Bar Basquiat in Amsterdam by Studio Modijefsky

Completed recently by Studio Modijefsky, Bar Basquiat is an American-style diner in the multicultural neighbourhood of Indische Buurt in Eastern Amsterdam. Inspired by famed American poet and painter Jean-Michel Basquiat, the design features references to his naïve style, approach to rich earthy tones and trademark collage-like layering of colour-sketch-text. Bar Basquiat excites us for two reasons: the meticulous way in which the designers have paid homage to the building’s past use, and the rich and layered use of colour and material.

Formerly a local butcher and supermarket, the building has solid bones including a strong grid of concrete ceiling beams and large openings that face the street – structural features which guided the space planning and zoning of the new bar. Studio Modijefsky have found clever and playful ways to reference the building’s past. Walls in the former dairy section are coated with a milky textured paint, cork furniture along the windowsills reference the nuts section, and metal meshing is a re-imagination of the shopping basket. A large menu designed to resemble a receipt hangs where the cash register once was, and a ‘KEEP FROZEN’ sign (a Basquiat quote) hangs in place of the former cool room.

And then there are all those raw materials, overlapped to create one big textured collage. The exposed concrete ceiling, dusty red floor, soft pink tiles, dripping milky paint, bare plywood, meshing and riveted brass plates all work in harmony to create a rich and layered interior. Custom furniture pieces made with metal and vinyl compliment the design, along with specially selected timeless chairs and tables. Graphics inspired by Basquiat are integrated into the interior in different ways, appearing on walls and furniture in a variety of materials and finishes.