Where in Zuidas
It can’t be denied: the NH Hotel Group knows how to throw a party. The announcement of the theme of the already iconic Nhow Amsterdam RAI hotel – ‘Diversity’ – comes with five-star catering (by Krasnapolsky, also part of the NH group). While construction workers continue doing what they do, hosts and hostesses await with artistic bites on the seventh floor, a trendy beat issues from the speakers during the video presentation, and the eye-catching new building Zuidas is toasted. ‘This hotel completes RAI,’ says Maurits van de Sluis, RAI’s Chief Operational Officer, proudly. ‘It will be RAI’s bedroom and living room.’
Experiences with a twist
Maarten Markus, Managing Director Northern Europe van de NH Hotel Group, praises the hotel’s unconventional nature in terms of both architecture and interior design. ‘This hotel targets travellers who want to spend the night at a hotel that is different from all others. We aim high to offer our guests experiences with a twist. The city of Amsterdam embraces diversity with over 150 different nationalities. I am looking forward to seeing Nhow Amsterdam RAI turn into a melting pot of different cultures, too.’
Stamp
We are not there yet. For the time being, Nhow Amsterdam RAI is the domain of construction workers. ‘We are building what we have planned to build and are doing so within schedule,’ says Gert-Wim Bos, Managing Director of COD, the development company. ‘Subcontractors, construction workers, engineers – everyone is proud to be working on this building.’ He explains how complex an affair it is to build such an imposing structure on a ‘stamp’. RAI must not experience any disturbance due to the construction work; the construction logistics are complex and the North/South metro line is located just 1.5 metres from the two-floor parking cellar, which boasts a ‘floating screw’ as its entrance. To top it all off, the architects opted for a triangular design with the points projecting a considerable distance from the circular inner core.
Six wind directions
To offer an impression of the 650 rooms in all, a so-called ‘mock up or trial room’ was built on top of the site office, showing one of the six room types. NEXT Architects and GLG/MVSA Architects, who designed the interior, found inspiration in the six wind directions that mark the corners of the buildings: South, East, North, Southwest, Southeast, and Northwest. The Golden Age in Amsterdam also served as inspiration for the rooms, as well as mandalas from India, Mexican calavera skulls, and Japanese cherry blossom. A rooftop bar that will welcome hotel guests as well as residents from the city, will be constructed at the top of the building on the 25th floor.
Lunch
While Krasnapolsky serves a copious lunch, the construction workers enjoy their sandwiches outside. Their work will be done in just under 18 months, if all goes according to plan. The first guests will stand at the reception in the first quarter of 2020.
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