Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has reopened its Lounge 1 following a major redevelopment and expansion of the space
The airport has added 5,000m2 of space for passengers flying within Europe. The extra space is an important milestone in the improvements being made at Schiphol.
Over the coming months work will continue in Lounge 1 on new amenities, including catering establishments and shops. This renovation is part of the investment plans to improve quality at the airport, Royal Schiphol Group said.
More than 20,000m2 of passenger area in Lounge 1 is being redeveloped and made future-proof. The technical areas and systems are also being tackled. With the additional 5,000m2, Lounge 1 is visibly larger and has a more spacious look and feel. With a new walking route, the extra space will improve the flow of passengers travelling to European destinations. The new plaza offers more seating for passengers and room for new amenities. There will be a variety of new catering establishments and shops, which ESAP (a construction consortium of Equans and SPIE Nederland) will work on over the coming months.
“The finished plaza is a new part of Schiphol to be proud of, and an important step in the redevelopment of the airport. It is the transformation of the oldest part of our airport into a modern, bright space, while also replacing fundamental parts.
“This new area sets a new standard for how we want to welcome passengers, with more space, comfort and modern facilities. It's one example of our efforts to align the space available at Schiphol with passenger numbers. We continue to work hard on making Schiphol future-proof, with quality and experience being the focus,” said Sybren Hahn, executive director Schiphol infrastructure.
The additional space was created by transforming a car park and parts of four existing buildings into a new passenger area. Connecting the building parts together created a spacious plaza with lots of natural light. Three large trees of four to six metres provide a natural, calming atmosphere. For the interior, more sustainable materials, such as bamboo wall panels, were chosen, and grass cut at Schiphol was incorporated into the seating.
The redevelopment of Lounge 1 is part of a €6bn investment in the airport, aimed at improving its infrastructure, working conditions and services for passengers and airlines. Hundreds of large and small projects are planned throughout the airport area, including the renewal of Pier C and Lounge 2. This is the largest investment plan in Schiphol’s history.
