Parts of the façade cannot be hung
Translated by Thomas Ansell
The opening of the new Market Hotel on the Grote Markt in Groningen is being put back by an unspecified time due to problems with the façade: there are elements of it that are intended to look like pillars (pilasters) but are simply hung from the structure itself.
As a precautionary measure, the pilasters themselves have had to be lashed to the frame of the building with pieces of rope.
The problem with hanging up the fake pillars was known about three months ago, reports the GIC. On the Grote Markt side of the building it looked like one pilater’s cementing would come loose- the offending object has now been removed.
After the problems with the building came to light, the developer Volker Wessels got in contact with Verbaan Systems, who had created the prefabricated elements of the building. Not long after that, Verbaan Systems went bankrupt, says Han Brinkhuis, project director at Volker Wessels.
The developer then paid for a number of lorries to go and pick up all the outstanding items, and a deal was reached with staff at Verbaan Systems in order to obtain their help in hanging the prefabricated façade pieces; which require specialist knowledge. Brinkhuis says that research is ongoing as to how the problem can be resolved. Until a solution has been found, no more work can go on at the hotel site.
Brinkhuis also confirmed that the delivery of the hotel will now be over three months late. The Market Hotel will be operated by WestCord Group, and will consist of six floors of 120 hotel rooms and a large rooftop terrace. Parts of the hotel have already been finished with gold-coloured external features, creating a complete eyesore that looms over the surrounding streets.
Image (of the Grote Markt before building the new hotel) via Wikimedia user Wutsje. License here.
