Renovation of former locomotive workshop
The transformation of the former
locomotive workshop behind the
central station is regarded one of
Tilburg's most prestigious projects.
“It's as if the LocHal has given the city
a piece of its history back,” says Boels
area account manager Nick Welten
enthusiastically. “And that’s precisely
what made this assignment so special.
Incidentally, that was also the case
with the level of collaboration that we
built up with the main contractor BINX
Smartility – it was a real partnership.”
A jewel that had lost much of its shine after years of being left vacant has now been restored to its former glory. The place where people used to work hard repairing train engines and rolling stock is now a characteristic cultural centre and meeting place. The LocHal has become a driving force for renewal in Tilburg. The city library and various provincial government agencies active in the fields of art, culture, knowledge dissemination and business development are the new tenants. Visitors can come here not only to learn and study, conduct business and carry out research, meet and hold conferences, create and innovate, but also to exhibit and present works of art.
Stripped
The rigorous renovation designed by a team from CIVIC Architects, Braaksma & Roos Architects, Arup and Inside Outside started in May 2017 and is scheduled for completion at the end of 2018 . The iconic building has been completely stripped and rebuilt, but the iconic original glass and steel construction has been preserved. The spatial design with artisanal workshops built on terraces extending through the grand hall of the industrial heritage site is perfectly in keeping with the idea of an open and productive workshop; besides gaining knowledge, the LocHal is all about meeting new people and co-creation.
To keep the renovation work on the right track, Boels supplied among other things (spider) aerial work platforms, distribution boxes, telescopic handlers and scaffolding.
