How do you manage a complex construction project in a historic city center?
Flexibility, creativity, making sure that you stay on track as a construction team and, yes, also making good use of your network to ensure that each construction work gets done with the most suitable contractor, installer and other specialists: that is indispensable for complex construction projects. How exactly does that work? René van Kooi, senior project manager and partner at Stevens Van Dijck, talks about it based on a beautiful and challenging assignment from his portfolio: Theater aan de Parade in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Prestigious showpiece for ‘s-Hertogenbosch
An unmissable building it is, there in the middle of the Parade in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, under the smoke of St. John’s and in the heart of the historic center. A showpiece, you can safely call this renovated theater. The design – with large, open, glass facades, a spacious, inviting foyer and high-quality hospitality, with a direct connection to the outside – immediately stands out. Since December 2023, the new theater – after more than three years of silence – has hosted performances again. this was a test phase, which we as project managers also closely monitored. Together with the building team and the theater’s technicians, we made sure that the last teething troubles were removed from the building before the grand official opening on March 1, 2024.
The run-up to this theater was, it is safe to say, long. After more than 12 years of political discussions, planning and failed tenders, the City Council agreed in the summer of 2018 to provide the implementation credit for the development and realization of the new theater. The premise was that the new theater would be built on the site of the existing theater and that the existing basement box would be reused. In the summer of 2017, Stevens Van Dijck was commissioned to review whether the plans for the new theater would fit the budgetary framework adopted by the city council and within the current zoning plan. When building in a monumental downtown area, the rules and boundaries are often strict. For example, because the building is tightly enclosed on three sides by other existing buildings. Building in width was not possible, but building in height was allowed by the current zoning plan.
In addition, a theater has specific challenges. Almost daily, (theater) companies load and unload their scenery, props and other items needed for the performance here. Because of the three-sided enclosure, this is always done at the front. Only: by law, that loading and unloading must be done behind closed doors. On a tight and busy square like the Parade, that is quite a challenge. Moreover, we wanted to use the theater as well as possible: a significant part of the income comes from commercial rental, such as the theater cafe at the front of the building. You don’t want to take up too much space there for unloading stuff.
Jumping over boundaries
So how do you tackle that? These are exactly the challenges that make me happy as a project manager. This calls for a not-so-straightforward solution, which we get stuck into with experts. In this case, we selected a design team with experience in the theater world. We analyzed all possibilities, taking into account the framework of our client, the municipality of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. This is how we arrived at the right solution for this unique theater: an extendable platform that enters the theater with truck and all, directly adjacent to the side stage where the props and sets should be. Because of the direction of travel, there is minimal inconvenience to Parade users, theater visitors and the driver. The choice of a platform also leaves a maximum amount of commercial (facade) and terrace space available for rental.
The lesson I draw from this is: for a good solution, you sometimes have to jump over boundaries. In fact, the choice for a platform weighed more heavily on the budget than had been determined beforehand. But because with this choice we kept the rental possibilities of the theater optimal, we could justify it well. That too is a project manager’s job: to find the best possible balance between what our client wants and what is possible. Because of the technical background of Stevens Van Dijck’s project managers, we are also able to ask the right questions. And to prioritize interests properly.
Continuously moving and adapting
In the summer of 2018, the municipality of ‘s-Hertogenbosch commissioned us – together with an external project manager from the municipality – to initiate the implementation of the project. By now it was known that architectural firm NOAHH would design the theater. Around this we formed a design team, to which we also invited the municipality as client, and the facilities manager of the theater – as representative of the end user. From sketch design to preliminary and then final design: at each stage we made sure that we got a bit further each time, by testing it against the frameworks and needs that existed. The complicating factor was corona. I believe that the design team rarely spoke to each other live during the development of the final and technical design. That did create a different dynamic than I am used to.
Because the lead time from plans to execution was relatively long, reality sometimes caught up with us. Then we had to go back to the calculation table. So there were programmatic adjustments: such as the aforementioned extension platform – a good, beautiful, but also more expensive choice than a standard loading and unloading platform – and theater lighting in LED – pricier, but absolutely essential for a sustainable theater of the future. Of course, we include margins for these in the budget. And when the costs are much higher, we go back to the steering committee and the – in this case – official client, namely the Bossche alderman of culture. It was very nice that the external municipal project manager dealt with the administrative matters, leaving my hands free for the design and construction progress of the theater.
Not done, but necessary
Sometimes, as a project manager, you also have to dare to make unorthodox choices. If the quality and progress of the project demand it, of course. And that was the case with this project. Because of the complexity here, we chose to work together in a construction team. This allowed us to involve the contractor as a consultant in the design phase, even before the specifications and drawings were completed. At an early stage we tested whether the choices made would be financially and technically feasible.
A construction team agreement is explicitly not a contracting agreement. It is usually stipulated that if the building team contractor adheres to the rules and frameworks, he will be awarded the contract.
But as we went through the various design phases together, and the final design became increasingly clear, I noticed doubt on the part of the contractor. Was the project actually going to happen? Was it all going to happen? You have to imagine: this contractor was a particularly good fit for this particular construction project. But it was also a big job for him, as a medium-sized party. In business terms, the potential loss of it was a big risk for this contractor.
His doubts were understandable. Neighbors of the theater were litigating against the building permit. They were not happy with the arrival of the new theater. Meanwhile, the litigation documents were before the Council of State, and the project was suffering significant delays. On the other hand, there was sufficient reason to expect that the Council would decide positively about the theater: the preliminary injunction judge had rejected the objections of local residents, and the municipality’s best lawyers were cooperating in this process. It was clear to me: if we don’t get this contractor on board now, we have a very big problem.
That is why we signed a contracting agreement with the contractor at the end of the DO phase. That never happens and in our field it is not done. But now it was necessary, to give the contractor certainty about this big job. And of course, the contract also contained conditions precedent, just as in the construction team agreement. But for the contractor, this gave enough confidence, and he decided to stay on board.
For me, this was an important lesson. That something so seemingly small – what was now (net) on balance the difference between that construction team and contractor agreement? – could still make a world of difference to the contractor. As a project manager, you learn every day. I have to be creative, with my technical knowledge as a basis, and always think a few steps ahead. Flexibility in what is possible and allowed is necessary, and then to take the lead in this on behalf of the client. Everything to deliver a good building, preferably even better than the client initially thought. But all within the framework that was set beforehand.
What we came up with works!
Meanwhile, the theater is finished, and the first performances are behind us. Naturally, I was happy to go and see them. The performance was about to begin, and the foyer was filling up. The stairs and checkroom were crowded. The flow to the toilets was smooth. The atmosphere was good. It was incredibly cool to see that what we came up with also worked. For example, the crowd simulations we made – with an eye on visitor flows before and after performances and during intermissions – were pretty accurate. And of course: together with the team we ironed out the last details. So that later, when the theater really officially opens, everything works perfectly in practice. Moreover, we ensure a warm transfer of the management of all technology and systems to the facilities team of Theater aan de Parade. And when that is all settled, only then do we step away. To look back on this project with due pride, and start the next one with new energy.
