Booking.com's new campus in Amsterdam: a village within the city

The facade of the new Booking.com headquarters is out of plumb and has graceful notches here and there. The eye-catcher is a pointed overhang that seems to defy gravity. Yet City Campus remains this monolithic, ungainly lump of glass, no matter from which side or distance you look at it. Unapproachable as the dark and closed bastion stands in a central location in Amsterdam—right next to Central Station and the City Library. Technically it is a wonder of science, being built on the swampy soil of Amsterdam in the Netherlands; the concrete piles go as deep as 150 metres. The amount of steel used equals Paris' Eiffel Tower. Why this intricate location for the next powerhouse of the global economy?

Recruiting machine

For one, in 1996, Booking.com was founded close by in an attic room; it is now the biggest online hotel booker in the world. Also, Amsterdam with its manageable scale, and laidback tempo—but at the same time it has a cosmopolitan vibe—functions as a powerful magnet for exactly the well-trained professionals that Booking.com wants to attract. Architect Ben van Berkel of the international firm UNStudio admitted it fully: "This campus must act as a recruiting machine with global appeal." That’s something new: an office space of 150 million Euros shouting like a billboard: We're hiring!

The sheer size of the campus was inevitable. It is already too small to host the entire staff of Booking.com; luckily, working from home is completely accepted since the corona pandemic. “Our focus was on the behaviour of Booking employees and fulfilling all their needs, from the moment they come in to the end of their working day, and everything in between,” explains architect van Berkel. "The campus must function as a city within the city."

Therefore, the interior of 70 thousand square metres makes Booking.com the largest building in downtown Amsterdam and one of the largest offices in Western Europe. It consists of three restaurants (one with a herb farm), three roof terraces, two fitness and one yoga space, and so on. “Booking.com is right up there with firms like Meta, Apple and Alphabet, so it also deserves a high-tech campus,” says the architect. With solar panels, green roofs, and heat/cold storage, the building has a Breeam Excellent certificate, the second-highest score according to this international sustainability measurement method.

Tropical ferns

Such a pity that this spatial and architectural quality can only be experienced behind the strict control gates. For the ordinary ‘Amsterdammer’ Booking.com remains a closed and dark stronghold, even from a great distance. The ground plan by UNStudio is designed to connect all the people working there. The 15-metre-high atrium has large green walls and lots of natural light fall in by the roof windows. The elevators are hidden in a corner, so everybody is invited to use the stairs, walkways, and galleries on every floor. Even the emergency stairs are part of this concept and have glass walls on the atrium side.

This feeling of connectedness and openness is enhanced by the Piranesi-like staircase that hangs spectacularly above the atrium of the concrete architecture. It seems as if you can see the entire building from here. And wherever you look, you will see efficient meeting rooms and informal seating areas, but also intimate alcoves or well-visible living rooms. This cosy feeling is enhanced with American oak and hundreds of plants, ranging from complete deciduous trees to tropical ferns. No money spared here. Full credit to the Dutch architect who with his deconstructivist vision has managed to break down this huge office space to a human scale.

Meetups in Tuscany

As the lead interior architect, local firm Hofman Dujardin developed the masterplan for the interior with the concept 'Booking Home'. It aims to create a home for all workers. But since everyone has a different idea of home, Hofman Dujardin developed a master plan that embraces diversity. Thirteen international design studios were invited to each design different zones. The lunchroom has mint green metal frames and looks like a retro-trendy American diner; the main restaurant with 850 seats has the buzzing feel of a high-class airport.

The workspaces are divided into 28 colourful 'micro-holiday destinations.' Let’s meet in Tuscany, grab a coffee in Panama City, and have a strategy talk in the Serengeti—it is possible in this office design that truly reflects the corporate culture of its user. At the same time, large photos hang on the walls, made by employees who have been to these exotic places. This has created a varied work landscape, with a personal touch. Far away and still at home.

Couleur locale

The City Campus of Booking.com is a schizophrenic building: unmeaning 'global', oversized, and even rude on the outside, but village-like and homely on the inside. A gated village within a city. Yes, this is a new typology of an intimate and adventurous corporate office building without becoming corny or childish. The wayfinding and provocation of encounters make it a green oasis for its users. Working truly has become a travel-like experience.

But what a miss is how the qualities of sustainability are dwarfed by the excess of concrete and the impact on the immediate environment. This muscle architecture is exemplary of the way in which tech companies such as Booking.com and Meta and Alphabet seem literally and figuratively detached from everyday life in the big city. The filter bubble campus could have been standing in Manhattan, Mumbai or Mexico City. It adds nothing to the specific historic context of downtown Amsterdam. It, therefore, negates the one unique selling point of Booking.com. Experiencing the couleur locale, isn’t that the whole purpose of travelling? 

Three innovative cases:

Connectors by Studio Modijefsky

Studio Modijefsky has reimagined the traditional office space, recognising that it serves a dual purpose—not just for work but also as a place to break free from daily routines. Here, the emphasis is on rebooting not through the mind, but by engaging the body in playful activities. Rather than conventional gyms, these 'Connectors' have been designed to prioritise enjoyment. Unconventional yet enticing tools for movement, play, and interaction have been strategically placed throughout the area. This clever design prompts employees to step away from their desks and embrace a positive and physically active mindset with just a hop, skip, and jump. The designers have recreated the essence of these destinations using a haptic texture palette and sleek lines, ensuring a sense of continuity and cohesiveness throughout the space. The Connectors, in their innovative form, embody the idea that the office is no longer a monotonous workspace but an environment where employees can truly be at their best, fostering creativity, collaboration, and well-being.

High Garden by i29

The Amsterdam-based interior architects i29 explored the intriguing interplay between nature and technology in their design for the High Garden on the top ninth floor of the Dutch architecture. Drawing inspiration from modern food production methods like vertical farming, they ingeniously integrated a food wall that offers wholesome 'fastbowls', a whimsical nod to the Dutch 'automatiek' (fast food wall). To create a striking contrast, the 'kitchen laboratory' was adorned with pink lighting and sleek stainless steel surfaces. This modern aesthetic is beautifully juxtaposed against the natural warmth of bamboo elements and abundant greenery throughout the expansive 900 sqm restaurant and rooftop garden.

Green Gardens by Moss

Heath, well-being and happiness—these are the core of the Green Gardens by Amsterdam's ‘floral designers’ Moss, developed and executed for the office architecture. In a playful way, green is integrated throughout the entire building. Of course, the roof terraces are green but this way you don’t have to go outside to experience nature. Walking to and from lunch or from one meeting to another must feel like a walk in the park. To reflect not only the destinations of Booking.com but also the diverse background of the employees the selected green is from the entire globe. There was even a special light plan developed for this.