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    Space Projects creates Amsterdam store with thatched hut for Polspotten

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    A curvilinear thatched hut has been paired with terracotta-hued tiles at the Amsterdam store for homeware brand Polspotten, which was designed by local studio Space Projects.

    The studio created the store to straddle a shop and an office for Polspotten, a furniture and home accessories brand headquartered in the Dutch capital.
    Visitors enter the Polspotten store via an oversized triangular entrancewayCharacterised by bold angles and arches, the outlet features distinctive terracotta-coloured walls and flooring that nod to traditional pots, Space Projects founder Pepijn Smit told Dezeen.
    “The terracotta-inspired colours and materials refer to the brand’s first product, ‘potten’ – or pots,” said Smit, alluding to the first Spanish pots imported by Erik Pol when he founded Polspotten in the Netherlands in 1986.
    The interconnected spaces are delineated by cutoutsLocated in Amsterdam’s Jordaan neighbourhood, the store was arranged across a series of open-plan rooms, interconnected by individual geometric entryways.

    Visitors enter at a triangular opening, which was cut away from gridded timber shelving lined with multicoloured pots that mimic totemic artefacts in a gallery.
    A curvilinear thatched hut provides a meeting spaceThe next space features a similar layout, as well as a plump cream sofa with rounded modules and sculptural pots stacked in a striking tower formation.
    Travelling further through the store, molten-style candle holders and Polspotten furniture pieces were positioned next to chunky illuminated plinths, which exhibit amorphously shaped vases finished in various coral-like hues.

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    Accessed through a rectilinear, terracotta-tiled opening, the final space features a bulbous indoor hut covered in thatch and fitted with a light pink opening.
    The hut provides a meeting space for colleagues, according to the studio founder.
    “The thatch, as a natural material, absorbs sound as well,” explained Smit.
    The store provides an art gallery-style space for homewareNext to the hut, Space Projects created an acoustic wall illustrated with “hieroglyphics” of Polspotten products, which references the gallery-like theme that runs throughout the outlet.
    “The store was inspired by Polspotten’s use of traditional techniques combined with a collage of their reinterpreted archetypes,” said Smit.
    It is also used as an office spaceElsewhere in Amsterdam, Dutch practice Studio RAP used 3D printing and algorithmic design to create a “wave-like” facade for a boutique store while interior designer Linda Bergroth created the interiors for the city’s Cover Story paint shop to streamline the redecorating process for customers.
    The photography is by Kasia Gatkowska.

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      Linda Bergroth designs “user-centric” Cover Story paint shop in Amsterdam

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      Interior designer Linda Bergroth has added colourful beams to the Amsterdam concept store for plastic-free paint brand Cover Story, which was designed to streamline the redecorating process for shoppers.

      The “paint studio” is the second iteration of Cover Story outlets designed by Bergroth, who also created the interiors for the Finnish brand’s flagship Helsinki store.
      The Cover Story shop in Amsterdam features oversized colourful beamsShortlisted in the small retail interiors category of this year’s Dezeen Awards, the paint shop features oversized colourful beams. These were informed by cranes in the port city, as well as the decorative vignettes that top many of Amsterdam buildings’ facades, according to the brand.
      “The design playfully explores the use of colour, incorporating three-dimensionality through roof bars and considering how light interacts with colour to influence perception,” said Cover Story.
      Linda Bergroth designed the interiorFollowing a similar format to the Helsinki outlet, the Amsterdam shop also serves as a showroom, office and events space, despite its small size.

      A large colour chart made from hand-painted swatches in 47 different shades, designed to make choosing colours easier for customers, was attached to the wall.
      Colourfully painted blocks and plinths were incorporated to show how light responds to each Cover Story shadeChunky painted plinths were positioned in the shop window, as well as smaller colourful blocks on a central silvery table, to emphasise the different ways in which light and shadow respond to various paint options.
      Cover Story explained that Bergroth chose to highlight the old building’s “unique characteristics”, rather than introduce new furniture, including its sloping walls and the metal supports that adorn its structural pillars.

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      “Despite the significant influence that wall colour holds in shaping the atmosphere of a room and influencing interior design, paint is often perceived merely as a renovation accessory,” said the brand.
      “Cover Story’s mission is to position paint as a design product, which is why the Amsterdam paint studio is strategically located on a bustling shopping street alongside other concept stores where interior design products are sold,” it added.
      “Every aspect is thoughtfully crafted to promote a sustainable and user-centric experience.”
      The beams were informed by Amsterdam’s architectureFounded in 2020 by Anssi Jokinen and Tommi Saarnio, the brand produces 100 per cent plastic-free paint, which is also odourless.
      Finnish designer Bergroth has completed a number of colour-infused projects including Durat’s Helsinki showroom and a blue pop-up restaurant in New York built from recycled food packaging.
      The photography is by Paavo Lehtonen. 

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      D/Dock creates immersive exhibition space inside 19th-century Amsterdam gasworks

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      Creative studio D/Dock has transformed a hall inside Amserdam’s former Westergasfabriek gasworks into Fabrique des Lumières – billed as the largest immersive art centre in the Netherlands.

      Commissioned by Parisian company Culturespaces, D/Dock’s design and build team transformed the double-height 3,800-square-metre hall into an exhibition space where bright, colourful artworks are projected across the floor and walls.
      D/Dock transformed a gasworks hall into an immersive exhibition spaceThe space can be adapted through the use of movable seating and adjustable sound and light systems to suit the needs of various exhibitions on everything from space travel to the work of architect Antoni Gaudí.
      “[The space] serves as a versatile canvas set against an industrial backdrop, where over 100 projectors and speakers transform the venue into dynamic worlds, from a lively jungle to an interstellar journey or an evocative art gallery, offering a spectrum of cultural and sensory experiences adaptable to various exhibitions,” managing director of D/Dock Sven Butteling told Dezeen.
      The 17-metre-tall exhibition space has a viewing platform and moveable seatingTo achieve a continuous space suitable for light projections, any openings of the 1885 building were closed up with cladding and painted to blend in with the existing brick interior.

      Taking advantage of the building’s height and scale, an internal staircase wraps around the rear facade and leads to a raised platform providing views of the main space.
      Newly built elements echo the building’s industrial heritageTwo newly built pavilions provide more enclosed immersive experiences within the main exhibition space while also operating as projection surfaces in the main hall.
      Among them is the mirror pavilion, which D/Dock clad in mirrored panels and shiny flooring tiles to create “an infinite projection space”.

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      During construction, the building’s interior was carefully restored to maintain its industrial character, with the addition of newly built and digital elements creating a contemporary arts centre that blends the old and new.
      The addition of lightweight insulation on the roof and windows, as well as acoustic and fire-rated doors, helped to enhance the energy performance of the hall.
      Pavilions provide enclosed immersive spaces for visitorsD/Dock is a creative studio of architects, artists, designers and engineers based in Amsterdam.
      Fabrique des Lumières has been shortlisted in the architectural lighting design category of the Dezeen Awards 2023. Also in the running is the glowing facade that ArandaLasch created for a Dior store outside of Doha, Qatar.
      The photography is by Ossip van Duivenbode, Marijn van Laerhoven and Eric Spiller.

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      Amsterdam apartment block features cupboard bedrooms

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      Dutch design studio Blom Interieurs has created playful interiors with cupboard bedrooms for Shift Architecture Urbanism’s Domūs Houthaven residential complex in Amsterdam.

      The complex, which contains 235 compact rental apartments, was created to provide high-density living, utilising space and materials effectively.
      The 235 apartments in Domūs Houthaven contain cupboard bedroomsEach apartment contains a bedroom cupboard with built-in shelves and under-bed drawers. The sleeping cupboard can be closed off from the living space with perforated steel folding doors.
      “Close the doors and your whole apartment becomes your living room; open them at night and you have a huge bedroom,” Shift Architecture Urbanism partner Oana Rades told Dezeen.
      Each apartment features a “smart-living core”Designed by Shift Architecture Urbanism, individual apartments range in size from 43 to 60 square metres, with colour-blocked modular units arranged according to the building’s floor plan. 

      At the heart of every apartment is a “smart-living core” – a central cell comprising a kitchen, box bedroom, bathroom and storage space. By incorporating floor-to-ceiling storage, the studio maximised the space.

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      Blom Interieurs oversaw production and assembly of the “smart-living core” modules and the fixed furniture in the common areas.
      The bedroom cupboard doors were the most challenging aspect, the studio told Dezeen. “For such daily intensive use, the doors had to be sturdy and robust and at the same time easy to operate. Our solution was steel.”
      Domūs Houthaven residents have access to shared living spacesThe steel doors, pale laminate floors, untreated concrete ceilings and white walls were designed to contrast with the brightly coloured furnishings and modular units.
      As well as their individual apartments, residents have access to shared co-working, living, cooking, utility and garden spaces. Shift Architecture Urbanism designed the communal spaces to encourage interaction between residents and “prevent loneliness”.
      “The communal spaces are designed to feel homely, as an extension of one’s own private apartment,” said Rades.
      Built-in furniture can be seen throughout the communal areasBuilt-in furniture features throughout the multifunctional living area, including a wood-lined seating area that doubles as a bookcase. 
      Separating the living and the co-working spaces is a small kitchen unit lined in pastel-green ceramic tiles. A large television sits in a wooden cabinet that acts as a room partition while also providing further storage and open shelving. 
      “Four large pieces of furniture act as room dividers, differentiating the large open space into smaller ones that feel intimate,” Rades explained. 
      The internal layout is organised to maximise available spaceThroughout the project, the studio aimed to use a variety of colours, patterns and materials. Doors and window frames in pastel tones match the curtains in each of the apartments, while recessed window ledges provide informal seating areas. 
      “[We used] a rich complementing material palette with contrasting tactile and graphic appearance,” said Rades.
      “The material palette is very diverse: from bamboo and wood veneer to corrugated steel plates to ceramic tiles and terrazzo.” 
      The studio set out to use a bright, playful colour paletteA pavilion on the roof contains a communal kitchen that functions as a cooking studio, with a central island clad in turquoise tiles and a contrasting long red dining table. 
      A speckled grey seating ledge runs below the wraparound glazing, which provides views of the surrounding area and skyline beyond.
      Shift Architecture Urbanism used a range of materials throughout the projectOther recent projects by Shift Architecture Urbanism include an adaptation of a historic Dutch monastery for ageing residents and the renovation of a derelict four-storey home in Rotterdam, replacing brickwork with glazing to create two light-filled apartments.
      The photography is by Pim Top and Rob Lipsius. 

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      Studio Modijefsky favours clean lines in renovation of Dutch dyke house

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      Amsterdam interior design firm Studio Modijefsky has created a contemporary family home inside of a local dijkhuis – a traditional Dutch dwelling set next to a dyke.

      Located in the north of Amsterdam, the house was originally built for a middle-class family in the 1800s. But the building suffered substantial fire damage while serving as a kindergarten in the 1980s and had to be completely rebuilt in the same style.
      Home Dijkhuis is a renovated dyke house in AmsterdamStudio Modijefsky was asked by the new owners to create an interior that would respect the building’s heritage while introducing modern touches.
      Spread across 260 square metres, the home features an entrance, living area and study on the same level as the dyke. A spacious kitchen, dining area and garden are set a level down at the back of the house, while four bedrooms occupy the first floor under the gabled roof.
      Its low timber-beam ceiling is left exposed in the kitchenThe Netherlands has a long history of building next to its vast network of dykes – the embankments stretching thousands of kilometres along its coastlines and riverbanks to protect the low-lying country from flooding.

      As these dykes raise the ground level, a dijkhuis is often split across storeys of different heights and lighting conditions, which creates both challenges and creative opportunities according to Studio Modijefsky.
      “To create an interior that fits the original architecture while freshening it up, the spatial qualities of each living area were assessed and the properties of height, light and each building structure and window shape were maximised,” explained the studio.
      A green corduroy sofa and a walnut cabinet dominate the loungeIn the downstairs kitchen and dining area, a low timber-beam ceiling creates an intimate space anchored by a large table, where the family can come together for meals or enjoy views over the garden through the wide French windows.
      In the kitchen, a terrazzo-topped island is complemented with dark wooden door fronts, a backlit glass display cabinet and terracotta tiles on the floor.
      Marble detailing features throughout the house in fireplaces and splashbacksUpstairs, on the level of the dyke, the house’s entrance hallway leads into a bright living room, which the design team describes as “the most lavish space in the house”.
      It features tall arched windows and a high curved ceiling with art deco ornaments, giving the room a spacious and welcoming feel.

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      The walls and ceilings are painted in three different hues of white, strategically placed to enhance the room’s architectural features.
      “In a room with so much natural light, darker colours could be used to dramatic effect such as on the dark herringbone floor,” said Studio Modijefsky. “But all eyes will here be drawn to a monolithic walnut cabinet, whose shape mirrors the windows opposite it.”
      A built-in bar is set in one corner of the loungeIn addition to the walnut cabinet, the room is furnished with an olive-green corduroy sofa and a built-in cocktail bar with a terrazzo top.
      Across the hallway is a toilet decorated with off-white tiles that are glossy on the walls and matt on the floor. Other furnishings include wooden plinths, a purple marble splashback and an oak-wood cabinet with brass details.
      The study, which doubles as a guest room, has built-in storage cabinets and an en-suite bathroom with travertine instead of marble detailing.
      The curved ceilings of the dijkhuis create a sense of being envelopedFour bedrooms, two bathrooms and a separate toilet are squeezed onto the dijkhuis’s first floor. To create enough space for these living arrangements, the design team installed two dormer windows that run along two-thirds of the roof’s length.
      The floors and walls here are lighter compared to downstairs, with parts of the original beamed roof left exposed.
      Bathrooms on this floor feature rectangular tiles arranged in a herringbone pattern, which is echoed in the parquet of the bedrooms. In the corridors, the studio switched the pattern to straight planking in order to emphasise the vertical dimensions of the house.
      Four bedrooms are housed on the first floor under the home’s gabled roofStudio Modijefsky, which was founded by interior architect Esther Stam in 2009, has completed a number of projects in the Dutch capital in recent years.
      Among them is a travel-themed eatery with swampy purple ceilings and yellow-tiled walls that recall grassy meadows, as well as the renovation of a 119-year-old restaurant.
      The photography is by Maarten Willemstein. 

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      Marcel Wanders draws on Dutch history for overhaul of Schiphol airport lounge

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      References to Dutch culture and history are woven throughout the VIP centre of Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, which has undergone a maximalist revamp by designer Marcel Wanders.

      The airport lounge comprises a sequence of rooms including a library, drinks bar and smoking room, all designed by Marcel Wanders and his studio to have a distinct theme.
      “We wanted each room to be able to exist on its own,” explained Gabriele Chiave, the studio’s creative director.
      Replicas of famous Dutch paintings are displayed in Schiphol’s VIP centre”Of course, the main thread throughout is Dutch heritage and culture,” he continued. “But we decided on main themes like art and innovation that inspired generations of designers.”
      “This travellers’ lounge offered an opportunity to share Dutch culture with the world,” Wanders added. “It introduces people to our history and our masterpieces.”

      As travellers enter the VIP centre, they come into a relaxed lounge area designed to loosely resemble the national Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
      The workroom features trompe l’oeil wallsDisplayed on the walls are replicas of paintings by different Dutch masters, set against backlit glass walls that were installed a decade ago during the last renovation of the lounge by local practice Concrete Architects.
      Across the room are banks of coffee-coloured sofas, which like the rest of the furnishings throughout the centre were selected in collaboration with Dutch design brand Lensvelt.
      One of the seating areas was designed as a celebration of Deft Blue potteryMore reproductions of significant Dutch artworks are found in the centre’s workroom, where travellers can sit down with their laptops or take private phone calls.
      Here, a trompe l’oeil effect on the walls creates the impression that the room is finished with traditional boiserie, half-varnished in a rich yellow ochre hue.
      Another lounge area showcases digital portraits of famous Dutch cultural figures – both real and fictional – including artist Vincent Van Gogh, violinist Andre Rieu and cartoon bunny Miffy.

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      Guests can also retreat to the VIP centre’s Deft Blue Salon, which takes its name from a style of Dutch tin-glazed pottery that’s typically adorned with intricate blue-and-white designs.
      Living up to its name, the room was fitted with patterned blue wallpaper panels and dotted with a few Deft Blue vases.
      The smoking room hints at the Netherlands’ connection to the tobacco tradeElsewhere in the VIP centre, there’s a smoking room that nods to the Netherlands’ historical ties to the tobacco trade and a seating area designed to reference Amsterdam’s canal houses, with a streetlamp-style light and fake stained-glass windows.
      Other amenities include a library, drinks bar, games room and a serene sleeping room.
      Amsterdam’s canal houses informed the look of this loungeWanders is known for his striking maximalist aesthetic, which can also be seen in his interior design for Doha’s Mandarin hotel with its mismatched patterns and oversized furnishings.
      Stateside, the designer has previously created a diamond-patterned facade for the Louis Vuitton store in Miami, referencing the brand’s iconic monogram logo.

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