Project characteristics
The Meelfabriek was founded in Leiden in 1884. The complex comprises several colossal buildings from a period running from 1896 to 1960. The first buildings’ structure was hypermodern, as was the use of steam engines. Once electricity became widely available, the Meelfabriek was one of the first factories in Leiden to switch to it. The Meelfabriek was forced to close its doors in 1988. It was put up for sale in 1997. Project developer Ab van der Wiel bought the Meelfabriek in 1998, which is when the first plans for redevelopment were drawn up. The redevelopment plan has now been approved and its implementation is under way.
Redevelopment
The master plan for the new Meelfabriek encompasses around 46,000 m² of floor space. New life is being breathed into old, industrial buildings and new buildings are being added. It is being turned into somewhere suitable for residential, commercial and recreational use. Listed buildings make up a sizeable proportion of the complex, and so their existing appearance and character will be preserved. The first phase commenced at the end of 2016.
Underground car park
The redevelopment includes the construction of a three-storey underground car park spanning an area of 80 x 40 metres under what will eventually be a roof garden.
The car park will need to accommodate all users of and visitors to the Meelfabriek. Thus keeping the site car-free and leaving space for a beautiful square and plenty of plant life.
Van der Wiel Bouw has commissioned a team of experts to build the car park, comprising: Van Hattum & Blankevoort (main contractor), Martens en Van Oord (excavation experts), Sterk (sheet piling specialist), VSF (foundation expert) and DCN (reliable diving team). The construction work kicked off during the summer of 2018.
Excavation
Martens en Van Oord is responsible for excavating the construction pit. The work is to start with dry excavation to a depth of 2 metres, whereupon a first strut frame will be introduced. This will be followed by further excavation down to around -5.5 metres and the introduction of a second strut frame. The construction pit will then be submerged and a pontoon bridge built. The wet excavation work will then be done from the pontoons, up to a depth of -11 metres. In total, 35,000 m3 of spoil will be removed.
Experience
Martens en Van Oord has a great deal of experience of wet excavation from pontoons for car park construction. We built the Vonk & Vlam car park in Den Bosch in 2014 and the underground car park under the Markthal in Rotterdam in 2011. Projects that had to be carried out in a busy, built-up city centre, as was the case in Leiden.
Planning
In the first quarter of 2019 a start will be made on the dry excavation work, followed by the wet excavation. The work is to be complete by the end of Q2 2019.
Further information
Further information on the redevelopment of the Meelfabriek can be found at demeelfabriek.nl.
You can follow the work live by webcam at: https://webcam.nl/bouw/leiden/meelfabriek/
Corné supervised the entire process. Please contact him or let him know what he can do for you in the form below and he will call you back or email a reply.
