AMSTERDAM
TANTUM QUERCUS presents a new collection of solid-wood floors called the AMSTERDAM. Everybody knows what AMSTERDAM is. Yes, it is the capital of Netherlands, a small but unique European country with versatile scientific, intellectual and artistic traditions. The land has been for centuries fighting for its existence against the sea defending its contours from the offensive waters of the ocean. The eternal fighting like this couldn’t but unleash the unlimited strive for scientific and intellectual research of the nation, as well as give it a stimulus to a profound studying the surrounding world and discovering some new forms of it .
Netherlands have given the world hundreds of prominent people, starting from the names of pioneer and navigator Willem Barentsz and mysterious artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn from the Medieval times, followed by the universally educated personalities like Benedict Spinoza and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek from the Enlightenment Age and finishing by the names of modern Dutch architects Piet Blom and Remment Koolhaas, whose boundless creativity and talent seem to turn upside down all existing concepts of contemporary urban housing! We wanted this “Dutch Spirit” to be obviously visible in the concept of the presented collection. That is why just at the very first glance at it the viewer can’t but feel the scent of long sea journeys, romance of antiquity, serene wisdom and some kind of “shocking design”. The collection looks like an ancient pirate frigate just recently taken out from the deep waters. The scratches and bruises in its sterns seem to prove that the vessel has really experienced a lot of dramatic battles, but in spite of that is still kept afloat and ready for further adventures, although its obviously visible “wounds”, breaches and scars seem to be deliberately patched in a hurry with “unskilled hands”. But on the other hand it is exactly those “unprofessionally” patched holes and defects being a part of Dutch design that give the collection the sense of delicate originality and charm.
When creating the collection we applied some unusual constructive solutions in the manner, that could help to distinguish it technologically from other collections and at the same time to make it easier to feel the atmosphere of this unforgettable European city. Thus, both the “waves” and colour of the AMSTEL design should not just remind the consumer of the colour and the taste of some popular Dutch beer’s brand, but it should throw out as well some hint on the name of the river the capital of Netherlands is standing upon. Or the one who once touches the surface of the MAGERE BRUG solid-wood oak board with his feet should feel “the breathing” of this medieval city draw-bridge over HERENGRACHT channel in the heart of AMSTERDAM. And the channel HERENGRACHT itself has been “immortalized” in the collection by some original technological solutions and has become an item of it. At the same time, we would like to hope that the colours and design of the QUEEN OF NIGHT flooring board could add some charm and romance of this well-known carefully selected Dutch tulip to the living quarters where the board will be installed .
To make a long story short it should be noticed that the presented collection of flooring board contains a number of original technical solutions that being a distinctive part of the floor installed in the lodgment should help the consumer to feel the exciting atmosphere of AMSTERDAM, the capital of great land which always charges the inhabitants and guests with its positive energy, sense of creativity and taste of freedom. And here is one more detail to be added: this collection has been also conceived as a gesture of thankfulness and gratitude to our old Dutch friends and partners Mr. Bastiaan Smits, Mr. Ruud Steenvoorden, Mr.Yan Rupert and some other personalities of “our former” Dutch FETIM, who had once rendered us inestimable support and assistance at the initiative stage of our business activities as to the producers and sellers of solid-wood oak floors and who had once discovered us their beautiful and attractive land.
TANTUM QUERCUS Team.
