A’DAM, standing for Amsterdam Dance and Music, is a recently renovated 60s icon located on the banks of the city’s IJ river. The building is home to several nightclubs as well as leading international music companies including Sony Music Entertainment.
Designed by Beyond Spaces, magnificent views are freed from obstruction by placing enclosed functions near the core of the floor plan. The existing concrete façade claims the spotlight.
A homage to the experience of music, the designers explain that the building’s core resembles the inside of an amplifier, the stair doubles as a bar, and the vinyl boardroom tables can transform into a DJ booth.
The ceiling is a special element both in terms of its acoustic and lighting properties. LED strips from Invent Design are inserted into the ceiling grid. The strips illuminate the acoustic spray, creating a hyper-diffuse light effect, which in turn eliminates shadows.
Though within the music industry work and play are very intertwined, this design nevertheless separates the two. One can either be fully focused or work or fully relaxed at play. This is emphasized with the delineation and application of a radical material palette: grey and green – and nothing in between.
