The Challenge
Giraffe Concepts Ltd was operating a group of nine restaurants across London in a highly competitive sector alongside established brands like Wagamama, Strada and Carluccio’s. With venues up to 3,300 square feet in size, Giraffe aims to create a good value, family friendly experience which is not alienating to a non-family customer base. At the South Bank Centre the challenge was to create a flagship that would take the brand up in scale on a site of 5,000 square feet without losing the fun, irreverent and welcoming vibe of the original concept.
The Brief
Wells Mackereth Architects were briefed to create a new bar and restaurant with 160 covers inside and 100 outside. The environment had to reconcile different demands – including breakfast and business meetings, child friendly dining and adult dining, as well as a pre and post-theatre quick service area - within a coherent whole. High levels of operational efficiency had to be maintained and the Giraffe concept needed to evolve to meet the needs of a sophisticated clientele in a busy cosmopolitan location.
The Design
The design approach took the core values of the established brand and created a range of different moods, producing an internal landscape that varies from light and sunny towards the exterior through, to cosy and brooding deeper into the space. Wells Mackereth worked with the listed elements of the building and created three thick walls in neutral, hot pink and orange, which house waiter stations and storage and serve to break up the large volume into intimate dining spaces. One-off features include a rubble side wall and bar front, and an array of hand blown glass light shades which further define the seating areas.
The Results The site launched in July 2005 and has outstripped all projected budget forecasts, with the investment in the fit-out repaid in just twelve months. Sales figures exceeded expectations and continue to outstrip revised figures – weekly turnover has set a new record for the company two years after launch. Since launching the South Bank Centre site Giraffe has raised capital to open a further six sites across London and has refurbished seven of its other sites in line with the
flagship.
Bronze Interiors – Retail & Leisure
