RAINS – Amsterdam – Leidsestraat
When RAINS asked us to create an entirely new global retail concept, we knew it had to go beyond a store. The Amsterdam flagship is the first built expression of that vision – an exploration of dualities: inside and out, soft and sharp, human and industrial.
A system in physical form; a grid that contains and expands.
Brief
This project continues our long-standing collaboration with Danish rainwear brand RAINS – a partnership grounded in precision, materiality, and experimentation.
Our task: to translate RAINS’ identity – conceptual and functional, urban and outdoor – into architecture. The result is a universe where the brand’s aesthetic unfolds in spatial form, adaptable across contexts yet rooted in place. Scalable, flexible, and capable of capturing the viewer’s gaze – and carrying it beyond borders.
Architecture & Design
Continuous Grid
A glazed-tile lattice defines the store, tracing walls and floors in disciplined geometry. The grid becomes both structure and stage – framing the collection and guiding movement through the space.
Material Dialogue
Weatherproof materials are reinterpreted as brushed steel, textured glass, and saturated textiles. Concrete walls and ceilings ground the space; custom carpets soften it. Hard meets soft, matte meets gloss – RAINS’ duality made tangible.
Custom Furnishings
A family of bespoke elements was developed as part of the system: modular shelving and rails in brushed steel, solid wood podiums that interrupt geometry with warmth, and upholstered seating in RAINS patchwork textiles. Engineered precision balanced by human tactility.
Light as Matter
From zenith-bright thresholds to diffused depths, lighting defines mood and motion – guiding the visitor like outerwear through shifting weather.
Technique & Construction
RAINS is a brand built around weather. Our approach reflects that – rigid enough to hold its shape, flexible enough to respond to context. Every component is modular, scalable, and codified to ensure the concept can travel globally while remaining true to its origins.
Within 110 square metres, a disciplined perimeter and open central field allow furniture to create rhythm and pause. At once controlled and infinite, the grid becomes both backdrop and stage – a framework for RAINS’ outerwear lifestyle to unfold.
Amsterdam marks the first iteration of a system – architecture as framework, design as identity in motion. Stay tuned as the grid extends further.