Artes Group win FEBE precast award

Restoration of the pier’s concrete promenade, built in 1933 and stretching 350m into the North Sea, was vital following years of erosion at the hands of the area’s strong tides and fierce winds.

The monolithic structure consists of concrete columns, beams, floor, parapets and windbreaks, with wooden joinery.

In planning the restoration, Artes took the decision to prefabricate the beams, parapets and windbreak to achieve the high level of finish specified by the designers.

To limit the number of seams, so-called ‘wet buttons’ were used. They interconnect the elements or connect them to the cast-on-site parts, such as the columns and the floor slab.

Various elements were cast in reverse, so the pouring side faces inwards, while the exterior surface’s “beautiful wood structure” faces visitors to the pier.

Awarding the prize, the Jury said: “This project is 'outstanding' in many aspects. The challenges were great: the replacement of the art-deco pier, respecting the requirements of Monuments and Landscapes and resisting the very aggressive environment at the high and low tide lines.

“By optimizing the concrete composition, it is possible to guarantee a long lifespan. In addition, the choice of materials provides an answer to Monumentenzorg's request to rebuild the pier in the best possible way.”

Built in 1933 to capitalise on the boom in tourism to the area, the current structure replaced a cast iron pier built in 1894, the first to be built along the coasts of the Atlantic and the North Sea. The only other pier of this scale and purpose on the continent is in Scheveningen, the Netherlands.

Renovation of the structure, which consists of a vertical concrete core attached to an overhanging horizontal slab and promenading deck, cost €10 million and, says pier manager, Sebastiaan Defoort, could not be delayed for a moment longer: “The structure suffers from concrete rot and is no longer safe. The entire structure is landmarked, so that means that it will be rebuilt authentically as it was in the interwar period. So, it should look just the same as it did in 1933.”

The pier’s rotunda, containing a brasserie, rooftop restaurant, function rooms and exhibition space, was renovated in 1999-2003.

Project team:

Architect: B-juxta architecten – Real Estate Agency
Contractor: Artes Group
Engineering office: SBE stability – Stabitec Technieken
Client: Blankenberge City Council
Prefab concrete supplier: Prefand
Other partners: Vandenbraembussche – Verpoot – Mauws