Felix Meritis, Amsterdam, by i29
A building with a rich cultural history dating back over 200 years has been refurbished in the Dutch capital, with interiors by i29
Project Info
Interior design
i29
i29.nl
Client
Amerborgh
Architect
MATH Architecten
Restoration
Verlaan & Bouwstra
Tender & concept
Marcia Sookha
Management
B3 Bouwadviseurs
Contractor
Jurriens
Interior builder
Stoof
Size
4,500 sq m
Words by Sophie Tolhurst
Images by Ewout Huibers
Since it was built in 1788, the ‘cultuurhuis’ Felix Meritis in Amsterdam has been dedicated to Enlightenment ideals, opening its doors to a mix of scientists, artists, entrepreneurs and thinkers. The building was divided into different departments – music, commerce, literature, physics and drawing – but brought all these together under one roof to share ideas and expand their knowledge during this historically fertile period.
Over subsequent years the Felix Meritis has been home to other significant groups: it was previously the headquarters of the Dutch communist party (CPN), and in the 1960s it hosted the Shaffy Theatre, congregation point of the Dutch avant-garde centred around artist Ramses Shaffy. The Felix Meritis now offers a cultural programme exploring technology, science and art ‘for a curious audience’, ever looking to the future as its first occupants did.
The reception
Amsterdam-based design office i29 was commissioned by the client, management firm Amerborgh, for the interior design of the Felix Meritis, while MATH Architecten were responsible for renovation and restoration. i29’s work draws on the unique history of the building – different spaces are designed to refer to a specific period in its history, and as such have varied interior styles.
Throughout, there is sensitive treatment of the listed building’s original features, with acoustics and lighting integrated discreetly into the interiors – for these, i29 worked with consultants Peuts and Level Acoustics and Koen Smits, respectively. Corridors and connecting spaces use clean, white and pale neutrals in contrast to the dark wood of the spiralling staircase and large wooden doors, while in the individual rooms bolder choices are made, bringing periods of the building’s history to life through vivid colour and injections of unexpected texture.
Koepelzaal spaces
In two downstairs spaces there are fabric wall coverings – reviving a historical feature with new techniques. Here, i29 worked with design studio Buro Belén and weavers EE Exclusives.
The image for the wall covering in the reception is taken from an etching of Felix Meritis’s original atelier, the Teekenzaal, by artist Reinier Vinkeles, but is reproduced in a lushly textured tufted technique usually applied to rugs. While much of the Felix Meritis has been preserved, the Teekenzaal had been previously damaged by fire; reproducing this image of the Teekenzaal was a way of memorialising that original space. The 10cm-long threads render the image more abstractly, and the soft textile is tempting to touch, inviting visitors to engage with the history of the building in a physical way.
In the Felix Restaurant, the other wall hanging features dramatic pink accents among a blue and white design depicting clouds in a post-storm sky. The image is from a photo taken from the roof of the Felix Meritis by photographers Erik and Petra Hesmerg. The wall fabric uses shiny threads of varied loop length, with the horizontal loops adding to the room’s horizon-like feel – as if lending itself to expansive thought over lunch or a coffee.
Teekenzaal spaces
While the historic etching of the Teekenzaal is used in the reception, the interiors for the Teekenzaal space itself are more of a blank canvas, with large ‘paper’ sheets hanging from the ceiling. The room is divided by colour into a central area, where all furniture and surfaces are in greyscale, with a bright blue border to the edge of the space.
The Shaffyzaal – a double-height domed space – includes a gradient floor and gradient acoustic wall, both custom-made, introducing rich colour into the lower of the two floors that fades out both towards the white upper level and also towards the centre of the floor. Rough, steel-sheeted cladding forms another contrast in an intense palette inspired by the room’s renowned 1960s’ occupants.
The treatment of the Zuilenzaal space is unique within the building. Here, wooden surfaces are left raw – across panelling, columns and cabinets, with old paint still ingrained within the surfaces. But despite this unfinished look a high level of technology and lighting is integrated discreetly into the interior.
In the restaurant, the wall hanging is an image of clouds in a post-storm sky
The grand Concert Hall retains its original colour scheme, but contemporary elements are introduced in the form of large, steel chandeliers. Acoustic control is provided by flexible wall units and cabinets, custom-made by Stooff Interior Projects using fabric from Kvadrat/Febrik Husk, which can be opened or closed depending on whether it’s necessary to either reflect or absorb sound. While this space has long been renowned for hosting acoustic concerts, the new acoustic control and other increased technical provisions enable a wider range of electronic music to be played there.
Despite the unique character of different areas, flexibility has been built into the design to cater for the wide range of parties, conferences, debates, theatre, dance, music, meetings or television recordings that the Felix Meritis will host. A custom stacking chair, the Felix, was designed especially for the building in collaboration with furniture label Lensvelt.
Used in all the halls throughout the building, it needed to be comfortable, but stackable and light so that it can be moved around easily, while also being a fitting design for the historic setting of the building. Discreet signage is seen throughout, including programme information relayed via LEDs behind a mirror wall in the reception area.
The grand Concert Hall
Going further than a simple restoration, the new interiors by i29 for the Felix Meritis reinvigorate the spirit of the building and communicate it to a modern audience, providing a colourful and evocative backdrop for the next generation of the centre’s creative and radical cultural programming
Key Suppliers
Custom textiles
Buro Belén (with i29)
burobelen.com
Installations
Huisman & Van Muijen / Easy Controls / Mega Elektra
Construction
SID Studio
Acoustic consultant
Peuts / Level Acoustics
Lighting consultant
Koen Smits
lichtconsult.nl
Furniture
Lensvelt
lensvelt.nl/en
Restoration advisors
De Fabryck, Judith Bohan
