Local Design Profile

Kota Company (formerly AK Studios) is a newly founded design studio, local to Amsterdam. They have already worked with clients such as legendary design brand Moooi led by Marcel Wanders and Sweden’s hottest design agency, Snask. 

Having just rebranded to Kota Company, they work with clients in two main ways, either commissioned to create a specific product, managing the design, R&D, and manufacturing process. Or commissioned to create entire spaces - this is how we worked with them, when bringing to life our limited edition design lofts, at our flagship building Bob W Amsterdam Noord. Working closely with the local design studio to bring local design touches, and fun playful decor, together with key product pieces with a conscience, find out more about this local design collaboration in the interview below, with Creative Director and Co-Founder Andràs Kelemen.

‍Can you tell us about your philosophy and approach to interior design, especially when it comes to creating bold and unique pieces?

Art in general is the best place to show love, and passion, to question things, and be curious. If we want to discover new things we have to look at them from a different angle, like a child seeing something for the first time. This approach can be seen in every project we take on, we want to bring out the inner child in people and let them have fun. Amsterdam is like a candy store for design, and we are proud of that!

Our newest and most important venture is the product we created for Bob W. We were commissioned to create the perfect combo of a mattress and sofa based on their customers' needs and we did just that. The end result is the Kota Mattress Sofa featured at Bob W Amsterdam Noord. The name Kota has such a nice vibe to it. Their reference comes from the Finnish language. Like a cosy nest with a fireplace in it. That is how we think about all the projects we do. People should simply love being in our spaces so much that they never want to leave.

What was the initial inspiration behind the interior design concept for Bob W Amsterdam Noord? How did you decide on the theme or style?

The Dutch culture is so diverse, it has always been a melting pot of design and we wanted to emphasise that. Blending AI innovation with tradition, combining the Dutch Golden Age with modern elements. The design lofts have fun objects to discover, each familiar Amsterdam. When you visit Amsterdam, you get lost in the endless amount of fine art, before you walk through the Red light district, or find yourself in a techno party. It makes perfect sense in this city, just like the eclectic composition of our rooms.

What role did sustainability play in your design process for Bob W Amsterdam Noord? 

The centrepiece of our rooms is the Kota Bed Sofa, which we developed with Bob W. We wanted to create a piece of furniture that could be an answer to contemporary needs and sustainability. Changeable and washable covers are a must if you want to keep your product long-lasting and clean, and in case you want to change the look of the room, you can just simply dress up the sofa bed in a different colour to fit the new style of the room. Extending the use of the product by upgrading a look from time to time is the right approach, but we also put a lot of time into the recyclability aspect. Our sofa covers are from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles and we recycle all the foams once the bed sofa reaches the end of its life cycle.