Café Vertigo: Studio Modijefsky gives a classic Amsterdam café a surreal new identity
Introduction
Tucked beneath the grand arches of the historic Vondelpark Pavilion and surrounded by Amsterdam’s lushest scenery, Café Vertigo takes center stage in a bold new cultural revival. Long loved by film buffs, creatives, and casual park-goers alike, this iconic spot has always been more than just a café, it’s a meeting place, a mood, a scene. When it came time to reinvigorate the space, Studio Modijefsky took on the challenge: to create a place that would be both rooted in the building’s grandeur and irresistibly contemporary. The result is a cinematic experience that redefines the Vondelpark dining experience; intimate yet open, sophisticated yet playful, nostalgic yet thrillingly new.
Concept & Visual Narrative
Café Vertigo is a study in cinematic disorientation, inspired by the psychological complexity and visual tension of Hitchcock’s Vertigo. The design plays with perception, layering, and rhythm to create a space that feels at once familiar and surreal. Studio Modijefsky approached the project as a sequence of unfolding scenes, each one shaped by shifts in scale, material, and light. The goal: to transform a historic landmark into a multidimensional experience where the past is reframed.
This cinematic narrative plays out across all levels of the café, where perspective is constantly shifting. The vertigo effect is echoed in the deliberate use of perspective lines created by the wall, floor, and ceiling finishes, drawing the eye and creating a subtle sense of disorientation and depth throughout the space. In the souterrain, plush velvet arches and faceted mirrors evoke the drama of backstage lounges and classic film sets. Upstairs, the bar’s glossy purple lacquer adds a bold, theatrical gesture against the building’s formal architecture. The winter garden is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling coral curtains, casting a warm glow and echoing the soft hues of the parasols on the terrace outside. On the façade, a wave of glowing orb lights hovers above the tables, guiding the eye and inviting passersby into the scene. Throughout, historic cues, optical illusions, and layered materials come together to create an interior that feels cinematic, immersive, and perpetually in motion.
History
The Vondelpark Pavilion has been a landmark in Amsterdam since the late 19th century, originally designed in the Italian Renaissance style by architect Willem Hamer Jr. Over the decades, it has hosted a range of tenants and identities: a grand restaurant with upstairs lodging, a dance club, a barber, and several cultural spaces including the International Cultural Centre and the Filmmuseum. The souterrain, where the café now sits, was once home to Au Caveau Parisien, a club known for its mirrored walls and red velour flooring, and later to Kiekeboe, a night society with an all-pink interior that became a hub for Amsterdam’s creative scene in the 1970s. These past incarnations have left behind both physical traces and cultural memory, tangible reminders of the building’s layered identity.
Rather than erasing those layers, Studio Modijefsky chose to engage with them. Throughout the new interior, references to the building’s former lives appear in subtle, contemporary forms. Velvet and pink hues nod to the iconic Kiekeboe nightclub, while mosaic-inspired textures and material layering recall the elegance of its early bathroom and salon details. The arched openings leading toward the alcove, now home to three half-circular booths, reinterpret original architectural motifs and add rhythm and depth to the space. These gestures aren’t nostalgic replicas, but deliberate design moves that tie the present to the past; creating an interior that feels grounded in history, yet ready for generations to come.
Zones, Atmosphere & Materiality
Café Vertigo is carefully composed as a sequence of spatial experiences, each with its own atmosphere and rhythm. The main bar area acts as a gravitational centre, drawing visitors in with its sculptural presence and layered materiality. Around it, a series of distinct zones- sunken nooks, elevated seating, and intimate alcoves- offer guests a choice of moods: from animated and social to calm and secluded. This spatial choreography is reinforced through shifting levels, framed views, and a deliberate pacing that invites movement.
Each zone is defined by its own material language, creating transitions that are both visual and tactile. Zellige tile meets timber, velvet contrasts with structured plaster, and brass accents glint against matte marble. In the souterrain dining area, velvet-lined arches and heavy drapery establish a sense of intimacy and richness, while curved banquettes and mirrored elements add theatrical flair. Upstairs, the bar is clad in high-gloss purple lacquered wood, injecting a bold, unexpected energy into the historic setting.
Throughout the interior, materials evoke the glamour and drama of the building’s cinematic history. The winter garden is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling coral colored velvet curtains, visually tying the inside to the terrace and making the pavilion stand out from the surrounding park. A wave of glowing orb lights floats above the bistro tables in the wintergarden, illuminating the façade and creating a dynamic installation visible from afar. These immersive, tactile elements create a slightly surreal atmosphere – a fitting tribute to the film that inspired the café’s name.
Light & Art
Light in Café Vertigo is more than a practical element; it plays an active role in shaping the atmosphere and guiding the experience. Natural daylight filters through the souterrain windows, creating a moody ambiance below ground. Artificial lighting continues this narrative with a mix of pendants and sconces. Carefully sourced vintage and artisan-crafted fixtures are combined to create a palette that is both thoughtful and rich, blending old and new with a consistent focus on quality. Each lighting element was intentionally selected to enhance the character of its space. In the booth alcoves, which reference the tile patterns of the building’s original bathrooms, the light fixtures mimic the curve and metallic finish of vintage shower heads. In the bar and dining area, the wall sconces are round and handcrafted, offering an artisan feel. Their forms reference classic dressing room lighting, and their varied sizes and mounting heights reinforce the spatial play of shifting perspectives along each dining wing. At the souterrain bar, a suspended glass rack is illuminated from within and filtered through fabric, setting the mood as guests enter. Behind the bar, three Tiffany-style glass lamps are mounted on a tiled wall and cast a warm glow over high tables designed for more intimate conversations.
Artworks integrated throughout the interior reinforce the cinematic tone. A reflective mobile by Bregje Sliepenbeek spins gently above one of the booths, catching glints of mirror and light. In the tiled alcoves, pieces by Indigo Sum and Lotus Krabbé echo the café’s warm red palette. Nearby, works by Jesper Dobbeling, Vincent de Boer, and Annelot de Boer mix with vintage imagery; each one a visual wink to Vertigo’s layered personality and cheeky Amsterdam attitude. These works enrich the spatial narrative with intimacy, nostalgia, and local flair.
The collection reflects the rich cultural history of the Vondelpark Pavilion and the city of Amsterdam. Inspired by iconic cinema and urban storytelling, the art reveals itself as a layered tribute to the indomitable power of creativity. Well-known names and emerging talent come together in a carefully curated selection that surprises, delights, and lingers—adding an extra layer of meaning and experience to both the interior and the café itself.
Terrace
Outside, the transformation continues across one of Amsterdam’s most impressive terraces, stretching from the park edge to the building’s stately bordes. Two levels offer two distinct atmospheres: below, the park terrace hums with energy. Ideal for easy dinners, impromptu meetups, or a slow vermouth in the sun. Above, the elevated balcony offers a more composed bistro setting: crisp linen, a view over the treetops, and a front-row seat to Vondelpark’s shifting seasons.
Fixed benches blend seamlessly with soft lighting and planters, while parasols and movable tables in hues of papaya red, soft orange, and daffodil yellow echo the surrounding landscape. These tones form a soft visual bridge between the green openness of the Vondelpark and the structured elegance of the pavilion. Whether you’re arriving from a screening, passing through on your way home, or settling in for a long dinner at golden hour, the terrace invites you to stop, stay and see the city from a new perspective.
Cultural Role & Conclusion
Café Vertigo marks the revival of a cultural anchor woven into the heart of Amsterdam. While its layered interior subtly nods to the city’s legacy of film and nightlife, it’s the people who truly bring it to life: from cinephiles catching screenings upstairs to locals drifting in from the Vondelpark below. Reimagined as a space for shared moments and new stories, Vertigo feels both familiar and fresh. In shaping this next chapter, Studio Modijfesky hasn’t just restored a building, they’ve given it back to the city. A home for Amsterdammers, once again.