cylindrical fletcher hotel designed by benthem crouwel, amsterdam

‘fletcher hotel’ by benthem crouwel, amsterdam, the netherlandsall images courtesy of fletcher hotel group

along the busy dutch a2 highway stands an impressively slender cylindrical tower complete with a double-skin facade and enclosed by circular gates. while the motorway connects amsterdam to the belgian border, the 60-meter-high ‘fletcher hotel‘ is meant to create an iconic introduction to the city. benthem crouwel architects designed an extremely efficient and compact space, spanning a mere 24 meters in plan. all vertical circulation is concentrated in the core of the structure, with some 120 rooms encircling the stairs and elevators. the seventeenth floor houses a ‘sky restaurant’ that boasts unobstructed, uniquely panoramic views of the city. the complementary ‘sky lounge’ contains the first whaletone piano in the netherlands.  designed by robert majkut, the monochrome, lacquered 4-meter-long piano had to be lifted via crane into the building before completion and now creates a striking reflection on the curved glazing of the lounge. the svelte building has a high-performing envelope made entirely of glass, with an inner layer replete with circular windows and various blue-toned discs. along with a foliage-covered car park, this double glass shell provides excellent thermal insulation, contributing to the building’s greencalc b certification, a sustainability mapping tool used in conjunction with BREEAM. quirk, scale and environmental sensitivity combine to create an exclamation point for amsterdam.

a slight, but beautifully lit round lobby greets guests

curved circulation characterizes the building

extensive glazing and a circular plan allow for panoramic views of the city

one of the world’s largest chandeliers, ‘the dream’,  is suspended above the lounge at the top of the hotel

meant to express the rising of a whale from the ocean, the ivory-free piano has the inner workings of a roland

one of five interlinked meeting rooms

views from every part of the dining room

the bar

structural components of the double-glass skin can be seen from the interior

the chandelier hangs about four meters high from the top of the hotel

even boardrooms are fitted wide, circular windows

round showers and curved surfaces continue in the hotel rooms

the concierge

a curved front entrance