Common Ground Workshop - Trade Spitalfields

Common Ground Workshop

• 2013

We were commissioned to design a restaurant / coffee shop in the prominent & busy Commercial Street.

We were commissioned in May 2013 to design a restaurant / coffee shop in the prominent & busy Commercial Street, just two minutes away from trendy Spitalfields Market. Due to the rich commercial heritage of the area the clients quite suitably named the shop ‘Trade’.

The existing run-down space went through a number of modelling changes, with new staircase location, new large opening to the back wall to get natural light in, a complete re-organisation of basement and most importantly the interior fit-out to create a completely new feel of the shop. We wanted to achieve a warm and materially expressive interior and to break away from the shabby chic norm while still exploiting the interiors existing brickwork and timber floors.

Coffee and home-made food are the pride of the ‘Trade’ offer and therefore the beautiful coffee machine and lovingly prepared food are found in the most prominent position of the shop. The main counter was envisaged as a long linear element connecting three distinctive spaces, display, preparation and seating, at the ground floor with slight geometrical twists to accommodate the most practical use of patrons and staff. The material palette consists of warm elements like timber, plywood and brick, while copper tubes are introduced as the signature feature of ‘Trade’. Copper is applied to the bar fascia, staircase balustrade, handrails and suspended lighting conduits creating an interesting mood in the shop while forming muted reflections and intricate shadows.