A senior citizens' park with 250 residential units underwent a major overhaul
Not only the residents themselves, but also the building fabric and the general condition of a retirement home can get quite a bit older. And the renovation can then quickly become a very extensive project. Especially if the almost 50-year-old building still contains materials that are harmful to health, such as asbestos. And if, on top of that, the renovation is planned for a time when the strictest Corona protection regulations must be observed.
The Rosenpark retirement home in Cologne-Zollstock is an impressive building dating back to 1974. With 250 residential units suitable for senior citizens, a day-care ward and an area for assisted living, the facility is already one of the larger of its kind. But the ravages of time have also taken their toll on this property, so that the operator, Seniorenpark Rosenpark GmbH & Co.KG from Munich, commissioned extensive renovation work through Thobrock Architects Cologne. For everyone involved - residents, the entire team, craftsmen involved, suppliers and, last but not least, local residents - this was a huge challenge. Also because many activities fell during the worst phases of the corona pandemic, from which the Rosenpark was fortunately largely spared. But - as can be seen on the homepage of the senior citizens' park - everyone accepted and mastered this challenge. Incidentally, the website also features an impressive photo of the scaffolded building and a description of the work to be carried out. There it says:
"Our inpatient care area is being extensively renovated and will have exclusively single rooms in the future. The entire building is getting new windows. Cold and thermal bridges and previous tripping hazards to the balcony will be eliminated. In addition to the insulation, the building will also receive a modern outfit with new colours that will blend harmoniously into the surroundings. With the new day care we round off our concept and our garden gets a new face."
Scaffolding company with impressive history and reference list
The contract for the necessary scaffolding work was awarded to Gerüstbautechnik Keil GmbH from Alfter. A scaffolding company that has been active in the region for more than 100 years as a service provider and problem solver in the field of scaffolding, construction site equipment and aerial work platforms. The impressive list of references on the scaffolding company's homepage shows that Keil can handle a project like the Rosenpark. The open-air swimming pool in Bonn-Rüngsdorf, the University Hospital in Cologne, the Brauweiler Abbey Church and the KfW Bank in Bonn are just a few examples of the 500 or so scaffolding projects that Keil-Gerüstbau carries out every year for private and commercial customers, always with the aim of finding the best and most economical solution for the client.
Facade scaffolding, platform scaffolding, modular scaffolding - everything is represented at the Rosenpark object
Due to the variety of different trades involved in the Rosenpark senior citizens' residence, the scaffolding company Keil also has to meet a wide range of requirements. For the energy-related façade refurbishment, 8,500m² of SUPER- 65 façade scaffolding from Scafom-rux with wall-side bracket widening is used, with a height of 32 metres. This facade scaffolding had to be adapted to the building structure, which is characterised by triangular projecting balconies and round surfaces. Here, the scaffolding company Keil benefited from the extensive system accessories of the SUPER 65. In particular, the short bay lengths available enabled the necessary adaptation to the building geometry and thus significantly reduced the effort required for constructive solutions. By using the state-of-the-art version of the facade scaffold, SUPER-65-ULTRA, the static verification of this scaffold could be greatly simplified. For the renovation work in the area of the swimming pool, Gerüstbau Keil was commissioned with the assembly of an approx. 2500m³ large modular scaffold.
For the material supply on the construction site, a platform scaffold made of RUX-VARIANT modular scaffolding was erected. With a platform size of 2.50 m x 3.00 m and a height of 32 metres, there is sufficient space to supply all trades at all working levels with materials and equipment. Material is loaded via 2 Geda 500 Z/ZP construction hoists, which have already been used for scaffolding assembly, as well as two cable winches.
Two scaffolding stair towers ensure a comfortable ascent up to a height of 32 metres. The generously dimensioned staircases not only make it possible to reach the individual building and scaffolding floors safely, but also allow the erectors to carry tools and materials with them, as they do not need their hands to "climb". In order to comply with all safety regulations, an escape stair tower with a height of 8 metres was erected at one point of the building.
The construction site - a highlight of everyday life for senior citizens
One can already imagine that this construction site brought plenty of variety into the daily lives of the home's residents and visitors. However, the strict Corona safety measures had to be observed, which, among other things, prohibited any contact with the residents. Otherwise, the Keil fitters would certainly have explained the function of a rotary joint to one or the other senior citizen interested in technology.
The entire planning of all scaffolding was done in-house at Keil. Site manager Mr Theo Vergeest is responsible for the technically demanding sections of the overall contract. The scaffolding was erected in 8 sections depending on the window deliveries. Each section had 3 working days available, which required a high degree of preliminary and detailed planning. But that is exactly the competence of Gerüstbautechnik Keil. The entire 28-strong team has internalised the company philosophy that makes such consultation-intensive projects possible. And when the scaffolding is dismantled again after 1.5 years, the reference list of Gerüstbautechnik Keil can be extended by another challenging project.
