Did you notice the somewhat unusual shape of the building before you? This is the Schipholgebouw. It is also known as the Schiphol Hoofdgebouw. Locals often shorten this to SHG. It is the main office building for the Schiphol Group.
The Schipholgebouw primarily houses the offices of the airport operator. You will find it near the Schiphol exit of the A4 motorway. That’s the Amsterdam-The Hague highway. Construction took place between 1994 and 1997.
Wim Quist designed the Schipholgebouw. His design features an irregular exterior. The interior spaces are open and transparent. The first section of the building opened in 1995. About one thousand people now work here.
In 1997, Mario Merz created the Fibonaccireeks on the side wall facing the highway. It mainly consists of aluminium plates. This light installation uses neon lights. It’s huge. It covers the diagonal of a 17.5 x 17.5 meter square.
Schipholgebouw used to be close to the Aviodome. From 1971 to 2003, it housed an aviation museum. The museum moved to Lelystad. In 2004, they demolished the geodetic dome. Now, a parking lot stands in its place. It’s parking area P22. It serves the Schipholgebouw among others.
Schiphol has a long history. The first flights landed here in September 1916. Back then, it was a military airbase. It consisted of fields and four wooden hangars. Schiphol is in a polder. This is land reclaimed from the sea. It lies about four meters below sea level.
Schiphol played a key role in the history of civil aviation in the Netherlands. The first passenger flight landed on May 17, 1920. It came from London. The UK remains a popular destination from Schiphol.
During World War II, the German military captured Schiphol. They used it as a military airbase again. The airport was completely destroyed. After liberation in 1945, it was quickly rebuilt. The first passenger plane landed in July.
Queen Juliana opened the new Schiphol-Centrum on April 28, 1967. Jan Dellaert’s terminal design was groundbreaking. It featured a central terminal surrounded by piers. These piers handled passengers and cargo.
Schiphol has grown significantly over the years. In 1978, it connected to the rail network. Today, Schiphol connects by rail to many cities and international destinations. The new air traffic control tower opened in 1991. It is 101 meters tall. That makes it the tallest in the Netherlands.
Schiphol now has six runways. Five serve commercial operations. The sixth runway serves general aviation, private jets, and helicopters. One runway, the Polderbaan, is five kilometers from the terminal. It even has its own air traffic control tower. Schipholgebouw stands as a testament to Schiphol’s growth. It shows its importance in the world of aviation.