Selva and Sonora, two gastronomic spaces in Amsterdam designed by El Equipo Creativo with colorful interiors inspired by the Latin American landscape

This time, El Equipo Creativo signs a double project in Amsterdam: the Selva Restaurant and the Sonora Cocktail Bar, both located on the 24th floor of the Nhow hotel, in separate spaces with a complementary Latin American-inspired gastronomic offering.

Sonora Cocktail Bar

The compact space occupied by the cocktail bar, designed by the OMA studio led by architect Rem Koolhaas, features an impressive floor-to-ceiling glass enclosure offering spectacular views of Amsterdam’s new periphery. To rival such a backdrop, El Equipo Creativo designed the bar’s central cocktail counter with a striking, shiny golden finish that extends up to the ceiling, creating an enveloping, mysterious surface with organic shapes. “It might remind us of some extinct aquatic creature,” the designers say. “Its finish recalls traditional pre-Columbian gold-covered figures, associated with the legend of El Dorado and used as sacred objects in rituals and ceremonies.”

The bar’s curved and sophisticated form dazzles at the center of the space, “emerging like a golden figure of worship in a mysterious environment of greenish tones, vegetation, and aquatic patterns—a sort of swampy landscape so characteristic of Latin American jungles.”

Several layers of reflective surfaces along the enclosure enhance the continuity of the glass façade, while also evoking the image of cascading waterfalls and establishing a dialogue with the green carpet and its watery patterns.

The space is completed by organically shaped furniture, featuring pieces in intense red tones and bold prints, evoking poisonous fruits or dangerous animals lurking in a pond.

Selva Restaurant

The design of the Selva restaurant complements its Latin American culinary concept with a tropical touch, combining organic forms, natural materials, and vibrant colors to create a lush and exotic experience.

As in the Sonora Cocktail Bar, this space—also designed by the OMA studio led by architect Rem Koolhaas—features a floor-to-ceiling glass envelope that offers sweeping views of the city. El Equipo Creativo transformed the space’s cold, industrial appearance into a warm, jungle-like, and enveloping environment that contrasts with the harshness of the city and relegates it to the background.

“On a predominantly green base, defined by the organically inspired flooring and abundant vegetation, we introduced textured wooden elements with undulating forms that serve as benches and dividers, evoking the feeling of a dense forest while bringing warmth to the space,” the designers explain.

Thanks to these curvilinear structures, the space is organized into different zones with winding paths, creating a more inviting layout. This is echoed in the ceiling with a suspended curvilinear element resembling a tropical river, decorated with clusters of sparkling glass lamps and lush vegetation, helping to create layers and depth within this jungle atmosphere. “Reflective finishes on elements of metal, glass and ceramics—evoking water—play a crucial role in creating the tropical forest mood, complementing the reflections of the building’s glass façade.”

The designers also created a large bar clad in colorful tiles that runs through the space, bringing great dynamism with its beverage station and a large open kitchen in constant motion. This is complemented by vibrant, warm-toned furniture inspired by tropical fruits, birds, and flowers typical of Latin American art.

The glass façade is partially covered with panels made of wicker, rope and wood, which filter the incoming light and cast cozy shadows, adding rhythm and warmth to the elegant enclosure of the building.

Projects: Cóctel Bar Sonora y Restaurante Selva.
Location: Hotel Nhow. Ámsterdam.
Completion: 2024.
Interior design:: El Equipo Creativo. Partners: Oliver Franz Schmidt, Natali Canas del Pozo, Lucas Echeveste Lacy. Project leads: Marcos Merino, Daniel Trujillo. Project team: Ricard Fabregat, Rafaela Aranzaens, Michele Soares, Yesica Peña, Maria di Bello.
Lighting design: MMas lighting.
Construction: Martínez & Otero.
Photography: Adrià Goula.

El Equipo Creativo

Founded in 2011 by architects Lucas Echeveste Lacy, Natali Canas del Pozo, and Oliver Franz Schmidt, El Equipo Creativo is a renowned interior architecture and design studio based in Barcelona, specialized in the design of hospitality, gastronomy, and brand spaces. Their philosophy centers on the idea that spatial design must tell compelling stories and inspire people, always grounded in a solid conceptual approach.

Their portfolio includes collaborations with some of the world’s most prestigious chefs, including Michelin-starred restaurants, confirming their expertise in the field. Their work has earned worldwide recognition, with features in hundreds of publications and more than 70 international design awards, including the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, the Frame Awards, and the BOY Awards, all known for celebrating innovative and conceptual design.

In addition to recognition for their individual projects, the studio has been awarded for its overall practice and methodology. They have been named Best Interior Design Firm (Architizer A+Awards), Interior Practice of the Year (WIN Awards), and Design Studio of the Year (The American Architecture Prize). Frame magazine has also included them among the 20 most influential designers in the world.

Source: El Equipo Creativo.

Project by El Equipo Creativo