Arie ‘Op de Hoek’ Bar in Amsterdam by Studio Modijefsky.

Arie is the latest addition to the Goudvisch family of bars located in Amsterdam’s De Pijp neighbourhood. Studio Modijefsky has once again created a name, a character and a fitting interior with all elements blending seamlessly into one other.

The building in which Arie is housed dates back to 1876. Its location on the intersection of two streets (Ferdinand Bolstraat and Quillijnstraat) gives Arie its second name “op de hoek”, translating to “on the corner”. After the Second World War “The Gezellige Club” opened in this bustling spot, and ever since there’s been a venue here to welcome the generations of locals.

For its latest incarnation as Arie, Studio Modijefsky was asked to design a modern “brown café”. These legendary Amsterdam bars were originally created by people living on the ground floor of buildings who opened up their homes to serve food and drinks in order to supplement their low incomes. These venues got their name from the incessant cigar and cigarette smoke that discoloured the walls, a status to which Arie pays tribute with stained wooden panelling.

To recreate the atmosphere of days gone by, Studio Modijefsky concentrated on the popular materials from the era: copper, terrazzo, tiles, fabrics, and wood. Darkened beech is used throughout, creating a strong contrast with the aged copper and red marble on the front bar. Blue tiles in a variety of shades accentuate these contrasts and connect the yellow and red ceiling with the back of the bar, where a custom-made cooling cabinet recalls the kind of crafted fridges one might have found in this building at the start of the 20th century.

Visible from both entrances, the bar serves as Arie’s centrepiece. The floor on which it stands is a traditional Dutch terrazzo with a brass footrail adding another classic touch, while the marble counter reflects the neon light crossing the glossy dark blue-tiled ceiling. On a functional level, the bar marks the transition between two zone – at the front, there is a high seating area, and at the back, a more comfortable low seating space.

Each area has a distinct mood and atmosphere. The rich visual landscape at the front shifts into a more relaxed monotone setting in the narrow part at the back. Here the existing openings have been projected on the blind wall and used as a blueprint for mirrors to create virtual space and openness. More elements from the original building have been translated into custom fixtures, such as the wooden elements of the wall lights.

Everything in Arie Op de Hoek – from the panelling to the materials and the traditional wooden cooling cabinet at the back of the bar – combine to create an authentic atmosphere that’s rapidly disappearing from the Dutch hospitality scene. A place you go for a quick beer, but leave long after your bedtime. A place that will quickly become everyone’s second home.

Related: Ramona Amsterdam by Studio Modijefsky.

[Images courtesy of Studio Modijefsky. Photography by Maarten Willemstein.]