The Düsseldorf-based architectural firm Schwitzke & Partner has developed a site-specific concept for the new Kapten & Son store on Amsterdam's Kalverstraat. This project marks a further step in the brand's European expansion, following the realisation of projects in several German cities as well as in Roermond and London. The firm's expertise encompassed the entire project development, from initial analysis, design, and detailed planning to execution.
The Kalverstraat location is characterised by Amsterdam's typical parcel structure, which manifests itself in narrow facades and deep floor plans. The building in question has an internal width of approximately 3.5 metres. These architectural conditions formed the starting point for the design concept. A central element is the preserved lightwell in the front area of the store. This air space, approximately 6.50 metres high, extends over two levels and draws natural light deep into the building's interior. This design generates specific lines of sight, which visually lend more expanse and lightness to the narrow floor plan.
On a sales area of approximately 45 square metres, a brand world has been created that makes Kapten & Son's identity physically tangible. The design focuses on reduction to the essential, targeted lighting, and the conscious integration of the existing architecture. This gives the store a unique character. The ancillary areas on the ground and upper floors were functionally organised for storage and office purposes.
Design aspirations and property location
Lukas Schwitzke, Managing Director of Schwitzke & Partner, stated that every Kapten & Son store is developed from its specific location. In Amsterdam, the aim was not to view the special building structure as a limitation. Rather, the narrow historical commercial buildings were a constitutive element for the store's identity and contributed to a specific customer experience that functioned in the respective location.
Kalverstraat is one of Amsterdam's high-traffic shopping streets and is home to around 150 shops. The street's historical commercial buildings significantly shape the cityscape and served as the basis for the individual store concept. Schwitzke & Partner have been supporting Kapten & Son for several years in their Europe-wide brand expansion. The Amsterdam location adds another point to Kapten & Son's European store portfolio. This represents a further developed concept that reflects Kapten & Son's identity and unfolds an independent architectural quality through the interpretation of local conditions.
