Aegon, Schiphol [NL]

EeStairs + HofmanDujardin Architecten

In Aegon’s new offices at Schiphol, HofmanDujardin have composed a vibrant environment focused on openness and flow. At its centre, a series of cherry-red staircases serves as both circulation and sculptural focal point. The intense colour, achieved through custom-coated steel and tinted glass, shifts with the light, creating a dynamic interplay between material, space and user.

One of the primary challenges was logistical: the four main stair flights, together with two intermediate landings and a balustrade totalling 86 metres, had to be delivered in compact, preassembled sections—each under 2700mm to fit within the building’s lift dimensions. This required EeStairs’ engineers to develop a segmented fabrication and installation strategy, ensuring that all visible joints—particularly the mechanical connections between stair stringers—were flawlessly aligned and consistently detailed. The stair structure itself uses concealed steel tread carriers with integral risers, designed to receive tread finishes by others without compromising the clarity of the form.

What sets this project apart is the sheer chromatic unity across all elements. The balustrades, made from laminated safety glass with coloured interlayers, are fixed without visible posts, creating uninterrupted planes of colour that mirror and intensify the staircase’s sculptural geometry. The result is a staircase that performs with precision, and speaks in bold, architectural language.