The fastening solutions from the fischer corporate group from the northern Black Forest were used this year in a demanding restoration project at the Carmelite Monastery in Bruges, Belgium – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important testament to European architecture.
Restorations on historic buildings require special care and technical expertise. The structural integrity must be ensured for the long term, while simultaneously preserving the authenticity and cultural value of the building fabric. This is exactly where fischer's innovative products come into play – in a combination of modern fastening technology and artisanal precision.
A central element of the restoration work was the use of the fischer injection mortar FIS EM Plus – an especially powerful epoxy resin mortar originally developed for anchoring in concrete and for subsequent reinforcement connections, and which for about two years can now also be used in compliance with approvals for high-performance connections and reinforcements of wood components. The FIS EM Plus is one of very few injection mortars with building authority approval or general building approval for wood connections and reinforcements in glued laminated timber and beam laminated timber made of spruce, fir, or pine. This enables durable and very high-performance adhesive bonds while simultaneously respecting delicate historical structures.
For precise alignment of the wooden elements at the Carmelite Monastery, specially developed centering clips were used. These ensure that the connecting element sits centered in the borehole of the component – a prerequisite for durable, aesthetically pleasing connections as also required in historical constructions.
With our innovative fastening solutions and many years of expertise, we actively contribute to the protection of Belgium's architectural heritage.
In addition, the fischer high-performance mortar FIS V Plus was also used during the restoration work. As a powerful universal mortar for concrete and masonry, it ensures the connection of the precast concrete ceiling slabs with the walls in the Carmelite Monastery.
“The preservation of historic buildings is both a technical and a cultural task,” says Niklas Haag, Managing Director of the Belgian national company of the fischer group. “With our innovative fastening solutions and many years of expertise, we actively contribute to the protection of the architectural heritage in Belgium.”
Thus, thanks to precise planning, technical competence and reliable fastening solutions from the fischer group, the Carmelite Monastery in Bruges will be preserved as a cultural heritage of Europe for future generations.
