New construction of external courtyard with AquaDrain EK
With more than 1.5million books on 28,000 square meters, the new headquarters of “Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam” (OBA) is Europe’s largest public libraries and one of the most spectacular buildings in Amsterdam.
Designed by Architect Jo Coenan as a library and urban meeting place, the entrance areas features high-quality limestone to provide a durable and usable area.
To protect the highly moisture absorbent natural stone from water, snow and ice, the entrance area is protected by the AquaDrain EK surface drainage system from Gutjahr.
This is a traditional “mortar” installation, however this would have been counterproductive as it stores water for too long leading to ugly damp stains on the stone. A solution to this problem was found with the installation of 500 square meters of AquaDrain EK – specially designed for the fixing large porous natural stone tiles.
The capillary passive drainage system allows for the rapid removal of surface water through the joints in the tiled surface, with a mesh fabric ensures the drainage channels are not blocked by soluble concrete.
The project was carried out by four contractors over a six week period, helping to create an elegant building that perfectly adapts to the local environment.
