New light on the facade of Operations Control Center KLM

KLM's Operations Control Center at Schiphol-East recently regained a facade that catches the eye. The facade is equipped with sunscreen facade textile by Serge Ferrari. Thanks to this fabric, more light enters daily and sunlight and heat are kept under control.

Serge Ferrari is a world leader in flexible composite materials and is known for its innovative products. KLM's Operations Control Center at Schiphol-East had a challenge that the manufacturer knew just what to do with.

Looking for durable sun protection

The facade of the control center was in need of a good shading solution. Several years ago, a sunshade had been installed from a perforated metal mesh. However, the panels began to rust and the material used was no longer available on the market. Therefore, Poly-Ned in Steenwijk was called in to realize a new solution. The choice fell on this specialist in textile architecture because of its extensive experience and the fact that the company appeared to be able to meet the high safety requirements on the construction site.

More light, better appearance

After extensive research, the architect chose to add perforated fabric to the façade. This lightweight option allows for a wider view outside the building while effectively keeping the sun out. The façade has now been fitted with 830 m² of Serge Ferrari's Frontside View 381 type mesh fabric.
This is a mesh for textile facades designed to preserve the view from inside to outside. In new construction and renovation projects, it reduces the heat in the building by up to 81%, depending on the colors of the mesh. It is also durable and resistant to the effects of weather such as wind, hail and solar radiation. The architect wanted a dark color because it matches the original colors of the facade. In this project, the old rear structure remained intact. Because it could be reused, the cost of the total investment was manageable.

KLM's Operations Control Center not only looks a lot more attractive after the sun blinds were installed, but more light now enters the building on a daily basis while at the same time keeping out the harmful influence of the sun.