Neiheiser Argyros

Olive + Squash

Olive + Squash
Diagram

OLIVE + SQUASH

Neiheiser Argyros

ARCHITECTS IN CHARGE
Ryan Neiheiser, Xristina Argyros

MANUFACTURERS
Altro, Corian® Design, Majilite, Pierinelli, The Cork Flooring Co

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Webb Yates Engineers

GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Mind Design

CLIENT
Olive+Squash

CONTRACTOR
Own Developments

AREA
109 m²

YEAR
2016

LOCATION
London, United Kingdom

CATEGORY
Coffee Shop

The project, for a start-up salad and slow food café in the City of London, has a split personality - it is a space that both accommodates our frenetic work rhythms and invites us to slow down. It is a cafe that serves slow food fast, celebrating its locally sourced ingredients.

Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros
Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros

The architecture therefore has two tasks; to address multiple speeds of engagement, and to provide a neutral framework that foregrounds the various shapes and colors of the vegetables, herbs, fruits, and grains on its menu.

The space is asymmetrically divided in half, with a take-out counter adjacent to the street below, and a dining room in a newly constructed mezzanine above.

The space below is neutral, cool, and hard, allowing the bright colors and geometries of the raw produce to be the primary material.

Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros
Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros
Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros

Above, the palette is warm, textured, and soft, inviting visitors to gather and linger over their meal.

To physically divide, but visually connect these two distinct spaces Neiheiser Argyros have constructed a white metal grid.

A contemporary echo of the traditional farmer’s trellis, the grid hosts plants, flowers, herbs, menu signage, and integrated seating.

Olive + Squash
Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros
Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros

This simple device articulates multiple spatial relationships in a single gesture; defining the primary spaces, framing views, curating movement, and providing a defining identity for the store.

We designed a custom-formed terraced corian counter-top for the servery display which is always facing the customer. While all the ingredients are displayed together in three terraced rows, we wanted each one's color and texture to stand out.

Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros
Olive + Squash
Olive + Squash
Courtesy of Neiheiser Argyros

We therefore carefully calibrated the spacing between each ingredient with white corian infills, visual gaps that allowed each ingredient to read independently from the rest of the group.


Olive + Squash
Diagram

Neiheiser Argyros
T +44 20 32040288
Neiheiser Argyros
59 Lonsdale Rd, London NW6 6RA, United Kingdom