21. Jul 2026Biyusai

NEXT Amsterdam

At NEXT Amsterdam, four Japanese tile collections were used at different scales—from the central bar and tall dining-room walls to a framed feature panel and communal table surfaces. Together they bring texture, rhythm and material variation to TANK’s layered hospitality interior.

Project Information

Project: NEXT Amsterdam
Location: NDSM Wharf, Amsterdam Noord, Netherlands
Year: 2023
Interior design: TANK
Client: NEXT
Project management: PRJCT WRKS / Gijs Jansen
Interior builder: Fiction Factory
Supplier: Mittsu Japanese Tiles
Application: Hospitality interior

Tile collections and colours:
Sairin — Brown Mix
Yohen — Brown Mix
Biyusai Border — White
Koyohen Border — Dove Grey

Project image folder: NEXT Amsterdam

Four Surfaces, Four Architectural Roles

Rather than repeating one finish throughout, the project assigns each tile a distinct role. The collections are related by their narrow proportions and fired surfaces, but differ in scale, relief, colour and response to light.

This allows the ceramic work to support the hierarchy of the interior: the bar reads as its centre of gravity, the dining wall gives depth to the perimeter, and the smaller tiled elements reward closer attention.

Sairin at the Central Bar

Sairin in Brown Mix wraps the large central bar volume. Its slender vertical pieces follow the curve of the bar front, while the mix of brown glazes introduces movement across a surface seen from every side.

At the upper level, the same material rises through the double-height space. The tile’s repeating vertical line connects the bar with the suspended lighting and the larger architectural frame without flattening the surface into a uniform field.

Biyusai Border and the Dining Room Wall

Biyusai Border in White is used across a tall dining-room wall. Raking light catches the fine relief, making the wall read differently from the brighter daytime interior to the warmer evening setting.

The pale glaze does not remove texture. Instead, it makes changes of shadow and illumination more legible across the height of the room.

Yohen Across the Communal Tables

Yohen in Brown Mix is brought down to hand level across the long communal tables. The glaze variation becomes an immediate, close-range experience, set against timber edges, woven seating and the darker open kitchen.

Used horizontally, the narrow tile establishes a directional surface that reinforces the length of the table while retaining the evidence of individual fired pieces.

A Framed Dove Grey Detail

Koyohen Border in Dove Grey forms a smaller framed feature panel. Its precise vertical arrangement provides a quieter counterpoint to the more expansive applications elsewhere in the restaurant.

Material Character

Across the four applications, the glazed surfaces respond to changes in light, viewing distance and orientation. Tonal difference is not added as a printed effect; it emerges through the material and firing processes that shape each piece.

NEXT Amsterdam demonstrates how Japanese tile can operate beyond a single feature wall. Here, ceramic becomes part of the interior’s organisation—defining central, peripheral and shared elements through surface, scale and repetition.

To view these tile collections or order samples, please use the Tiles menu to open the appropriate listing for your region.

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Learn about Japanese Glaze Variation