Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Landmark
With its curved cubic structure, diamond-shaped windows and spacious atrium featuring a 42-metre high glazed roof, the new Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol hotel is an impressive landmark. Located at the main access roads to the airport, the hotel acts as the final chord of the staccato rhythm of the buildings along Schiphol boulevard. From its plinth, the hotel is rotated by 45 degrees. This gives the building not only momentum, but also creates a visual connection to Schiphol Boulevard, the Ceintuurbaan and the adjoining office strip. A covered walkway, the Traverse, connects the hotel to the airport terminals.

Iconic appearance
The distinctive diagonal pattern of the hotel exterior serves to emphasise the iconic appearance of the building. The combination of glass and composite panels in white and grey creates a large scale diamond pattern with subtle shine and relief, making the building recognisable from a substantial distance. At the same time, the facade pattern strengthens the unity of the three building volumes – the plinth, the guest room tower and the Traverse – while blurring the boundaries between the individual rooms and floors.

Atrium
A welcoming atrium with a 42-metre high glazed roof is the main meeting area and forms the heart of the hotel. Mecanoo designed the atrium to have a strong identity. Its size, the indoor gardens and the light horizontal lines of the white balustrades that reflect daylight deep into the building provide an air of grandeur. Wooden slats, frames and lining create refinement and a natural, luxurious appearance. From the smoothly winding galleries, guests have spectacular views of the atrium. State-of-the-art acoustic measures bring a comfortable human scale to the impressive space. The atrium also plays an important role in the sustainability concept. To reduce energy consumption, the outside air is preconditioned in the atrium before being introduced into the guest rooms.

Meeting area
The hotel with 433 rooms and 1,700 square metres of meeting and event space will be the airport’s leading conference venue. The ballroom and a total of 23 board room and meeting rooms are located over the first and second floor, surrounded by areas to welcome guests, to meet and to convene. The three top floors of the hotel form the executive area, with a large centrally located executive lounge on the 10th floor. London-based The Gallery HBA designed the interiors with a Dutch touch, giving travellers a ‘home away from home’ in a location that is all about moving on.

Programme: hotel with 433 rooms, conference centre with 23 meeting rooms, ballroom for 640 guests, restaurant, spa and fitness centre, underground parking with 135 parking spaces, totalling 40,150 m2 design 2009-2012 realisation 2013-2015 client Schiphol Hotel Property Company, the Netherlands project management Schiphol Real Estate/CPO, the Netherlands hotel operator Hilton Worldwide interior design The Gallery HBA, London, United Kingdom structural engineer ABT, Delft, the Netherlands MEP/transport consultant Deerns Raadgevende Ingenieurs, Rijswijk, the Netherlands sustainability/building physics/fire consultant DGMR Raadgevende ingenieurs, Arnhem, the Netherlands cost consultant BBN Adviseurs, Houten, the Netherlands contractor Ballast Nedam Bouw & Ontwikkeling, the Netherlands