ABOUT CIRCA AMSTERDAM
The iconic building has a rich history. The design by acclaimed American architect Richard Buckminster Fuller was first introduced at the 1967 World Expo in Montreal. With a 60-meter self-supporting span, it became Europe’s first geodesic dome when installed in the Netherlands in 1971. For many years, Circa Amsterdam’s dome was the largest aluminum dome in the world.
A special roof
Originally located at Schiphol as an aviation museum from 1971, the dome was dismantled in 2003 when the museum relocated to Lelystad. The roof structure was stored in shipping containers until 2018, when it was rebuilt at its current location as part of a new event venue. Circa Amsterdam officially opened its doors in April 2023.
AS SUSTAINABLE AS IT GETS
Circa Amsterdam takes sustainability to the next level. The entire building uses LED lighting, ceilings are made from reclaimed wood, toilets were repurposed, and all walls are constructed from recycled plasterboard. The bar fronts are crafted from the containers in which the dome was stored, 75% of the flooring consists of reused materials, and the venue is heated and cooled using an energy-efficient thermal storage system. No gas is needed!
Key sustainable features include:
- High insulation value: EPC of 0.98%, giving Circa an A+++ energy label
- 100% LED lighting throughout the venue
- Ceilings made from reclaimed wood
- Reused toilet fixtures
- Recycled plasterboard walls
- Recycled wallpaper in breakout rooms
- Bar fronts made from the dome’s original shipping containers
- Floors made of 75% reused materials
- Flooring and façades from a former tax office in Hoofddorp
- Heating/cooling via thermal energy storage
- Backup heating via district heating – no gas required
