Where in Zuidas
Previously, we wrote about the plans for an 86-metre-high wooden office tower in Zuidas. The building will be located in what will soon become a prominent position at the end of the yet-to-be-built Maurice Ravellaan, along which the new residential district of Ravel will be located. Until now, the building had no official name, but it has now been christened ‘Well House’. NSI has signed a construction contract with contractor JP van Eesteren for this unique building, and work is expected to start in the second half of 2022. The aim is to complete Well House in 2025.
Sustainability
Well House, designed by Dam & Partners Architects, will meet the highest sustainability requirements. ‘It’s so exciting that Zuidas will be home to one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world’, said Zuidas municipal executive Marieke van Doorninck. ‘The building will not only be the tallest wooden office building, but it will also have the highest level of sustainability, both during construction and once in use, so it is also consistent with our mission of achieving the UN climate goals agreed in Paris. Well House shows how we, as a city, can grow without increasing our footprint, so that we can keep our planet fit for future generations.’ Well House is designed to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding certificate and a WELL Platinum label.
Carbon footprint
Sustainably produced timber and fully recycled and recyclable materials will be used to build Well House, minimizing its carbon footprint. NSI’s Head of Development, Sten Karelse: ‘At NSI, we are striving for a world where buildings are constructed and used in complete harmony with nature. Well House will show that this is already possible, and our goal is to inspire the real estate sector to move towards a more sustainable future. The entire design, including the use of wood and other natural elements, aims to provide organizations with the most comfortable workplace, where the employee wellbeing is central.’
Timber construction
JP van Eesteren has a wealth of experience in timber construction and sustainable, innovative offices. For example, they built the wooden residential tower ‘Haut’ in Amsterdam’s Amstelkwartier and the wooden head office of Triodos Bank in Driebergen-Rijsenburg.
Give your opinion
I'm wondering how safe it is to have a wooden structure high rise building from a fire safety point of view. How does the design ensure that in case of a fire the flames will not spread throughout the building and that people can be evacuated safely?
Timber frame construction is an old construction method that has been used more often in the Netherlands in recent years. Buildings with a timber frame or in which wood has been incorporated must also comply in the Netherlands with all applicable requirements regarding fire safety and building regulations (Bouwbesluit 2012). In a timber frame construction, the building is layered with non-combustible plasterboards and non-combustible insulation material. In addition, solid wood has a relatively low flammability, which means that ignition is slow and predictable. This together ensures a fire-resistant construction and the required fire resistance. Source: NBvT