Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, Amsterdam unveiled its Signature Fan, designed by DRIFT.
With this design, the global symbol of Mandarin Oriental receives a distinctive Amsterdam signature, visually anchoring the hotel’s recent rebrand. The interplay of light, air and water, constantly in motion, served as the inspiration for the design.
Local interpretation of an international emblem
The Mandarin Oriental Signature Fan is a registered trademark and a recognisable symbol of the Group.
The fan, composed of eleven elegantly crafted blades, pays tribute to Mandarin Oriental’s iconic emblem, expressing the refined interplay between the brand’s dual-Asian heritage and the essence of each destination. For every property, this symbol is reinterpreted in collaboration with leading creatives, resulting in a distinctive artwork that captures the spirit, history and cultural narrative of its locale.
Internationally, this tradition has led to a variety of notable collaborations: For Mandarin Oriental Mayfair in London, Vivienne Westwood designed an exclusive fan, giving the symbol a distinctly British interpretation. In Singapore, designer Hans Tan shaped the fan in ceramic, inspired by Peranakan traditions and the botanical richness of the city-state. With the unveiling in Amsterdam, this international tradition receives a new translation rooted in the rhythm of the Dutch capital, designed by DRIFT. The artist duo, founded by Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta, is internationally acclaimed for experimental installations in which technology and nature converge.
For the Signature Fan of Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, DRIFT draws inspiration from the ever-changing interplay of light, air and water that defines Amsterdam. Here, light is in constant motion, casting clouds in hues of gold and copper, reflecting across the canals, and transforming the city into a living backdrop. Gordijn and Nauta interpret this dialogue between sky and water as the city’s rhythm, expressed through a subtle gradient that shifts from warm to cool tones.
This layered palette also reflects the monumental Conservatorium building, originally designed by architect Daniël Knuttel. Warmer tones echo its distinctive brick architecture, while cooler hues reference the glass and contemporary forms shaping Amsterdam today. Like a city sunset, these tones merge seamlessly, mirroring the play of light across the canals.
The Signature Fan of Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium reflects the essence of the hotel, where heritage and innovation meet. The monumental building, originally designed as a national bank and later transformed into a modern grand hotel, bridges past and future. This layered history forms an important starting point within DRIFT’s design.
In the Signature Fan, the artist duo distils this dynamic tension into a poised interplay of apparent opposites nature and technology, grounding and movement, rhythm and freedom creating a work that is both rooted in heritage and oriented towards progress.
This layered narrative is echoed in the design’s structure, composed of seven segments that reference the Seven Provinces of the historic Dutch Republic, the seven canals of the UNESCO-listed canal ring, and the Seven Bridges of the Reguliersgracht. The recurring motif of seven anchors the artwork within Amsterdam’s rich cultural fabric.
Water, light and air serve as unifying elements throughout—symbols of movement and connection that reflect the city’s open, international spirit. In turn, the piece expresses Mandarin Oriental’s philosophy of bringing people, cultures and experiences together through exceptional, crafted encounters.
Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, Amsterdam is Amsterdam’s leading luxury lifestyle palace, evoking glamour and elegance for sophisticated, design-literate travellers. Located in the Museum Quarter, the luxury centre and cultural heart of the city, the hotel is an architectural masterpiece that combines a landmark heritage building with a graceful, contemporary design, offering guests a selection of restaurants, a bar, lounge and the 1,000 square metres Akasha Spa. A destination hotel with a real sense of place, Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium is known at home and abroad as ‘Amsterdam’s Living Room’.
