null - Fortnum & Mason: The Royal Exchange

Insight

Fortnum & Mason, the luxury food and department store, chose to locate its third outlet beyond its Piccadilly base in the beautiful Royal Exchange in the City of London, working with our partners Universal.

The design for a restaurant, bar and store skilfully uses form, proportions and materiality to marry the distinctive upmarket brand with the historic, landmark building.

Idea

The bar and restaurant occupy a central position in the majestic internal courtyard of The Royal Exchange, but remain respectful of the 16th century building’s neoclassical architecture, with a structure that is proportioned to sit harmoniously within the vast internal atrium, whilst creating a sense of intimacy at human scale.

The central bar adopts a warm, textured material palette that complements the hues of The Royal Exchange’s dominant material, Portland stone. The bar takes additional cues from the delicate architectural details in Fortnum & Mason’s Piccadilly home, resulting in a contemporary interpretation of the original store’s historic frame structures, filigree latticework and English silverware. All of the metalwork and hand-blown glass detail within the island counter have been created in the Southeast of England, whilst the bespoke leather banquettes incorporate the Fortnum & Mason ‘eau de nil’ colour palette.

Impact

Tucked within the historic internal archways, the retail store continues the contemporary reinterpretation of traditional materials, featuring a bespoke chandelier by East London’s Studio Roso, crafted from thousands of silver ‘shells’ in the form of Fortnum & Mason teaspoons.

Sensitive, respectful and impeccably detailed, Fortnum & Mason at The Royal Exchange brings luxury heritage and tradition to an historic destination in the heart of the City.