Around the world in 1,750 square metres
With the design concept ‘The World is Your Backyard’, the lobby takes this multinational office building’s employees and visitors on a shared journey around the world.
At one of the more coveted addresses in Amsterdam stands the World Trade Center Amsterdam – an enormous office building that is home to more than 300 companies spanning 23 different nationalities. Because the WTC caters to people from all over the world, multicultural hubs have been created in every large area of the lobby, bringing together five continents in a new and international design concept entitled ‘The World is Your Backyard’.
The whole world gathered in the lobby
The large lobby is divided into four islands, each representing a continent: Asia, Europe, Africa and South America. The lobby on the first floor also features an island. Each island is decorated with a carpet featuring landscape photographs taken by French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who specialises in taking photos from hot-air balloons.
The hot-air balloon is also an element in the design concept and has been recreated by hanging transparent white semicircles in the air to enhance the sense of floating above the earth.
Strong cultural references
Through choice of colours, materials and furniture, each island has more or less obvious references to a specific continent. Furthermore, each island is connected by avenues lined by abstract trees to stagger the height, and green plants to give a sense of the landscape of the continents.
Materials from all over the world
The design concept was developed by CBRE and Amsterdam-based design firm Pubblik & Vos, while we delivered all fixed and loose furnishings as well as lighting in the lobby areas. For this project, we used products from more than 40 suppliers and special fabrics from all over the world.
In addition to the many offices, the WTC offers a wide range of services – including a hotel, supermarket, dentists, dry cleaning service and much more.
