[ Tjep ] Heineken The City

By Ethel Baraona Pohl — Filed under: Institutional Architecture , Interiors , Glass, Netherlands

Size: 250 m2
Design: Tjep
Project team: Frank Tjepkema, Janneke Hooymans, Tina Stieger, Leonie Janssen
Production: Hypsos
Location: Amsterdam

What do you do when Heineken asks you to design their first shop? Do you place furniture and displays into a given space? At Tjep, they thought it would be rather more appropriate to pour furniture into the six monumental buildings located in the heart of Amsterdam, as if we were filling a cold fresh glass of X-tra cold Heineken.

This concept translates into displays that evolve seamlessly from the floors to the walls and ceilings in abstract dynamic wave movements. The idea of coldness is consequently applied through the whole shop design including the lighting which is 100% LED based (the first in Europe). You will also find a three story high fridge (possibly another record) containing all the Heineken bottles from different markets around the world. Alongside the fridge an ice crystal evolves along the wall containing over 600 Heineken bottles.

When you enter the shop you feel a cool breeze coming from the logo written in real ice on a metal wall (yet another a novelty). The central space features a monumental glass staircase, the material choice throughout the shop constantly supporting a sense of coolness. The floors are made of a new product developed by Senso which features an abstract graphic representation of ice cracks and a large watermark. The cashing desks are sculptural crystal shapes.

The shop is devised in four sections:
- The fashion department featuring specially designed clothing by cutting edge fashion designers, Daryl van Wouw being the first to create a collection.
- The ultimate beer shop featuring ‘The fridge’.
- A fully equipped recording studio for young music artists: Refreshing Sounds Studio.
- A tickets and travel section for trips and events sponsored by Heineken.

Heineken is to add a new dimension to its marketing by opening a unique, ultramodern concept store: Heineken The City.

The project aims to highlight Heineken’s international network, and the brand’s foreign and domestic sponsorship activities. Marketing manager of Heineken Netherlands Herwin van den Berg, said, “Heineken The City is not a catering establishment but a concept store that stimulates all sense and where real Heineken ‘wanna-haves’ are for sale.

“We literally want to bring ‘Heineken - Serving the planet’ to life with this store. With beautiful products and exclusive services the Heineken brand makes life just that little bit more pleasant.”

The design of Heineken The City claims to be “revolutionary”, full of the latest technical devices, including speaking mirrors, 3D TV screens, an ice wall and interactive pillars. This store is the first in Europe to be 100% LED-lit. Products and services available in Heineken The City are divided into four cornerstones: Refreshing Sounds Studio (music), Fashion, Tickets & Travel (for trips and events) and a Beer Shop (selling beer-related products). Highlights include limited edition sneakers (pictured), special beer bottles from Asia, the opportunity to create self-designed Heineken bottles, or book a fashion tour of Amsterdam.