Learning and taking responsibility at project 'The Hive' in Amsterdam
Moos Bakkum has been working as a building engineer at Heddes Bouw & Ontwikkeling, part of Ballast Nedam, for just over a year. With his enthusiasm and curiosity, he uses his knowledge to continuously improve the project. Moos is given the room and opportunity to put his ideas into practice, which leads to wonderfulresults.
At project 'The Hive' in Amsterdam-West, he is working on a technically complex building with many unique details. It is precisely the combination of responsibility, collaboration and technical challenge that makes the work so interesting for him.
‘During my internship at a smaller contractor, I first came into contact with larger Ballast Nedam projects. When I saw how complex and challenging these projects were, I knew I wanted to be part of them. I am curious and eager to learn. The scale and technical depth really appeal to me.’
‘At The Hive, it is not so much the scale of the project, but rather the complex design and with that the many clever solutions, that make this project so interesting to me. Due to the project's ambitious commitments to sustainability and construction pace, I engage with innovative facade systems and complex detailing. We are, for example, laying over 100.000 bricks without using mortar and building a 110-metre-long, 30-metre-high facade made entirely of prefabricated elements lifted into place on site.’
What does a building engineer actually do on a project like this?
‘My work ranges from procurement to developing technical details for construction. The architect creates the design, but there’s usually a lot of engineering involved before it can be built. Together with the other parties involved, I make sure everything is correct and fits together properly. I hand over my work to the site team, but I remain involved during construction because there are always new questions or adjustments.’
‘As a newcomer, you often look at solutions from a slightly different angle. On this project, I helped think through adjustments to structural details so that components could be produced more easily, saving both time and money. It is great that, even as a young colleague, you can make a real contribution.’
In what ways have you been able to develop during this first year?
‘I am given a lot of responsibility here and come into contact with many different parts of the construction process. I want to understand how everything works, and I am given the space to ask questions and figure things out. As a result, you learn quickly. That combination of trust and challenge means I can really make progress here.’
What would you say to other young professionals who are unsure about working in construction?
‘Construction is often much broader than people think. You are not only working in a practical way, but also technically and analytically. You work with many different disciplines, and ultimately you can see the results in the public environment. That makes the work very tangible and, in fact, really enjoyable.’
Are you also interested in working at Ballast Nedam?
At Ballast Nedam, you can develop and become a little better every day. In the Netherlands and abroad. Together with our colleagues, we are committed to a future-proof living environment. Will you join our team to contribute to this?
