Scotch & Soda is an international fashion brand rooted in Amsterdam. The primary objective in designing the new interior for the headquarters was to harmonize the company’s strong identity with the traditional architecture of a canal house on Keizersgracht and to celebrate it to the fullest.

The main goal of the renovation was to restore the original structure of the canal house by creating a clear contrast between the voorhuis and achterhuis, a traditional set-up for Dutch canal buildings, meaning front of the house and back of the house. An impressive stony staircase, serving as the marbled centrepiece, connects the two building parts, each exuding a warmer and more intimate ambiance using wood.

The structure’s readability is maximized through the use of contrasting colours and materials, exemplified by the lift resembling a wooden box in the monumental marbled staircase and the alternating dark, wooden work floors alongside blue steel pantries and detailing. A new façade in the rear, composed of steel rods, responds to the traditional frontage and ties together the contemporary, funky interior.

In the basement, the company’s restaurant, though exclusively used by Scotch & Soda employees, exudes a public atmosphere. The long bar, faceted white tiles, and dark wooden Thonet chairs transform the space into what feels like a public café along the canal.

Throughout the design, original elements are employed in a contemporary manner to serve the new function. For instance, the original archive cabinets have been repurposed and adapted to celebrate Scotch & Soda’s key works from their own archives.

The mostly open loft-like structure on the work floor maximizes space for the creative processes of the Scotch & Soda fashion brand.