University of Nottingham – Lakeside Arts Centre

The Pavilion Café in Lakeside Arts Centre is a space that is used as a coffee bar in the daytime, and a bar in the evening for the theatre goers. It was crucial for the space to function well (and work hard) at all times of the day.

Firstly, we tackled the counter and bar behind. Clearly defining the existing alcoves into 3 separate zones; Coffee / Cocktails / Wine helping to add functionality throughout the day. The existing counter was re-clad using timber effect strip cladding panels which elevates the space, and ties it in with the bar behind, as well as the new furniture.

The seating area has been carefully considered to create flexibility during the day time, with loose upholstered dining chairs and bespoke timber furniture being durable enough for heavy usage in the day, with dog walkers, pushchairs and heavy traffic.

And cosy, softly lit seating for the evening. The colours used also reflect this, the soft greens tie in with the park setting outside, and the rusty orange adds a warm and cosy glow when the sun goes down.

The lighting was crucial in the new space, with each area being controlled remotely, to be able to set the tone for rainy days, or evening events.

A core palette of neutral greige and charcoal grey add a comfortable back drop to allow the new furniture to really sing in the space, as well as allowing full focus on the lakeside views.