The largest Dutch municipality, a leading German construction company and a Dutch mould builder - these are the ingredients for an international collaboration in the construction of a new bicycle parking garage. The garage is part of the De Entree renewal project on the centre side of Amsterdam Central Station. Max Bögl, which is responsible for the implementation of project De Entree, engaged Hendriks precon for a formwork that will be used to realise the iconic columns in the garage.
The centre side of Amsterdam Central Station is being revamped. Over five years, the entire area from the station building to Damrak and from Kamperbrug to Droogbak will be tackled. Project De Entree was awarded to contractor Max Bögl. With the project, the municipality aims to make the entire area more transparent and attractive. To this end, the water surface will be extended and a new underground cycle shed for 7,000 bicycles will be built. Furthermore, all tram tracks and stops will be renovated and made suitable for people with disabilities. All in all, the work will ensure that the historic spot in front of the central station will become a breath of fresh air for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.
Situated between Prins Hendrikkade and Stationsplein, De Entree's bicycle parking garage is located - over nine metres below ground level - below the surface of the water. The difference in height is bridged by a monumental entrance through which the user is led down by moving walkways. The wall along which the escalators run is designed as a quay wall with a flowing form of jagged basalt stone. The bicycle parking garage itself has a completely sleek and flowing appearance. Contributing to this appearance are the slender columns with striking drop shape - a nod by the architect to the underwater location.
To produce these double-curved columns, Max Bögl approached Hendriks precon. The columns have a height of 3 metres. In the large open car park, they fulfil an important visibility and signalling function. This is why architects place high demands on the surface quality of the concrete.
In close consultation with Max Bögl, Hendriks precon designed a steel formwork consisting of two equal parts, one fixed and one movable. Forming the complex, semi-parabolic shape from sheet steel required a lot of skill and inventiveness. The solution was found in the partial bending and cutting of the steel to rejoin the resulting steel origami pieces into a flowing whole.
The two steel mould sections are bolted in place before pouring and are provided with reinforcement, also supplied by Hendriks precon. At the top of the formwork, a working platform is provided for safe reinforcement and pouring. In total, Max Bögl is producing 129 columns for the bicycle parking garage.
