Eye-opener (Interiors)
RedKarpet
applauds any advances that soothe the haul in long haul and Amsterdam
Airport Schiphol's exclusive new Privium ClubLounge does just that.
Recently opened to frequent flyers, the Privium ClubLounge not only
catches the eye but also authenticates it - with the latest biometric
technology systems. Sat Bal (8 Jan'09)
Schiphol group executive VP and chief commercial officer Maarten de Groof must
have opened the Privium ClubLounge with a certain sense of
satisfaction. Here is an exclusive lounge where science meets high end
design to the point where the space is barely discernible as an airport
venue.
Eindhoven-based M+R interior architects won the international pitch to bring its youthful design ethos to Privium for the benefit of Privium Plus members. Founded only eight years ago, M+R has worked on a raft of diverse projects in the Netherlands.
Naturally the ClubLounge features working and relaxation areas with free wireless internet and personal service.
Less
obviously, flyers can replenish their batteries in the Light Energy
area and bypass passport queues by using the special iris scan
facility.
This
special member service programme accelerates border crossing to just 15
seconds thanks to iris recognition biometrics, rendering manual
passport checking obsolete. The process works for travellers wearing
glasses and even coloured contact lenses.
Following the initial scan, iris details are saved on the chip of the passenger's Privium Card. The system was designed by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol with software developed in close collaboration with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) and the Royal Military Schiphol.
A door designed like the pupil of an eye (below right) admits passengers who can then use their time to unwind or work in the calm efficiency of the Space Odyssey design aesthetic.
Click for more on biometrics and the industry
RK
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