For the cinema on the former Winterslag mining site, Glansbeton finished the concrete stairs. In the summer of 2005, construction activities followed each other rapidly. The stair finishing had to be completed before the installation of the floor covering and the further fitting out of the auditoriums.
Cinema under construction in the summer of 2005
Work on the cinema complex at the former Winterslag mining site was in full swing in August 2005. A report by Chris Nelis in Het Belang van Limburg dated 30 August 2005 described the busy finishing phase. The schedule at that time aimed for the opening of ten halls in November. That was the announced plan, not the determination of a final completion date.
Our concrete finishing was part of that construction period. The site photo shows the stairs before the further interior fit-out of the cinema. The date on this project page is based on the dated report; it indicates the execution period and is not a separately established end of our work.
A race against time with STRABAG
Together with the main contractor STRABAG Belgium , it was a race against time to polish all the stairs with an anti-slip finish. The cinema's floor covering was to be applied directly onto those concrete stairs. Therefore, the concrete finishing formed an important intermediate step in the further fitting out of the auditoriums.
For such a project, it is not only about the appearance of the concrete. The execution must also fit with the subsequent work. A staircase still awaiting its concrete finishing cannot be covered further at the same time. Therefore, the successive tasks and access to the work zones must be well coordinated.
Concrete stairs as a base for the floor covering
The stairs were polished to be non-slip, with a view to the cladding that was applied afterwards. The concrete floor here was therefore not a visible floor like residential concrete in a home. The concrete formed the substrate for the final finishing of the cinema.
This difference is important when preparing concrete works. A smooth, visible concrete floor and a substrate for further covering do not automatically require the same finishing. The choice must align with the intended floor system and the requirements set for the substrate.
Concrete finishing at the Winterslag mining site
This project connects the industrial past of Winterslag with a new purpose for the site. Where mining activity once dominated the scene, spaces for visitors and relaxation were created. Glansbeton contributed to that transformation by executing the concrete stairs for the cinema.
It is a fine example of concrete work that largely disappears from view in the finished building. The floor covering ultimately draws attention, but underneath it the carefully finished concrete substrate continues to fulfil its function.
Want a concrete floor or concrete substrate finished?
When requesting, indicate whether the concrete will remain visible or will be covered later. Also provide the plans, accessibility, and the desired execution period. This way we can discuss the concrete finishing in conjunction with the further fit-out.
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Concrete stairs for the cinema in Winterslag