Fixing systems for the entrance of the Heineken Experience

Heineken Experience Centre

Amsterdam I The Netherlands

Background

Heineken, the globally known beer brand, wanted a spectacular entrance to the Heineken Experience Center in Amsterdam. To be able to create this, the existing building was renovated, and the old stables were turned into a large welcome area. The contractor company Salverda was responsible for this major renovation project. Architect Ideal Projects designed a plan to give a spectacular feeling to the entrance: thousands of Heineken bottles glittering towards visitors from the ceiling. This is where Walraven came in. Salverda asked Walraven, as an expert in fixing systems, to come up with a solution for fixing 11,000 Heineken bottles to the lobby ceiling. Salverda was a great partner during this project, with whom we collaborated in the phases of decision-making and testing.

Requirements

Fixing 11,000 Heineken bottles to the ceiling asked for a tailor-made solution.

Solution

Walraven invented, produced, and partly prefabricated a customized solution consisting of two parts. The first part holds the bottle, and the second part allows the bottles to be attached to the ceiling.

Rubber insert

For the first part, we developed and produced a rubber insert together with Jefleks, our rubber factory in Turkey. The rubber insert had to meet several criteria: the perfect shape, the right hardness of the rubber, the best way to hold the bottle, and of course, ease to assemble. The end result was a rubber insert placed in the neck of the bottle and tightened with a bolt connection. It is tightened longitudinally, which causes it to expand in width and thus secures itself in the neck of the bottle.

Walraven Rapidrail® fixing rail and Hammerfix

For the second part of the solution, Walraven designed and produced a customized Walraven Rapidrail® fixing rail. The lobby’s walls and ceiling have a double-wall structure and a bottom layer with cut-outs for the bottles. By using the customized Walraven Rapidrail® fixing rail in combination with the Walraven Hammerfix, it was possible to place the bottles in long rows onto the rails. An assembly-friendly solution but as well multifunctional because the rails were also used for fixing the light points.