In a groundbreaking collaboration, renowned composite engineering specialist Solico Engineering, headquartered in Oosterhout, Netherlands, has teamed up with its long-term client Holland Composites to push the boundaries of architectural innovation. Together, they have embarked on an extraordinary venture – the materials testing for the cutting-edge Duplicor façade of “The Pulse of Amsterdam,” a mesmerizing circular building under construction in the vibrant Zuidas business district.
The Pulse of Amsterdam promises to be an architectural gem, and at the heart of its unique design lies the revolutionary Duplicor composite. This remarkable composite marries the best attributes of existing composites, including free-form design possibilities, lightweight construction, and minimal maintenance properties, with the eco-friendly benefits of bio-based resins. The result is a material that boasts both cost-effectiveness and unmatched fire resistance.
Solico Engineering played an integral role in this project, working closely with Holland Composites during the development cycle of the awe-inspiring material solution. Their in-house test laboratory served as the proving ground, where mechanical testing and material characterisation of the Duplicor composites were meticulously carried out.
The Pulse façade, a creation designed by the visionary MVSA Architects and skillfully installed by façade contractor De Groot & Visser, will be adorned with approximately 1,100 composite elements, each an impressive 3.6 x 3.8 meters in size. These picture frame-style composite modules form an artistic composition, cantilevering outward towards the building’s summit in a progressive fashion, rendering the structure a sight to behold.
To ensure the utmost engineering precision, Solico’s ingenious engineers analyzed multiple versions of the composite modules. They left no stone unturned in the quest for perfection, optimizing the panel laminates, fixing points to the building structure, and refining mounting details for the integration of solar panels. To account for the higher than usual wind loads, they turned to the expertise of specialist Peutz Netherlands, who conducted meticulous scale model wind tunnel testing.
Having completed the composite engineering for The Pulse façade, Solico Engineering is now eagerly following the installation phase of this groundbreaking project. The structure promises to be the latest architectural marvel in the ever-evolving Amsterdam skyline.
Eric van Uden, the managing director of Solico and the project lead for The Pulse, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The testing done for Holland Composites and De Groot & Visser confirms the new Duplicor technology as a unique composite solution. We see enormous potential for Duplicor in a wide range of construction applications, as the combination of structural performance, fire properties, and cost it offers is something we’ve not seen before in a lightweight composite – let alone a sustainable 100% bio-based one.”
The Pulse of Amsterdam stands as a testament to human ingenuity and collective vision. As construction progresses, the world eagerly awaits the unveiling of this architectural masterpiece that blends sustainability, functionality, and sheer beauty. It is sure to leave an indelible mark on the world of modern architecture, setting new standards for eco-conscious innovation in construction.