THE NETHERLANDS. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has officially opened its renovated Holland Boulevard, with a strong emphasis on art, culture, relaxation and shopping.
The public area between Departure Lounges 2 and 3 features four retail units – including Rituals and Swatch – and three food & beverage outlets alongside a collection of Dutch art and culture.
All photos: Thijs Wolzak
It is intended as a space where passengers can “step out of the travel process for a while”, the airport said.
Among the highlights, Holland Boulevard features a new Airport Library with about 500 books by well-known Dutch authors, translated into more than 40 languages. It also has touchscreens showcasing the best of Dutch culture.
The renovated Rijksmuseum annex offers an exhibition introducing travellers to 17th-century Dutch painting. The overview features portrait, still life, landscape and seascape as genres. The selection consists of a Delft Blue tiled tableau and ten paintings representing typical Dutch narrative themes from the Golden Age, such as flat lowlands, water and sea, floral magnificence and wealthy citizens, the airport explained.
A museum shop adds to the retail offering at the Holland Boulevard, which is completed by the “floral magnificence” of the House of Tulips store.
The F&B offerings are Tastes from the Lowlands, Dutch Kitchen & Bar and Kebaya Asian restaurant.
Holland Boulevard was designed by Next Architects with an emphasis on transparency and offering a clear layout. Large areas of glass and low walls create a “fresh, open feel”, according to the architect. A number of themes can be found in the space, it said. The colourful seating areas and Samira Boon’s artwork 10,800 Horizons, for example, are references to the country’s polder landscape.
The Nemo Science Museum offers travellers a journey of discovery in science and technology. The Nemo area features two gigantic cuddly toys, designed by artist Florentijn Hofman.
A Privium airside lounge, KLM transfer desk and an internet centre also feature in the space, while spa treatments are also available.
“We have renovated Holland Boulevard to enhance the comfort and travelling pleasure for our passengers,” said Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Director of Consumer Products & Services Tanja Dik. “I am proud that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol can offer this experience.
“Holland Boulevard is a place for you to stretch your legs after a flight, to go wandering amongst the Dutch masters, to curl up with a good book on a comfortable settee, to enjoy a fellow passenger’s piano playing or to enjoy attractive shops and restaurants.”
The space is open 24 hours a day and aims to inspire transit passengers to pay a “proper visit” to the Netherlands in the future.
See below for more images from the opening of the renovated Holland Boulevard.
