "With Bijlbouw's precise description of tower 1, we set to work. From our own production design, we applied the standard 300mm wide siding without a shadow joint in the right color (Pirite Gold Olive) and provided it with the special Euramika coating that gives you the pearl effect." As an extra in the standard range of 200-500mm, Aluform offers variable dimensions so that a facade-fitting product in terms of dimensions can be made without coming up with all kinds of complicated details.

The shape, the masonry, the color stones in combination with the high-quality aluminum in a unique color, give the residential towers of Overkamppark a unique appearance. (Image: Aluform System GmbH)

Accents make the difference

"The uniqueness is in the overall picture," Vellinga believes. "Combining traditional brick with glass, open areas and contemporary aluminum creates a special whole. Especially with that pearl effect of the aluminum sidings. If you look at the entire facade, it is the small accents within that facade that make the difference."

Only a fraction of the total facade (about 10%) consists of Aluform's aluminum sidings. But it is precisely these that make the difference in the overall appearance. (Image: Aluform System GmbH)

Care

"We may supply the right materials," says Vellinga, "but that's not all...it also has to be processed in the right way. And that is the beauty of our long-term relationship with Bijlbouw: they are so experienced that I don't have to advise them. Careful work is extremely important for this kind of work and Bijlbouw really connects the dots. Whether a job is simple or complex, if they do it, they do it well and only if it is technically possible." Hoogland does dare to admit that at Bijlbouw they work with attention. "In this project, that was especially important when building a slender cavity, which had to be insulated from the concrete, followed by battens on which the siding was applied. Keeping in mind the high insulation values that had to be achieved."

"Bijlbouw's expertise in rear structures, twisting and insulation is top-notch, we can sometimes learn something from that," Vellinga adds. "At Aluform we always go for good quality and careful preparation, elaboration, production and delivery. That deserves attention and 100% accuracy. Just like Bijlbouw who really takes the time for that. Carefulness is in our DNA, both at Aluform and Bijlbouw."

And all this then leads to something as beautiful as the residential towers of Overkamppark. The shape, the masonry, the color stones combined with the high-quality aluminum in a unique color, give the building a fancy look.