WTC Schiphol Airport will soon offer even more opportunities to get together in a lively, informal setting. At present, there is the Fortune Bar. This will be renovated, after which there will be ample opportunity for served coffee, lunch, drinks or dinner. In addition, a whole new area is being developed opposite the busy Fortune Bar where people can work flexibly, meet informally or catch up. This new space will have an adjoining large outdoor terrace, as users in the offices need this. Tessa Vos of PUBBLIK & VOS, the agency that designed the plan for the new concept: “The users must be able to use the spaces as they see fit.”

The user is central in the designs of PUBBLIK & VOS, as well as in the design of this new meeting and work area within WTC Schiphol Airport. Vos: “The people who work in the WTC have to perform continuously and want to realize their ambitions. They have to be able to receive their clients here, celebrate successes, but also have a quiet telephone conversation.”

Social design

The new square metres have been used optimally, to create different forms of working and meeting. From corners where you can consult in private to laid tables where you can lunch or dine. That is the idea behind social design from PUBBLIK & VOS: how do you ensure that people feel comfortable in an environment? Vos: “Security is very important. In our designs we always create nice corners, so that all places are A-places.”

Old and new

In their designs, they try to use as many natural materials as possible, because they give a space soul and atmosphere. Vos: “Materials are allowed to show signs of use. The first stain on marble is always scary, the first fingerprint on brass as well. But, in the end, patina only makes something more beautiful.” Furthermore, the new design had to fit in with the existing part: the Fortune Bar. For that reason, various materials and furniture are being reused – a form of sustainability that Vos applauds.

From story to design

Vos: “Designing is a living process. The user is the starting point, and from there we first create a story. This story forms the basis for the design of the space.” In the digital age, work and catering are increasingly combined. “People are always ‘on’,” says Vos. “This can make us more and more isolated, while we are also social beings.”

The newly designed spaces therefore had to be pleasant, inspiring places where you can both be among people as well as being able to retreat. Vos: “A place where people like to be. Because if the user appreciates that particular place, that is your biggest gain. Then people come back.”

WTC Schiphol Airport

The WTC at Schiphol is a business district that employs more than 2,000 people. Ambitions are realised in the eight office towers. Here, professionals work in the midst of the dynamism of Schiphol and the high-quality facilities meet all their needs. Would you like to establish your office in this dynamic environment where companies – from small entrepreneurs to large internationals – have already established themselves? The possibilities are listed here for you.

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