INK hotel
completed
april 2015
responsibilities
interior & identity design
programme
size 6650 sqm, 149 rooms, public spaces and amenities
location
amsterdam, nl
completed
april 2015
responsibilities
interior & identity design
programme
size 6650 sqm, 149 rooms, public spaces and amenities
location
amsterdam, nl
INK hotel Amsterdam consists of a conglomeration of historic buildings along the main street with its main anchor being the former newspaper head office and print shop of ‘De Tijd’ (‘the times’ in English). A place where stories were written in the same building as they were printed forms the foundation on which INK hotel Amsterdam, including its restaurant The PRESSROOM, has been built.
the arrival
The former narrow and low entrance was substantially expanded, even though a guest room originally sat directly above it. By cleverly reworking the space, the entrance could be opened up without losing any rooms, creating a spacious hall with a striking high façade. Two major roof segments of the 1985 annex were opened up to create patios, inviting guests and passers-by to browse through the newly created 'alleys' that reflect the character of the narrow streets of historic Amsterdam.
The signature wall on the left in the entrance alley is a composition of wooden letterpress blocks, emphasising the history and narrative of INK hotel amsterdam. The signature wall is secretly an anagram that contains the name of INK hotel amsterdam and their motto: “where stories are yet to be written”.
The main walkway leads from the front door into the first patio, where a large tree takes centre stage. From here it continues alongside the restaurant, garden room and open kitchen, serving as the main hub. Through the new glass roof the historic facades are fully exposed.
The second patio is entirely open, allowing daylight to enter the back of The PRESSROOM, the open kitchen and the Garden Room, a boardroom that also serves as private dining. With garden furniture and suspended lamps, this patio functions as a break-out zone above.
the library & garden room
The library centres around a fireplace surrounded by a long leather sofa, with a suspended shelf wrapping all four walls and displaying books sorted by colour into a lively gradient. Herringbone floors, blue rugs and brass details give the room its cosy, classic library feel.
The garden room is an indoor continuation of the second patio, ideal for lunch, dinner or private dining. Full-height glass doors with sheer and blackout curtains let the space open up or close off, while a cabinet filled with small plants brings the outdoors in.
the rooms
The standard guest room has an open plan layout that maximises space and overview.
At its heart is a double-sided vanity cabinet that separates the bathroom from the main room. On the entrance side it integrates the wardrobe and storage and on the bathroom side it holds the sink, with a double-sided mirror above that plays with views between both spaces.
Behind the vanity, a solid marble block houses the shower and toilet. In the main room, the bed sits against the lateral wall, while a hybrid piece of furniture runs along the facade, transforming from desk to minibar to sofa.
"INK hotel Amsterdam, a place where new stories are yet to be written..."
the graphic identity & styling
In addition to the interior, concrete is responsible for the identity of INK hotel Amsterdam including restaurant The PRESSROOM.
Both identities reference the building's past as home to newspaper 'De Tijd', where stories were written and printed under one roof.
For INK, bold capitals (Didot font, a modern serif) aregradually fill up with ink as the stories are written. Since every story is unique, a library of INK logos was created for specific purposes: a digital typeface for digital applications, a handwritten one for stationery.
In PRESSROOM, traditional typewriters, glass ink bottles and large rolls of printing paper found in the restaurant's cabinet formed the starting point for the identity. A subtle logo refers to the type bars of a typewriter, with uppercases above and lowercases below. The menu is presented as a newspaper, structured by journalistic terms such as breakfast//start the press, aperitivo//the interview and sweets//off the record.
facts & figures
total area 6650 sqm
total rooms 149
restaurant 64 seats, open kitchen
concrete
responsibilities interior & identity design
team rob wagemans, tobias koch, femke zumbrink, sofie ruytenberg, melanie knüwer, johanna zychski, cathelijne vreugdenhil, ulrike lehner, erik van dillen, paula gäbel
partners & collaborators
client accor, fr
architect building envelop boparai associates, nl
specialist joinery intera, nl
general contractor jp van eesteren, nl
wall art / local maps jan rothuizen, nl
photography ewout huibers & mitchell van voorbergen, nl
awards
restaurant & bar design awards winner asia hotel category
modern decoration international media awards winner annual hotel space
world luxury hotel awards winner luxury design hotel
world luxury hotel awards regional winner best interior design
european hotel design awards winner lounge, lobby & public spaces
european hotel design awards finalist best bedrooms & bathrooms
gold key awards finalist best restaurant casual dining
gold key awards finalist best hotel upscale
entree hospitality & style awards finalist best hotel design
