SHH interior designers and architects hospitality team was commissioned byAscot Racecourse (Development & Operations team) and worked with Ridge Architects to develop a totally new interior space for Ascot’s most prestigious restaurant – The Parade Ring Restaurant. The design and interiors of the space were completed in just six months, and delivered in time for Royal Ascot 2015.
The history and importance of Ascot Racecourse is totally unique and very much engrained in the British Culture. The restaurant space has a dedicated balcony looking over the Parade Ring providing optimal views of horses, jockeys and trainers at pre and post race intervals, as well as its own private viewing balcony overlooking the track. The main objective of the design was to create an elegant and effortlessly stylish interior, beautiful fixtures and natural accents. The 425m2 space providing 184 covers needed a significant upgrade, combining flexibility for a variety of functions without compromising on atmosphere.
Fashion and millinery inspiration with bespoke display‘It was essential that all guests felt they were enjoying a special day out – with a distinctively Ascot feeling about the space that flowed through the interiors, furniture, food and depicted the overall prestige of the venue,’ explains Neil Hogan, Founder & Creative Director, SHH interior designers and architects.
The SHH team’s design of the new Parade Ring Restaurant took inspiration from a combination of elements; the elliptical form of the Parade Ring, the extensive heritage between fashion and millinery at Ascot, and the Queen Anne Rose in recognition of the racecourse’s Founder, Queen Anne. The beautiful pink rose was introduced at Ascot as part of the tercentenary celebrations in 2012. Bespoke tabletops were commissioned with eight-segment marquetry inlay representing the bloom of the rose. SHH created a new customer experience to compliment the overall atmosphere in the dining space with subtle pink highlights throughout the restaurant using fabrics, glazed ceramics, tableware, menus, branding and the uniforms.
Seasonal table-wear with Queen Anne RoseThe interior features make reference to Ascot’s rich history of fashion and millinery throughout the space to add whim and conversation. As fashion and millinery have become synonymous with Royal Ascot, it was important to celebrate artful headwear through the creation of a joinery piece at the main entrance where designs from iconic milliners could be displayed and changed seasonally to suit the latest in high fashion.
The elliptical geometry of the Parade Ring was also adopted as a recurring motif throughout the space and appears in bespoke furniture and rugs, the backrests of chairs, in joinery and in striking hand-created ironmongery. Every guest element was considered from the carpet underlay to support the comfort of ladies heels underfoot through to the fabrics for the seating to ensure ladies in silk dresses did not slip from their seats. Bespoke timber inlaid table tops were commissioned instead of stone to create a warmer surface for bare arms and removable back cushions were created to identify seating arrangements and adjust comfort.
Bespoke bar and entranceThe new restaurant space has an overall garden feel that brings in the natural light from the viewing windows and has been complimented by incorporating a high level planter box that not only brings the summer garden element indoors, but helps with shading on a bright day. To create flexibility and privacy, they designed brass-framed, ribbed glass screens to elegantly section off areas when required. Banquette seating was created to be removable in order to cater for racing and other occasions throughout the year.
With a six month deadline period, the design to delivery included: concept design, detailed design, tender documentation and construction issue drawing packages and site operations.
SHH was also responsible for the procurement of furniture and accessories, lighting design, uniform design and art direction for crockery and cutlery.