September 8, 2011 marked the opening of the completely refurbished Departure Lounge 3 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. President and CEO of Schiphol Group, Jos Nijhuis, and Schiphol Airside Business Partners Chair, Benno Leeser, presided at the opening celebration of the newly renovated Lounge 3. Departure Lounge 3 is the passenger retail and leisure area beyond passport control, and is an international waiting area that sees some 5.3 million travelers pass through each year before boarding their flight.

The refurbished lounge presents an exciting synergy of Dutch and international brands, including a flower shop innovatively housed in a glass 'canal-side' façade and the first branch of Victoria's Secret to open in Europe. Departure Lounge 3 offers 26 shops, seven food service outlets and various other services ranging from wellness to free WiFi to a currency exchange office.

For the design of Departure Lounge 3, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol contracted Benthem Crouwel NACO and Merkx+Girod, with the main task of creating an innovative retail and leisure area characterized by calm, light and logic.

This information has been taken from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol's press release Amsterdam Airport Schiphol opens innovative lounge: Exciting synergy between Dutch tradition and international flair dated 8 September 2011

For the full press release and more information visit  www.schiphol.nl/lounge3.