Cadogan Cafe by NEX
Posted in: NEX, public and leisureUK studio NEX has won a competition to design a cafe outside the Saatchi Gallery in London’s Chelsea with plans for a spiralling pavilion and rooftop garden.
The Cadogan Cafe will be constructed in the Duke of York Square beside the gallery’s brick perimeter wall, which originally formed the perimeter of a nineteenth century army barracks. NEX drew inspiration from this curved structure to plan a building formed of a single coiled wall.
“After thorough analysis, we were convinced that the best approach was an architecture which resonated with the architectural heritage of the site, while providing a contemporary space that has flexibility for year round use,” said NEX Director Alan Dempsey.
The wall will be cut in places to form a colonnade for sheltered outdoor seating and retractable glass panels will allow the indoor space to be opened up in the summer. Meanwhile, a staircase will wind around the exterior to lead customers up to the garden and terrace on the roof.
“It was a challenging brief to respond to, and we were fascinated by the opportunity of mixing leisure and public realm uses in such a concentrated form,” added Dempsey.
The architects will now work with clients Cadogan Estate to develop the design and submit an application to build.
Above: proposed site plan – click above for larger image
NEX Architects are a small practice based in London and previous projects include a timber pavilion inspired by the structure of leaves for the Chelsea Flower Show.
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