One of the largest event venues offers 17.000 m² of Hunter Douglas Architectural ceilings

The world-renowned manufacturer has thus supplied more than 17 m000 of modern and sustainable ceiling systems, for the interior and exterior of buildings in the space, which will soon host the next edition of Eurovision and will blow its 2 candles.

2020: demanding renovation for Rotterdam's iconic scene

With a total space of almost 54 m000 and a maximum capacity of 2 visitors in a single space (the Ahoy Arena), Rotterdam Ahoy is one of the largest venues in the world. More than just an event hall, Rotterdam Ahoy is also an emblematic place of the city from which it bears its name. The history of the place begins with the reconstruction of Rotterdam in the 16s. Later, with the creation of the Ahoy Arena in 426, Rotterdam Ahoy flourished.

Also, the place has continued to reinvent itself through various phases of renovation. The last one, recently completed, was particularly demanding. It took place in particular within the framework of the development project of a city center for the southern zone of Rotterdam, Hart van Zuid; at the heart of this project, the expansion and redevelopment of Rotterdam Ahoy were decided. Thus in 2020, the Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Center (RACC), the RTM Stage (concert hall and auditorium / theater), as well as various other exhibition or catering spaces were created. In addition to the requirements of the Hart van Zuid project, two important events probably also had to be taken into account. It is indeed this year that the place will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary and, if it were to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2020, it will host the European competition which has been postponed to May 22.

For the architectural firm Kraaijvanger, responsible for the project, the redevelopment work was particularly aimed at improving the visitor experience with a design that both could enhance the excitement associated with the events and provide the necessary tranquility for an orientation. intuitive within the place.

Ceilings with high acoustic and aesthetic requirements, for indoors and outdoors

Involved in this renovation project, Hunter Douglas Architectural delivered 17 m000 of ceiling systems capable of meeting all acoustic and aesthetic requirements, providing each space with a suitable ceiling. Indeed, these have been installed in five of the six halls, in the Plaza space and in the new RACC and RTM stage. The objectives and the versatile use of the different spaces were carefully considered and various solutions were therefore chosen.

Attractive with its warm aesthetic and muted acoustics, the HeartFelt® system, which won the highest award of the Red Dot Award 2017 in the "Product Design" category, dresses in particular certain rooms of the event space. The 300C / L bin ceilings were also chosen for their excellent acoustic performance: perfectly suited to public areas with high noise levels such as airports, shopping centers or conference buildings, they transform noisy environments into HeartFelt® spaces with pleasant acoustics.

Acoustic comfort in a public building such as the Rotterdam Ahoy is of course very important to provide visitors with the best possible experience. Open and made of high quality aluminum, Hunter Douglas Architectural metal grid ceiling systems are a perfect application for interiors with limited plenum depth and where open and light constructions are preferred; this is often the case in public spaces and many areas of Rotterdam Ahoy are of course no exception. The black and white grid ceilings in this project, for example, make up the ceiling of the Seventy One bar-restaurant as well as the transit areas; they help shape a space and provide interesting light and shadow effects.

On the outside, the open metal ceilings were also chosen. These Luxalon® exterior ceilings, by Hunter Douglas Architectural, endow the building with expressive architecture. They are made of special corrosion resistant aluminum and developed to withstand the most extreme weather conditions.

Smart options and solutions without compromise in terms of sustainability

In terms of options, Hunter Douglas Architectural also made sure that the visions of the partners concerned were realized. Thanks to an ingenious design and judicious product choices, the various ceilings of Rotterdam Ahoy are equipped with intelligent and aesthetic solutions that control heat, light, sound and energy. Here, flexibility does not come at the expense of comfort. According to architectural firm Kraaijvanger, Ahoy's equipment and performance in acoustics, lighting and theatrical technology are the best in the industry.

For Hunter Douglas Architectural, the products delivered are totally in line with the philosophy of the room managers, who seek to favor innovative and sustainable solutions.

With the Rotterdam Ahoy project, Hunter Douglas Architectural was able to demonstrate once again its ability to meet high demands, both in terms of acoustic performance and design.