ING headquarters, Amsterdam | Canopies like airplane wings contribute to calm facade appearance

ING's new headquarters was designed by Benthem & Crouwel Architects and realized by G&S Bouw. The design incorporates canopies that follow the curves of the building and provide a tranquil facade appearance, in part due to the sleek design and horizontal articulation. The canopies, manufactured by Sorba, consist of anodized aluminum cladding and coated aluminum composite cladding.

Stately, sleek, flowing and organic are words that come to mind when contemplating the facade of the ING HQ in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. The facade is correct in its totality; the sum is more than the parts. "The result of integral design, with the architect as a natural partner, and tight cooperation from the executing parties," says Sorba commercial director Eric Hogeboom. Rollecate provided the glass strips and was responsible for the thermal insulation and waterproofing of the façade; the assembly of the canopies, manufactured by Sorba and attached to the storey floors, which protrude as much as 2.5 meters and are likened to airplane wings, joined the hull construction. "The only overlap with our work was in the insulation of the floor edges, performed after the co-cast brackets for mounting the canopies were ready."

Comfortable working environment

Both facade parties worked side by side to finish the facade. Sorba assembled in-house, in good cooperation with general contractor G&S Bouw. Hogeboom: "G&S coordinated the cooperation between the parties. We were a well-attuned team, enabling the facade image desired by the architect and client to be realized to perfection." The nose profiles of the canopies are made of anodized aluminum and by rolling the profiles, the required curve was created. These elements are 7.20 meters long, with a grid of 1.80 meters for the plating on both sides. Coated aluminum composite sheeting was used on the top of the canopies (Alpolic). "The coating provides for glare reduction. A comfortable working environment is obviously paramount." Conversely, the canopies provide shade to the floors below. "For this reason, the undersides of the canopies are executed with natural anodized sheeting."