Found Associates designs Nottingdale Cafe in London
London studio Found Associates has completed the design of the Nottingdale Cafe in west London featuring an oak and concrete interior.
Found has reshaped the internal form of the building by adding a new cantilevered mezzanine with glazed balustrade. This has helped to create a series of single and double height spaces that offset the limited internal volume.
At the heart of the restaurant is a bespoke ten-metre long porcelain clad counter that runs the entire length of the ground floor. The counter is the prime attraction of the ground floor dining experience. Diners seated on high stools can have food while chefs prepare food in the open kitchen opposite to the diners. The dining area is spread over the ground floor and mezzanine.
Porcelain was selected not only for its unique quality but also because the place has for many years been the centre for the Kensington Potteries. The porcelain panel to the front, side and top of the counter is made using bespoke moulds that have been formed, fired and glazed by a specialist supplier.
A complementary palette of materials was carefully selected for the concrete structure of the building. The architects wanted to retain as much of the existing structure as possible. The ground floor walls have been painted black to enable the special menu and wine lists to be updated on a daily basis throughout the restaurant. The main floors, stairs, chairs, tables and bar tools are custom made of solid oak.
