Gebouw 't einde van de wereld - Cris van Amsterdam

When the elevator doors open, you are surprised by the details and the refinement

‘‘Building the End of the World’ is one of the many iconic buildings in Amsterdam. A building with allure and a rich history. It was built for Mathieu Daemen, a dealer in haberdashery, carpets, linoleum and upholstery fabrics, at the beginning of the 20th century. Office spaces have recently been realized in it and Cris was responsible for the design of the renovated entrance, the stairwell and the elevator.

The facade, containing the entrance doors, is stately. The brass uprights and girders resemble a classic bank building. Upon entering, you immediately notice the height, where you can look up through the windows of the facade. To make the entrance more transparent and to establish contact with the different floors, Cris suggested opening up part of the floors. In this way, the light flows in abundantly. The pattern on the elevator doors is inspired by the striking wall anchors on the outer facade. The interior of the elevator is magical because of the mirrors all around.

The black and white photos on the wall turn the staircase into an experience

“I covered the walls of the stairwell with a colorful collection of black and white photos with ‘Amsterdam’ as the theme. It has something of a gallery or museum and as a visitor you see something different every time”. The wall fittings are by Wever & Ducré, a timeless design by Jules Wabbes (1968). “During an earlier project at the Rokin, I was very charmed by the stairwell of a former meat hall. This stairwell was my reference to design this wrought iron fence, with beautiful details. It fits seamlessly with the original architecture of this building. As if this balustrade has always been here.”