Moana Cocktail Lounge
Moana Cocktail Lounge is the most exclusive and trendy venue at the iconic Nhow Amsterdam RAI hotel, the benchmark for Lifestyle Hospitality in the capital of the Netherlands.
WALL DESIGN
CATRINA GEISHAS
The two large decorated skulls, reminiscent of the iconic Mexican Catrinas, are reimagined with a distinctive twist as geishas. The skull on the left, in vibrant yellow tones, features Japanese floral motifs around the eyes and teeth, creating a striking visual fusion between Japan and Mexico. To its right, another Catrina displays a voluminous hairstyle echoing the traditional elegance of Japanese geishas. This skull incorporates a stylized mitsudomoe (三つ巴), an ancient Japanese symbol, in the eyes and a small lucky cat (maneki-neko) on the forehead, further intertwining both cultures.
Around them, a mosaic of iconic elements comes to life, ranging from vivid Mexican flowers to ethereal yūrei (幽霊), mythological ghosts from Japan. Each detail and each stroke builds a surreal narrative in which two cultures, seemingly worlds apart, coexist in a harmony that feels both fluid and entirely natural.
IMMERSIVE FLOOR DESIGN
FLOWER OCEAN
This expansive visual artwork covering the floor of the Moana Bar continues the panoramic art developed on the space’s wall. United both materially—no physical barriers separate the two pieces—and conceptually, they form a grand composition that envelops visitors in an unbounded visual environment.
The integration of this floor piece with the wall composition creates an immersive visual setting that transports viewers into a dreamlike realm, where they feel as if they are floating and inhabiting a context they truly belong to. The result transforms the Moana Bar into a unique experience blending art, architecture, and interior design.
It becomes a habitable visual universe rich with meaning, engaging in dialogue with the viewer. This floor composition is a vibrant fusion of cultural elements, extending the core concept of unexpectedly merging Mexican and Japanese cultures through iconic motifs and symbols from both identities, crafting a colorful, symbolic landscape that appears—at first glance—like a “lake” of elements upon which one can float or levitate.
