BNO Office
Relocating to smaller premises, reusing the existing furniture and yet formally reinventing its identity — when the Association of Dutch Designers (BNO) purchased two wings at the Wilhelmina Gasthuis in Amsterdam, no challenge was insurmountable. It called upon VEVS Interior Design to create a surprising, no-nonsense, functional working environment.
- Location: Amsterdam
- Country: Netherlands
- Sector: Office
- Architect: VEVS Interior Design
- Installer: Fiction Factory
- Photographer: Maarten Willemstein
So why did those ideas get dropped? Van Sprang continues, “The BNO is the kind of organisation that should not just blend in with the decor, but that needs to show off its creative identity. We weren’t allowed to replace the original shell or lighting plan, but by highlighting the graphical shapes of our design, the fixed elements of the room stood out less. At the same time, we also preserved the architecture.”
A complete graphic composition
When it came to designing the hospital wings, VEVS Interior Design relied entirely on the BNO’s own field of expertise, 2D and 3D, from the graphic side to the product and interior concept. To translate that to a real-life environment, the designers opted for a spatial interplay of lines and planes. “Just like a Mondriaan,” emphasises Van Sprang, “but then spatially.”
Simply adding soft-pink worktops and intermediate panels and stacking cupboards helped to create a tension between the different geometric planes in the office. “While the graphic texture of the Bolon woven vinyl helped to enhance the depth effect,” adds Van Sprang. “In the communal area, we used glass and free-standing frames to separate functions, such as the meeting area and recreation area. With black frames and by dividing everything into geometric planes, we’ve given the illusion of lines in the space, filled out with coloured shapes.”
Soft colour accents
VEVS Interior Design put together a palette of trendy colours. “White for the background, black for the lines, amber-yellow and soft pink to help accentuate certain shapes and planes in the room,” explains Van Sprang. “They mostly have a supporting role.” Nevertheless, the BNO has fully harmonised its house style with the new interior, including the website, which has been given a rebranding with white, black, yellow and pink as the principal colours.
A dialogue between signatures
VEVS Interior Design used a tightly composed interplay of lines, something that Van Sprang’s work is renowned for, but with a characteristic interpretation more specific to the BNO. “I have my own style, of course, but if I look back at my projects, I see varying colours and all manner of differences in stratification and structure. After all, the starting point for any design is the unique story of my client,” concludes Van Sprang.
VEVS Interior Design used the UNILIN Evola U656 CST - Tanned Peach and U135 CST - Amber Yellow for the soft yellow and amber-yellow notes.