Carbon Studio
Johan van Hasseltkade 205B
1031LP Amsterdam
https://www.instagram.com/carbonstudio.eu/
mail@carbon-studio.eu +31 6 22692976 Imprint
Carbon Studio
Johan van Hasseltkade 205B
1031LP Amsterdam
https://www.instagram.com/carbonstudio.eu/
mail@carbon-studio.eu +31 6 22692976 ImprintCARBON STUDIO TRIGGERS AUTONOMY
Carbon Studio is an Amsterdam-based strategic spatial design agency, operating from the premise that space should not prescribe behaviour, but enable it. We design freedom.
Triggering autonomy means listening closely to who you are and uncovering what is essential—then carefully translating your identity into powerful spatial experiences that are deeply physical, tactile, and human.
In a world increasingly absorbed by screens, materiality is an essential counterbalance. For us, materiality is not decoration, but a carrier of identity, structure, and intent. Through research and engineering—paired with originality and culturally informed design thinking—we craft environments that enable genuine human interaction and deliver expressive tactile experiences.
Founded in 2017, Carbon Studio is led by Pieter Kool, whose work ranges from large-scale international retail, workplace, and hospitality programmes to bespoke, detail-driven projects. Pieter worked at G-Star RAW from 2004 to 2017, where he later served as Global Creative Director 3D Design & Development and led the design of over 1,000 stores and shop-in-shops worldwide, as well as more than 40,000 m² of office environments and numerous trade-fair pavilions. Pieter also works as a consultant for brands and regularly delivers keynotes on spatial identity, materiality, retail, and workspace design.
Clients
Ace&Tate
Ace Agency
Bugaboo
Barts
Birkenstock
BMW
Bugaboo
Coef Men
Columbia
G-Star RAW
Le Smash Burgers
Nike
OMA - Office for Metropolitan Architecture
Secrid
Scotch & Soda
The Butcher
The Entourage Group
Timboektoe
Toni Loco Pizza
Van Moof
Vitra
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
