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Hospitality and security are often at odds with each other. The challenge is to find the best compromise between Fort Knox and a warm welcome. Telecom company Liberty Global recently carried out a major renovation of their head office in Schiphol-Rijk – the Netherlands. As part of the project, the access security was considerably tightened, without affecting their brand’s desired welcoming appearance. Liberty Global is an international telecommunication and television company. It is also one of the largest internet service providers outside the USA. Liberty Global operates in 14 countries and has 35,000 employees. The head office is based in London and additionally there are central offices in Amsterdam and Denver. Consumer brands that belong to Liberty Global include VodafoneZiggo (50% Joint Venture with Vodafone), Virgin Media, UPC, Unitymedia and Telenet. In the high-quality business park - Schiphol-Rijk, Liberty Global have seven office buildings, which, collectively, employ a total of around 1600 people of 55 nationalities. "We did have manned security at the main entrance, but that solution did not always prevent people from entering our central hall unnoticed," says Simon Kuitert, who holds the position of Corporate Security Manager at Liberty Global. "That is why we introduced a single point of entry for the recent renovation."

Ferrero’s new global HQ gathers in one building with nearly 1,300 people, previously spread over five different offices. The building, with a total floor space of almost 30,000 m², opened in December 2019. The building is designed to evoke the atmosphere of an Italian square: a vast atrium is surrounded by two multi-storey office wings. Boon Edam was appointed to craft and install the golden revolving door, on behalf of facade builder Groven + Portal, who in turn worked for general contractor Felix Giorgetti. The colour of the revolving door makes a visual reference to the world-famous golden chocolate - Ferrero Rocher. The Casa Ferrero administrative building consists of two blocks built on a common basement. It was the combination of these plots, and the architectural skills, that resulted in what you see today: a building that is both impressive and elegant as well as being a pleasant and functional workplace for the employees of the food group. Ferrero’s colours are subtly incorporated into the classic facades, with bronze tones and a gilded effect over the windows as well as the entrance glass panels. This effect was achieved by applying a gold-coloured textile fabric to the laminated glass during the project’s construction. Behind the glass facade of the entrance, the most jaw-dropping area of Ferrero’s headquarters unfolds - a central atrium that connects the two blocks and is entirely covered by a glass roof. The spacious atrium is designed to function as a reception and meeting space. Horizontal circulation between the two blocks is facilitated by connecting walkways with a range of 20 meters. The vertical circulation occurs through panoramic glass elevators. The central atrium’s glass-roofed space is open to life within the company and encourages interaction between employees. This 11-storey building, including six upper levels (ground floor + 5 floors) and five lower levels, adapts perfectly to its urban surroundings. The office areas are spread over nine floors, taking advantage of maximum light for the interior space. Levels -3 to -5 include technical areas and parking spaces. Ferrero’s wish was for a functional and pleasant building for everyone who works there. We think they have achieved this in spades!