Crossing the border in the heart of Amsterdam, that you can do in the brand-new Eurostar UK Terminal, located within the historic Amsterdam Central station. Architects from ZJA Architects & Engineers and Superimpose Architecture, commissioned by NS Stations and Eurostar, have carefully woven the new terminal into the national monument. The 'terminal of the future' not only connects London with Amsterdam but also brings together various time periods, technologies, aesthetics, and efficiency.
Eurostar’s new UK Terminal is located in the heart of a national monument, that is Amsterdam Central Station, which is currently undergoing major renovation. The design seamlessly integrates into this large-scale station transformation, and honors the monument by weaving it into the spatial experience of the building.
The architects have taken great care to develop an architectonic concept that restores the lost monumental layers to their full glory, and makes them an integral part of the spatial experience. Anyone entering the new terminal will be able to traverse the entire timeline of Pierre Cuypers’ monument. From the Cuypersgebouw which was built in 1889 to the IJhal which was realized as recently as 2017.
The new UK Terminal is up to four times larger than the old terminal on platform 15 and functions as a Schengen external border with the necessary passport and baggage checks. Featuring advanced technologies and innovative solutions, including a dynamic ‘cloud ceiling’, the design meets the functional requirements of the modern traveler and forms a sustainable and iconic link between Amsterdam and London.
The terminal is located in the former Amstelpassage; one of the five tunnels that run from south to north at Amsterdam Central Station. The passenger arrives via the main entrance on the city side of the station, subsequently passing through baggage check and the Dutch and British border controls into the waiting room. The waiting room concludes the interior concept; with the balance and relationship between earth and sky, characteristic of train transport and inspired by the relationship between Dutch and British landscape paintings from the Golden Age. The passenger continues through the waiting room to eventually ascend the staircases to the platform located in the IJviaduct.
Dynamic lighting in the floating ceiling, which can respond to various scenarios during the different parts of the day and during the boarding process with projections of clouds, is one of the most striking elements in the interior concept. The use of different textures, colours and materialisation contribute to a pleasant and clear travel experience.
The design and realization of the terminal presented significant challenges. The UK-Terminal interfaces with several parallel ongoing construction projects which aim to future-proof the central station. A cleverly devised phasing strategy allows for operational continuity of the terminal amidst these challenges.
Visually calm spaces, comfortable acoustics, accessible design and various types of ergonomic furniture offer a comfortable and inclusive travel experience for all travelers. The use of robust and circular materials seamlessly connects with the sustainable nature of train travel and the sustainability objectives of Eurostar and the Dutch Railways.
With all of this, the new UK Terminal is a remarkable example of adaptive reuse and design excellence in a challenging environment that has had to meet a range of complex criteria and requirements from various stakeholders. The project is not yet fully completed, and in the second half of this year more waiting space with commercial facilities will be opened.
Project details UK Terminal
Client: Eurostar Group
Commisioned by: NS Stations
Architects: ZJA Architects & Engineers* and Superimpose Architecture**
Advisors: Koninklijke Marechaussee, Rijksvastgoedbedrijf, United Kingdom Border Force (UKBF), Home Office Property Services, Mott MacDonald
Installation consultant: Valstar Simonis
Lighting consultant: Beersnielsen
Structural consultant: Arcadis
Building physics & acoustics consultant: Cauberg Huygen
Fire safety consultant: Arcadis
Project management: Aronsohn
Main contractor: K_Dekker
Installations contractor: Spie
Technical elaboration: INBO
Subcontractors: Kwakman, A&D
Suppliers: Duracryl, Barri&more, Bolon, Hunterdouglas, Abet Laminati, Gabriel, SV, Interiorworks, Iguzinni, JUNG, MBX, Tormax
Furniture suppliers: Sellex, Lapalma, Halle+, interiorworks, SV meubelen
Surface area: 2,300 m2
Opening: 10 February 2025
*ZJA was responsible for the feasibility research, the architectural design of the UK Terminal and the interior design of the KMar and UKBF areas.
**Superimpose was responsible for the further development of both the architectural design and the interior design of the passenger area of the terminal.
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