Since redefining the private members club as a living room extension – albeit a well-designed one with plenty of perks – in 1995, Soho House has been on a roll, establishing a network of outposts in leading creative hubs across the planet. Whether it’s New York City, Istanbul, or homebase London with its multiple venues, Soho House has become the preferred meeting place and playground for a demographic of likeminded creative professionals. As said, the hospitality chain is continuously expanding, and as of late, a new club house alongside one of Amsterdam‘s main canals has joined the ranks. Following a much publicized false start, Soho House Amsterdam secured the so-called Bungehuis, a 1930s landmark structure built in Art Deco style. The six-storey building originally served as an office to the eponymous trading company, and housed University of Amsterdam‘s Faculty of Arts from the early 1970’s. Soho House‘s in-house design team had a gargantuan task to revamp the premises, taking into account the abundance of original architectural details, and recreate the plush, homey surrounds its members have become to accustomed to.
Well, they pulled it off. Upon entering the building, the buffed up architectural splendour is immediately evident, but also the fact that any added element, be it a fixture or furnishing, is entirely complementary. That aesthetic balance is well-calibrated one, as even the applied colour palette is inspired by the range of hues used locally. The ground floor is the only area which can be accessed by all. It’s home to a Cecconi’s, an informal restaurant which serves hand-made pasta, seafood, and dishes from Northern Italy. Opening in September, it joins sister establishments opened previously at a number of other Soho House outposts across the planet. The venue is a seamless extension of the upstairs club, and will feature a glass retractable roof, with plants weaved into the ceiling, leather banquettes, vintage rugs, specially made pendant lights, and last but not least, its signature red marble striped floor. Right next door is Cowshed, a place for grooming and relaxation, offering six treatment rooms, two barber chairs and four treatment chairs. Also opening soon, the area will be decorated in soft greens, with painted wooden ceilings and floors and light linen fabrics.
Across the hallway, four private hire rooms are available to book by members and non-members. Fully equipped and marked by Art Deco design, each space comes with its own bar, and can accommodate anywhere between 12 to 70 guests. Soho House Amsterdam features 79 guest rooms, all situated across floors 1 to 3, and they come in no less than nine categories, ranging from Tiny to XL Monumental, obviously the largest pad in the house. The design has been executed with a meticulous eye for detail, and each room features a mix ‘n match of antiques pieces and custom-made furniture and rugs. The bed throws and fabrics are inspired by the original leaded glass windows in the Bungehuis staircase, with tables, ottomans and sofas designed by the Soho House design team. The first floor bedrooms are mostly Monumental rooms, with a listed corridor clad in limestone, tiles that have been meticulously restored by a specialist team, restored Art Deco lighting, original wall panelling and mosaic tiled floors. Each of the bedrooms retains the 1930’s timber panelling and stained glass windows, with Art Deco sculptures. In the centre of larger rooms are specially designed pod bathrooms, clad with fabric and with freestanding copper bathtubs.
The fourth floor features a screening room furnished with comfy velvet armchairs, foot stalls and vintage lamps on individual side tables. An adjacent pre-screening bar is features high gloss lacquered and velvet clad walls, mirrored tables, dark fabric sofas and armchairs, and a ribbed timber bar serving drinks and snacks. Situated across the light-filled patio is the House Gym. A full-fledged facility, it features Technogym equipment, HIIT and yoga studios. Needless to say, it has distinctive interior details as the ceilings are painted in a high-gloss canal green, mirroring the view outside, and reflecting the resin cross pattern, an iconic element of Amsterdam‘s city crest. The changing rooms have terrazzo flooring, with marble mosaic showers and steam and sauna rooms. One floor up, it’s all about mingling, making new friends, or doing work on your laptop. It’s here where the main members’ space can be found. Comfy and filled with daylight, it’s furnished with a mix of antique pieces and specially designed furniture and a high-gloss black floor. Interestingly, further inspiration was taken from Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder, a 17th-century ‘hidden church’-turned-museum in the city’s notorious Red Light District, to create a fabric to decorate the bar.
The space has comfortable seating and a big open fire, with the adjacent Library, which has its own bar and small workspace area. On the other side, House Kitchen serves food and drinks all day, with a big open kitchen and deli counter. Here, the aesthetic shifts to pinks and blues, with banquette seating, lounge chairs and vintage tables and lamps. A rug runs down the centre of the room, with a tiled floor and timber detailing, and linen fabrics and plants, making the space feel light and open. Next door, is a DJ booth and for performances and members’ events on evenings and weekends. The space has its own lounge and bar, with deep green cork flooring and acoustic soundproofing in the walls. Last but not least, there’s the glorious rooftop, replete with a swimming pool and bar overlooking the city, both extremely rare feats. The area comes with a geometric-pattern tiled floor, sun loungers and parasols, and chairs and tables for eating and drinking. And as if to anchor its Dutch identity, Soho House Amsterdam will soon provide guests with its very own fleet of bikes – obviously, not just any bike, but a sleek contemporary one designed by Van Moof – to explore the city and it’s many gems as the locals do.
Soho House
Spuistraat 210 (Centrum)
1012VT Amsterdam
Telephone: +31 20 8880300
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
