Perched on the top 24th floor of Nhow Hotel in Amsterdam, Sonora Cocktail Bar offers bold tropical cocktails inspired by Latin America, complementing its culinary counterpart, Selva restaurant, which shares the 24th floor in separate spaces.
Our design aimed to create a captivating aquatic landscape for the most adventurous souls, inspired by pre-Columbian legends and beliefs.
CHALLENGES
The triangular, compact space has stunning views of Amsterdam's new outskirts, thanks to an impressive floor-to-ceiling glass façade designed by OMA studio.
From the beginning, we understood that one of the main challenges would be ensuring the bar, typically the focal point of any cocktail bar, could stand out against the views.
CONCEPT & DESIGN
The cocktail bar's gleaming golden finish stretches to the ceiling, evoking pre-Columbian gold figures and the "El Dorado" legend.
Its curved shape dazzles in the centre, resembling a golden idol amid green tones, lush vegetation, and aquatic patterns—an homage to Latin American jungles.
Reflective surfaces echo the glass facade, blending with the verdant carpet.
Eclectic furniture evokes poisonous fruits or hidden dangerous animals.
Bio EL EQUIPO CREATIVO is a Barcelona-based interior architecture studio, specialized in the design of hospitality, gastronomy and brand spaces. Founded in 2010 by the architects Oliver Franz Schmidt, Natali Canas del Pozo and Lucas Echeveste Lacy, the studio shares the idea that space tells stories, creates sensations and atmospheres. They have worked for some of the most prestigious chefs in the world, like Ferran Adrià, and among their designs, there are four Michelin star restaurants. The prestigious design FRAME recently selected them as one of the 20 most influential designers of the world.
Other prizes WINNERS: 2023 – IDA Design Awards 2023 – LIV Hospitality Design Awards 2023 - Best of Year Awards ( BOY AWARDS) 2023 - Architecture MasterPrize™ (AMP) 2023 - Architizer A+ Awards 2022 - LIV Hospitality Design Awards 2021 - Architectural Digest-AD100 2021 - SIT Furniture Design Awards 2020 - International Property Awards 2020 - Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2020 - Small Business Awards 2019 - WIN World Interiors News Awards 2019 - FRAME Awards 2019 - WADA World Architecture and Design Awards 2018 - FX International Design Awards 2018 - IAA International Architecture Awards 2018 - International Hotel & Property Awards 2018 - Build Awards 2018 - IDMA International Design Media Awards 2018 - HIP Horeca New Business Models Awards 2017 - American Architecture Prize 2017 - Build Architecture Awards 2016 - AI Excellence Awards 2016 - Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2016 - Coverings Installation & Design Awards 2015 - Tile of Spain Awards 2015 – Interior Contract Award 2015 - Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2013 - Best Of Year Awards 2013 - The Great Indoors Awards 2013 - FX International Design Awards SHORTLIST: 2024 – Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2024 – HD Hospitality Design Awards 2024 – Frame Awards 2024 – ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards 2023 – London International Design Awards 2023 – Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2023 - Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2023 - FX Interior Design Awards 2022 - FX Interior Design Awards 2022 – London International Design Awards 2021 - FX Interior Design Awards 2020 - FX Interior Design Awards 2019 - Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2019 - WADA World Architecture and Design Awards 2018 - Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2018 - Architizer A+ Awards 2018 - SBID Awards 2018 - Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2018 - International Hotel & Property Awards 2018 - CID Coverings Installation & Design Awards 2018 - Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2017 - FX International Design Awards
