Technology Client Amsterdam
For this confidential tech client’s recently renovated office, brandx brought the culture and landscape of Amsterdam into the space, supporting the global firm’s initiative to adapt its workplace culture to the local environment. Inspired by the urban and rural landscapes, as well as the vibrant tulip fields representative of the area, brandx developed a series of custom surface graphic patterns, privacy film, and interactive opportunities to promote company messaging through engaging interventions.
Sector:Technology
Size: 13,057 sf
Location: Amsterdam, NL
Amsterdam-Inspired Design: Where Urban Culture Meets Colorful Fields
The city of Amsterdam is home to more culture per capita than anywhere else, with a rich history of arts, architecture, and culture. Moving outward from the city center, the landscape transitions into rural fields of tulips, another iconic symbol of the region. Grown in colorful rows, these tulips have become synonymous with the culture, creating recognizable images of color-blocked fields. This radial connection between Amsterdam’s central hub and its rural outskirts is mirrored in the radial layout of the office space. The central arrival point, acting as the city center, transitions to the open workspace areas, with bright pops of color, representing the tulip fields.
Tulip-Inspired Design: Embracing Movement, Rhythm, and Dutch Heritage
The tulip serves as a central inspiration throughout the space, both literally and conceptually. A collection of custom wallcovering pattern creates a sense of repetition and movement with an eccentric, colorful design that wraps around the core between the arrival and workspace. Around the core, linear-based graphic blends upwards into the acoustic ceiling intervention where large linear panels evoke picturesque tulip fields. A custom tulip-based font adorns the outer walls, featuring the firm’s inspirational messaging through a bold and abstract pattern, inspired by Dutch designer Karl Martens.
To break up the geometric forms of the ceiling and wall, brandx developed a series of custom glass patterns to create privacy within offices and meeting rooms, while embracing the charm of the Dutch landscape. Repeating patterns of mixed tulip shapes and sizes area incorporated throughout each glass panel, symbolizing the wide variety of tulip species grown in the Netherlands.
Linear Inspiration: A Tribute to De Stijl
The space features linear elements that compose the ceiling and walls. This sense of linearity echoes De Stijl, the iconic Dutch art movement where artists like Piet Mondrian developed entire compositions with the line as a focal point. The linear elements are reflected in architectural features, such as exposed beams and structural supports, connecting each section of the office and the people within it.
Fluid Expression: Brushstrokes in Motion
Inspired by the nearby Amstel River, the central connecting stair is identified by a custom Van Gogh-inspired wallcovering. Featuring the iconic brushstrokes of the Post-Impressionist movement, the graphic graduates upwards from dark to light to create a flowing sense of movement as visitors ascend. This painterly motif extends outwards into the nearby pantry space, through a custom glass film design.
Interactive Design: Bridging Local Identity and Global Company Culture
To integrate a strong sense of locality into the global company culture, leadership principles are reflected in various graphic applications that promote a sense of collaboration and connection. These interventions activate the surrounding spaces and encourage interaction, creating moments of discovery that reinforce the company's messaging. On each floor, a wall-mounted lenticular intervention displays two messages - one on each side -, changing as visitors move, allowing them to actively engage with the content.
In the arrival point, messaging is displayed above the seating area and is integrated into the exposed ductwork. This hidden-in-plain-sight sign hovers above visitors, waiting to be spotted, while in the restrooms, the messaging wraps each mirror, allowing visitors to “reflect” on the messaging.
