HOFF continues to expand its global retail footprint with the opening of a new flagship store in Amsterdam, featuring a distinct interior design narrative by the creative studio El Departamento. Following recent openings in Madrid and London, this new location evolves the brand’s retail model—one that champions craftsmanship, immersive brand experience, and the genius loci as core constructive elements.
Concept: the intervened envelope
The project is rooted in a lucid concept: treating the store as a blank canvas. A neutral, mineral architectural envelope acts as the support for a series of sculptural, chromatic, and functional gestures that organize the volume and guide the circulation flow. This duality between container and content structures the entire proposal, balancing a serene atmosphere with subtle details that inject color, texture, and function.
Spatial configuration
The layout is articulated through a "carved perimeter," where product displays are integrated into longitudinal niches hewn from the walls. This strategy liberates the central floor plan, clearing the visual field to hero the product. At the heart of the store, a sculptural element acts as the spatial spine: a focal point that orchestrates circulation, dictates the rhythm of the journey, and disrupts the neutrality of the shell.
Verticality and section
The space unfolds in section via a double-height entrance, establishing a visual dialogue between the ground floor and the upper mezzanine. A wooden staircase, conceived as a sculptural entity rather than a mere circulation route, resolves the transition between the retail floor and the dwelling zones. On the upper levels, the application of timber and domestic-style furnishings fosters a calmer environment designed for lingering, observing, and socializing.
Materiality and atmosphere
Material choices reinforce the spatial reading. Floors and walls feature soft, lithic-finish surfaces, creating a continuous and calming base. In contrast to this neutral envelope, handcrafted Zellige tiles are concentrated on key elements—specifically the central island—introducing color, irregular textures, and the value of artisanal work. Meanwhile, stainless steel on ceilings and overhead planes introduces reflections and a technical, contemporary edge.
Zoning through ceilings
The ceiling plane plays a pivotal role in zoning the program. In the retail areas, a stainless-steel grid integrates technical lighting, creating a permeable surface that diffuses light. Conversely, in the lounge areas and the Charm Bar, wood cladding compresses the scale, providing visual and acoustic warmth.
Bespoke furniture
The display fixtures were custom designed by El Departamento as an extension of the architecture. A standout piece is the central island—a hybrid volume combining petrol-blue glazed ceramics with upholstered seating, functioning simultaneously as a display table and a resting spot. On the mezzanine, sofas, low armchairs, and coffee tables laden with books reinforce the concept of a "lived-in" space, evocative of a lounge rather than a conventional retail store.
The HOFF Charm Bar
Within the program, the "HOFF Charm Bar" takes center stage. Conceived as a hybrid between a point-of-sale, a creative workshop, and a social hub, it features a stainless-steel counter equipped with both hospitality machinery and customization tools. This zone naturally elevates the transaction into a participatory experience, linking product, usage, and social interaction.
A consolidated model
With the Amsterdam opening, HOFF solidifies a retail architecture model that evolves with each project, maintaining a recognizable identity while adapting to the local context. For Alberto Eltini and Marina Martín, co-founders of El Departamento, the project represents a renewed exploration of how to fuse architecture, materiality, and experience in commercial spaces designed to be traversed, enjoyed, and shared.
