“HING’s Innovative Headquarters: Sorba’s Masterpiece in Façade Cladding”
In bustling Amsterdam, ING’s new headquarters has risen like an architectural masterpiece. The building’s clean lines and rounded forms are sublimely accentuated by the canopies that envelop it. Sorba, with almost half a century of experience in high-quality facade and object cladding, developed, manufactured and assembled these canopies. Working with Benthem Crouwel Architects and commissioned by main contractor G&S Bouw, Sorba delivered a unique piece of craftsmanship.
Canopies embracing curves
The canopies of the ING headquarters are no ordinary canopies; they meticulously follow the curves of the building, protruding as much as 2.5 metres. An impressive feat of engineering and precision work. Sorba’s engineers devised a clever solution for attaching these canopies, which could only be fixed to the floor edges. By having the anchoring of the brackets cast along with the concrete, heavy steel beams and the substructure could be mounted. These steel girders bear the full weight of the imposing canopies.
Top-quality materials
The canopies are clad in high-quality materials to ensure both aesthetics and durability. The canopies’ nose profiles are made of anodised aluminium, with elements as long as 7.20 metres. These profiles are bent with extreme precision, thanks to advanced rolling methods, to perfectly follow the curves of the canopies. Lumiflon-coated aluminium composite material Alpolic was chosen for the top of the canopies, reducing glare on the material. The underside of the canopies is finished with natural anodised sheeting to minimise shadowing.
Architect: Benthem Crouwel
Contractor: G&S Bouw
Client: EDGE Technologies and G&S Vastgoed
Materials: aluminium composite material (Alpolic), extruded aluminium, aluminium and electrogalvanised steel
Stamp on the City
In addition to the impressive canopies, Sorba also supplied the exterior ceilings and videland cladding for the ING headquarters. This comprehensive contribution highlights Sorba’s role as a full-service partner in facade projects. From consultancy and engineering to production and installation, Sorba has maintained full control over the process and the result.
Surface creators
Sorba, with its unprecedented experience and uncompromising pursuit of perfection, has left its mark on the built environment. The many projects Sorba has completed, including the ING headquarters, are iconic and will adorn city skylines for decades. The company has proven that perfection is achieved by bringing projects to completion together, with careful, sustainable choices at the heart of design and function.
Innovation and expertise
The ING headquarters in Amsterdam is not just an office building; it is an architectural masterpiece, made possible in part by Sorba’s expertise. The canopies, as enveloping arms of innovation, demonstrate Sorba’s ability to deliver bespoke solutions that are both functionally and aesthetically impressive. The collaboration with renowned parties and the seamless integration of high-quality materials underline Sorba’s role as a pioneer in cladding. Sorba’s story unfolds on the facades of cities, and with the ING headquarters, they show that they don’t let go until it is truly finished. That is Sorba.
Material
- 4 mm thick aluminium composite material (Alpolic) in the colour Dark Grey Metallic
- 2 mm thick aluminium, finish natural pre-anodised
- 1.5 mm thick electrolytically galvanised steel for the side panels
- Extruded aluminium “nose” profile, finish natural anodised
Surface area of materials used
- Total 10,460 m² of canopy cladding
- Approx. 2,650 m¹ of “nose”profile
- Approx. 1,345 m² of sidewall cladding
