For the renovated café at the Van Abbemuseum, Daphna Laurens designed an interior that builds on the museum’s layered architecture. The design adds a new layer without erasing the existing qualities of the space.

The café sits at the threshold between the museum, the city and the Dommel River. This connection between interior and exterior forms an important starting point. The new brick-red floor creates a visual connection with the historic building.

Colour and material give the café a warm and distinctive identity. Soft curtains reinforce the colour palette and filter the daylight entering through the tall windows. Furniture, flooring, textiles and the existing architecture come together in an interior designed to invite people to stay.

The result is a contemporary space that responds to the history of the Van Abbemuseum while establishing a character of its own: open, warm and connected to its surroundings.