The opening of Amass has generated more buzz than an over-caffeinated swarm of killer bees – it’s the new place from former NOMA head chef Matt Orlando – so you can read about how great the burnt kale is in 100 other places. Right now let’s talk design specifics. The restaurant is housed in what was formerly the Burmeister & Wain shipyards’ tool warehouse in Copenhagen’s Refshaleøen district, and the design directors at Gubi have left plenty of the old character in there. The interior has been stripped back to leave a mottled concrete shell, and into the pale grey dining area come dark smoked oak tables with Japanese undertones, surrounded by Gubi’s leather Masculo chairs, designed by the award winning duo GamFratesi. The firms’ classic Bestlite pendants hang above, joined by new Greta Grossman cobra lamps. Casual furniture was upholstered by Kvadrat in muted colours to complement the interior and link with the exterior – pale greens echo the plants in the garden outside.
Fine dining has thankfully moved away from the days when the maitre d’ looked arrivals up and down to make sure they passed sartorial muster, and there’s no such snobbery at Amass – you can’t have a big urban art mural on the wall of an old warehouse and get snippy if the guests are wearing the wrong kind of shoes. A relaxed atmosphere and a connection between kitchen and customer are the cornerstones here – Orlando is known to pop out and serve some of the dishes himself, and for those interested in what it takes to get a place like Amass up and running, it’s worth having a look at his revealing blog.
@GUBI_design
@AmassRestaurant
@kvadratas
Photography, Enok Holsegaard
