Set within Amsterdam’s historic Vondelpark Pavilion, Café Vertigo by Studio Modijefsky unfolds as a sequence of interiors shaped by material contrasts, lighting and shifting perspectives. Occupying the souterrain of the nineteenth-century building, the project draws on the visual atmosphere of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo while establishing a contemporary identity rooted in the memory of the place.
Over time, the pavilion has played different roles in Amsterdam’s cultural life, from monumental restaurant to nightclub frequented by the city’s creative scene during the 1970s. Rather than recreating these earlier identities, the new interior retains subtle traces of them through reflective surfaces, lacquered finishes, velvet and illuminated details.
The bar as the spatial centrepiece
At the heart of the project, the large central bar acts as both a visual anchor and an organising element. Natural stone, timber inserts and backlit panels are combined with a suspended structure of mirrored surfaces and illuminated glass racks.
The interplay between opaque, transparent and reflective materials adds visual depth to the interior. Warm, powdery tones are paired with burgundy and coral accents, creating a refined atmosphere without compromising the café’s informal and convivial character.
Social rooms and more intimate alcoves
The layout alternates between spaces with distinct characters. In the main dining areas, solid timber tables, bistro seating and large mirrored surfaces keep the rooms visually open while extending views across the interior.
Elsewhere, burgundy fabric-lined alcoves, upholstered arches and curved banquettes create more secluded settings. Soft lighting and rounded furniture geometries evoke the atmosphere of theatre foyers and film sets without turning the interior into a literal stage set.
Light, reflections and perception
Lighting plays an active role in shaping the perception of the interior. Spherical wall lights, decorative fixtures and concealed linear systems create a soft, layered glow that emphasises materials and spatial depth rather than functioning as a purely technical element.
Suspended installations, graphic artworks and mirrored surfaces add another perceptual layer. Reflections and shifting viewpoints introduce a subtle sense of visual instability, echoing the project’s cinematic reference as familiarity and disorientation coexist within the same experience.
The terrace in Vondelpark
Outside, the large terrace extends the interior concept into the park through a consistent colour palette. Parasols in shades of red and soft orange stand out against the historic architecture of the Vondelpark Pavilion, giving the outdoor area a strong and immediately recognisable identity.
Café Vertigo ultimately draws its character from a series of controlled contrasts: openness and intimacy, tactile and reflective surfaces, architectural memory and cinematic references. Rather than relying on a single theatrical gesture, Studio Modijefsky uses these variations to guide the transition between the different atmospheres of the venue.
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Design: Studio Modijefsky
Photography: Maarten Willemstein