LVNL Schiphol
Louvres for Dutch air traffic control agency's new building
Headquartered in Schiphol-Oost, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) is responsible for keeping the skies above the Netherlands safe. Polaris, LVNL's new radar and training centre, was completed in 2019. LVNL will start using this modern, eye-catching building this year. Much of the facade is clad with louvres – predominately blinds. The combination of the louvres and the reflective panels above give the building a unique, stylish appearance.
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Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland
Polaris
The new building, Polaris, is located just across the street – on the same site as the old Schiphol Airport, which operated until the 1960s. The old control tower is still standing, just a stone's throw away from LVNL. LVNL and CLSK (the Royal Netherlands Air Force Command) employees will be able to access Polaris via a uniquely designed walkway above Stationsplein. Alongside being the home of the new air traffic control system, the new building will also be used for courses and training programmes for air traffic controllers in both civil and military aviation.
Louvre walls
The modern facade, which consists of large windows and mirrored panels, gives Polaris its finishing touch. On three sides of the building, the lowest section is covered in a 'blind' grill facade. Merford installed the louvre walls and a number of penetration-resistant transformer doors. Only a few sections of the facade are air-permeable grills, which is unnoticeable from the outside. The design and construction blend together almost seamlessly to create a visually appealing result.
