Holland’s Tjep produces interior designs for restaurants, schools and shops, often also developing the graphic image in every detail.
When the Dutch railways asked its founder Frank Tjepkema to create a waiting area for passengers in Amsterdam’s Amstel Station he created a public space that was comfortable and private. The bold decision to adopt delicate and elegant materials such as wood and leather is explained by the desire for comfort. But they also convey a sense of vulnerability, appealing to its users’ civic conscience. “This will trigger users to be more respectful with this installation than might be the case with furniture usually found in stations (until now this seems to work),” explains Tjepkema. The composition of the furnishings, on the other hand, was designed as an “urban landscape” where the various elements are planned out like buildings in a small district, varying in height and form to create a perfect balance between privacy and interaction. E. S.
