Ace & Tate Amsterdam

Lined with antique stores and galleries, Nieuwe Spiegelstraat is a swanky street known for top-notch craftsmanship. This inspired us to turn a common, humble material into something as valuable and delicate as a porcelain vase.
The project briefing was to envision a perspective on sustainable retail design for Ace & Tate. We choose not to look for the usual suspects; hip sustainable materials with an ‘eco look’, but to research industrial processes to find which have a valuable sustainable story to tell. We love it when materials, which are regarded as bland, commonplace or even cheap, are crafted into something of value. For this project we choose wavy sheets of corrugated steel, a very thin yet strong material due to its cleverly engineered shape. These sheets form a design language that’s rooted in post-modernist art and pairs perfectly with the earthy yet vibrant waves on the walls. The metal sheets have a low footprint compared to other materials commonly used as interior claddings and can be easily recycled. Furthermore we researched ways to create a space with circularity in mind. The furniture is made of 100% recycled chipboard, and we used non-toxic glues and low-impact veneer and paints.

Quality is about care, not abundance

images by Wouter van de Sar

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