A year after Ampersand and ZSL London Zoo unveiled the £4.6m The Terrace Restaurant in the heart of the Zoo the building has scooped a prestigious London Design Award.
SHH, which designed and oversaw the renovation, were presented with their trophy on 9 December at the Old Truman Brewery. The aims of the Awards are to: celebrate excellent design; recognise commissioners of design projects; and encourage participation and conversation in all aspects of design.
Quality of interior design
The restaurant has been recognised for the quality of its interior design and is itself an integral element in the restoration of the Zoo’s historic Regent’s Building. The visually stunning space features a double height 40ft ceiling spanning the dining area and is overlooked by a beautiful mezzanine level that leads onto an upper terrace deck designed to afford unique views across the Zoo. The sensitive restoration was undertaken by skilled craftsmen who have breathed new life into original stonework and arches to preserve the building for generations to come.
Architectural sensitivity with culinary scale
The new restaurant marries architectural sensitivity with culinary scale – the overall seating capacity is 700 covers, which makes it one of the UK’s biggest Day Visitor restaurants. The Terrace Restaurant includes a clay oven to produce an authentic pizza experience, and a unique indoor/outdoor barista coffee bar that serves customers either enjoying the sun on ground floor terrace, or relaxing in the main restaurant. The flexibility of the design gives the space dual purpose and Ampersand regularly converts it for events that can host up to 600 guests.
Paul Jackson, Managing Director of Ampersand said: “This award marks another milestone in our partnership with ZSL London Zoo. We will continue delivering leading edge, creative ideas and services to enhance visitors’ experiences, and in turn deliver financial return for our client.”
Feeding time is as much fun for visitors as for the animals!
Rich Storton, ZSL’s Commercial and Communications Director, said: “The Terrace Restaurant has been a fantastic addition to ZSL London Zoo.
“The renovation culminated in the creation of a world-class restaurant, and we’re delighted to have won a London Design Award. More than a million people visit ZSL London Zoo every year and now feeding time at the Zoo is as much fun for the visitors as it is for the animals.”
Explore the London Design Awards here
Ampersand
Ampersand is owned by CH&Co and offers catering services for iconic British establishments including Hampton Court Palace, ZSL London Zoo, The Guildhall, The Tower of London, The Law Society, Kensington Palace, and The Royal Institute of British Architects.
CH&Co is a leading independent catering group with seven specialist businesses: Charlton House (staff catering at B&I sites), Lusso (City and fine dining), Chester Boyd (livery halls and private venues), ITA* (venues and events booking agency), Ampersand (public and event catering at iconic & private venues); Via 360 (bespoke reception services); and Apostrophe (high street coffee). Current annual turnover stands at £111 million and the group employs almost 3,000 people nationwide.
For more information about CH&Co click here
SHH
SHH is an architects’ practice and interior design consultancy, formed in 1991 by its three principals: Chairman David Spence, Managing Director Graham Harris and Creative Director Neil Hogan. With a highly international workforce and portfolio, the company initially made its name in ultra-high-end residential schemes, before extending its expertise to include hospitality and workspace schemes. SHH has won or been shortlisted for over 90 creative awards for its projects across three continents and its work appears several times a week in leading global design and lifestyle publications.
For more information about SHH click here