Our consortium won the tender for the State Pavilion on Floriade Expo 2022
Our innovative consortium of the Noordereng Groep (Ede) is the chosen winner to realize the Dutch Innovation Experience (Di-X) Government Pavilion in Almere. The pavilion, now called the Natural Pavilion, is a showcase for future (housing) construction and connects the spatial tasking with the transition tasks in the Netherlands. The design introduces the ‘HoutKern™ Construction Method’. This is a circular concept that makes it possible to build many new homes in a short time, in a sustainable way and with low emissions.
The consortium, led by the Noordereng Group, consists of Heko Spanten, Oosterhoff Group / ABT, DP6 architecture studio, Studio Nico Wissing, Hedgehog Company and De Groene Jongens. The HoutKern™ Building Method was developed by partners of the consortium as one of the solutions for the Dutch construction issue. This sustainable construction method is the basis for a very versatile pavilion, reusable in different configurations, green and made entirely of bio-based materials. Gerben Kuipers, CEO of the Noordereng Group: “We are proud and delighted that the jury has selected our entry. We will surprise future visitors with a ready-made and sustainable solution for the housing challenge.”
Sustainable innovations for future housing construction
The Natural Pavilion is in line with the “Growing Green Cities” Floriade Expo theme and wants to inspire visitors how we as a society can design nature-inclusive living, working and living. The building is equipped with the most sustainable innovations. For example, it shows the possibilities of applying greenery in the built/stacked future living and working environment, new forms of rainwater collection, optimal use of natural daylight, ventilation, and minimal energy consumption. Application of parametric design optimizes the design in the field of architecture, construction, building physics and sustainability. An example of this is the link with the parametric Environmental Impact Monitor, whereby the carbon footprint of the building construction is calculated in real-time on the basis of design data.
Number one circular and bio-based construction
The pavilion consists of 95% of bio-based materials that largely originate in the Netherlands. For example, use is made of Dutch wood from the FSC-certified forests of Staatsbosbeheer. The Natural Pavilion will be an inspiring experience. In the 10 exhibition spaces, the visitor is taken along in the development of, among other things, new bio-based materials, grown by Dutch farmers, which are processed in circular building materials. In the pavilion, the visitor experiences the experience of nature-inclusive construction and how the building is part of the local ecosystem.
Flexible and sustainable construction with the HoutKern™ construction methodology
The HoutKern™ Construction Method is a sustainable construction method that can make an impactful contribution to the upscaling of circular and bio-based construction. It is a modular construction system, in which the modules can be built as ‘large building blocks’ in various configurations up to 80 meters high. So-called dry connections are applied between parts, which guarantee flexibility and easy disassembly. This resonates with the circular construction economy for the future; changing destination and use of houses and other types of buildings will increasingly take place.
Industrialisation of wooden modules is a Dutch breakthrough
Making buildings from fully industrially manufactured wooden modules is new for the Netherlands. The production of the units has been fully industrialized into a completely modular and digitally controlled process. The processing of raw materials, installation, installation of electricity & water and the complete dismantling of the modules is carried out in the factory at Heko Spanten. The modules are delivered ‘plug and play’ to the construction site on the Floriade Expo site.
Good environmental performance scores with an affordable business model
The HoutKern™ Construction method provides a cost saving of 20%, a shorter construction time of 50% and a substantial reduction in emissions. Due to light foundations and full industrialisation, digitization and high-quality use of bio-based materials, the environmental impact is minimal. The Natural Pavilion has a very high sustainability performance with an Environmental Performance Building score of <0.25. The Natural Pavilion is part of the TNO development program to accelerate zero-emission construction. TNO and a number of experts contribute to these innovations, including for the digitization and materialization of the pavilion.
The Natural Pavilion is a circular business case
The pavilion will be completed in six months and delivered on December 31, 2021. After the Floriade Expo, the pavilion will be given a second life as a travelling nature pavilion. Due to the design-for-disassembly, adaptability and expandability of the HoutKern™ Building Method, the Natural Pavilion can be seen in various forms in the future. It is a source of inspiration for the construction sector. The circular business case is jointly financed by the national government and the consortium.
Tender procedure Floriade Expo
The tender “Design & Build Dutch Innovation Experience (Di-X)” for the Floriade Expo 2022 was launched on 11 May 2021. Out of a total of 16 entries, the Noordereng Group was selected as the best based on the registrations, presentations and interviews. The assessment committee consisted of: Jos van Berlo, Arcadis; Atto Harsta, transition strategist Aldus building innovation; Ivar Diekerhof, leader of the Residential Building Atelier and Els Zijlstra, director of MaterialMatchMaker and Xander de Bruine, Program Manager Floriade Expo 2022 Knowledge Program.
Consortium of the Natural Pavilion
The winning consortium is a collaboration of partners with complementary expertise. It consists of the following parties: De Noordereng Groep (innovative developer and client), DP6 architecture studio (architect), Oosterhoff Group / ABT (engineering firm), Hupperts Architectural Engineering (project management), Heko Spanten (wood and manufacturing partner), Studio Nico Wissing (garden and landscape office), NL Greenlabel (for a measurable sustainable living environment) and the Hedgehog Company / De groen Jongens (sustainability advisor). Furthermore, Staatsbosbeheer (wood partner) and TNO (knowledge institute) are permanent partners.
