Unsafe Hogeschool Rotterdam building closed for good

The cladding covering one of the Hogeschool Rotterdam buildings is even more of a fire hazard than previously assumed. The building, which was vacated in January in anticipation of an inspection, has been closed for good and will eventually be torn down, the university announced.

The hogeschool ordered an inspection of the C Building on Kralingse Zoom in response to the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, which took 71 lives. The inexpensive sandwich plates used to cover the façade of the 24-storey residential block turned out to be relatively combustible.

Right decision

An ‘indicative test’ performed in January showed that the building of the Hogeschool falls short of HSE requirements. The sandwich plate cladding on the building’s façade does not satisfy the relevant fire safety standards. Further inspection revealed that the façade plates inside the building also posed a fire risk. The C Building, which according to a Hogeschool spokesperson was up for replacement as it is, will be torn down in due time to make way for a new building.

“While the inspection has yielded a negative conclusion, I am happy that we took the right decision in closing the building and ordering a more extensive inspection,” writes the Hogeschool’s Board Chair Ron Bormans in a statement.

Measures

The Hogeschool has taken a number of measures to prevent a fire starting in the closed building. For example, the site is surrounded by fencing to keep people away from the façade. There are also stricter regulations in place for events that involve large gatherings. Access to the C Building, which includes the Hogeschool’s media centre, is only granted when absolutely necessary.

For the time being, the 3,500 students of Rotterdam Business School who used the building on Kralingse Zoom will taught in the World Trade Center. The degree programmes will be relocating to Posthumalaan over the course of the summer.