The Beurspassage on the Damrak in Amsterdam is a Gesamtkunstwerk by Arno Coenen, Iris Roskam and Hans van Bentem, an eye-catcher that exudes splendor and prestige and thus connects with Amsterdam’s monumental buildings. With ornaments and colors that refer to both Western, Eastern and contemporary styles, the Beurspassage strives for a balance with the surrounding architecture, from the art deco of the Beurs van Berlage to the shop windows of Damrak and Nieuwendijk. The mosaic on the ceiling vault, the chandeliers, the mirrors and the granito floor tell a special story about Amsterdam, the canals and the relationship between man and water.
The mosaic on the vaulted ceiling of the Beurspassage consists of glass stones in emerald green tones. The ceiling suggests that we are walking in an underwater tunnel at the bottom of the canal; we see fish, air bubbles, reflections and all kinds of objects that have collected in the canal water.
Mirrors are placed opposite the shop windows in the same proportions as the shop windows. The graceful patterns with which the mirrors are inlaid are reminiscent of the richly decorated antique advertising mirrors as they were made at the beginning of the last century. The mirrors tell a cartoon based on the scientific theory of the evolution of man from the water that in ancient times descended on earth by means of ice in a comet.
The metal chandeliers have a classic shape overall, but have remarkable details: they are made up of refined bicycle parts such as headlights, wheels, spokes, cogwheels, handlebars and frame parts. Above the mirrors are wall ornaments, namely wall lamps made of stained glass, with shapes that refer to traditional Dutch merchandise.
The floor is made of granito, a sustainable variant of the natural stone floors that are used in many Amsterdam monuments. The floor is inlaid with patterns in the form of coats of arms.
Read the article in the NRC here
An article on Architecteur.nl here
An article on the Metro website here
An article on the website of Het Parool here (paid)
An article on the De Volkskrant website here
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