A structural solution for exhibitions
The Beurs van Berlage building is a lively meeting place in the heart of Amsterdam. As well as restaurants, shops, offices and escape rooms, various rooms for events and exhibitions can also be found in the historic building. We speak to Marc de Winter, operations manager at the Beurs van Berlage, who is responsible for all operational matters in relation to events, food establishments and exhibitions.
Accessible to the public
Beurs van Berlage is a beautiful listed building in the historic centre of Amsterdam, with a total floor area of 16,000m2.
Around twelve years ago, the Beurs changed from a foundation into a commercial institution. Marc: “Our main goal is to make
the historic building accessible to the public. We do that by offering space to food establishments and by renting out office space. But also by hosting various events and exhibitions.”
A few years ago, the basement of the Beurs van Berlage building underwent a full renovation. Two beautiful exhibition rooms were then built: Expo Zuid and Expo Noord. Marc: “We can use the two rooms individually for separate exhibitions. But we can also link the two rooms to form one large space for larger exhibitions.”
High-quality exhibitions
Until early 2020, the Beurs mainly focussed on corporate events and conferences. But during the Corona crisis, that demand more or less vanished. “As a result of the Covid pandemic, like many other companies, Beurs van Berlage remained closed for a long time. Once it was allowed, we gave serious thought to the best way of opening up the building for the private market. We then came into contact with various parties who were also able to hold high-quality exhibitions in our exhibition rooms during Corona times.
Assembling an exhibition quickly & efficiently
To be able to assemble these exhibitions quickly and efficiently and then disassemble them without damaging the walls,
Marc went in search of a specialist in hanging systems: “We had to deal with a lot of uncertainty. We didn’t know when
we would be allowed to open nor when we could start assembling exhibitions. When that opportunity finally presented itself, we soon linked up with Artiteq. We had pleasant contact with the account manager and received a competitive quote.
Fortunately Artiteq was also able to change course quickly.”
Within just two weeks, the Click Rail Pro system was installed in both exhibition rooms. Marc: “The installation took place as planned. To be able to hang the rails, holes do have to be drilled of course, which causes noise nuisance. We have to make sure that our schedules allow for that. Artiteq was flexible with this. The installers worked for two days, avoiding our planned events.”
Plug & play
The Click Rail Pro system has been installed in both exhibition rooms; the system has a maximum carrying capacity of 50 kilos
per metre. Heavier works of art can also be hung safely on this system. Marc: “We opted for this system because of its robustness and the speed at which an exhibition can then be assembled. It is very simple, it really is plug & play. The rails are white and have a lovely finish. This look therefore fits in nicely with the walls in our exhibition rooms and with the image we want to project.”
Structural and sustainable solution
The first exhibitions using the new hanging system are now behind us. Marc: “We are extremely satisfied and the exhibitors were also very happy with the system. Very soon we will be hosting one large exhibition instead of the current two smaller exhibitions. We will then have five days to disassemble the old exhibitions and assemble the new one.
“In the past, we would have to repair the holes in the walls, then paint the walls and drill new holes. Not only did that
all take a lot of time, it caused inconvenience. Now changing from one exhibition to another is much simpler. And ultimately, that is also why we have opted for a more structural and sustainable solution: we are now able to change course much faster and more efficiently.”
