From personal cutlery drawers to sleek dining tables and waiters’ stations, the multiple design and performance benefits of HIMACS solid surface have been used to elegant effect in the fit out of Morchella, one of the hottest new additions to the London restaurant scene.
Located in a beautifully restored former bank, Morchella is a Mediterranean-inspired venue that perfectly combines historic and contemporary features and where the warmth of natural timber contrasts with the latest in solid surface technology. The project not only boasts the very best in modern hospitality design but also showcases ingenious fabrication solutions.
Pushing the boundaries
The secret of a great dining experience is the setting as much as the food and the service. To enhance Morchella’s interiors, specialist fabricator Parker & Co Design & Build was commissioned to bring an ambitious, multi-sensory vision to life.
Parker & Co worked closely with award-winning distributor James Latham to select durable, easy-to-clean materials that could both withstand continuous use and pack a visual punch. HIMACS was chosen as part of this concept for its ultra-hygienic properties, workability, versatility and durability.
Demonstrating how easily HIMACS can push the creative boundaries, it was applied to a highly original and unusual flourish. Morchella’s tables feature 86 unique, hidden drawers with cutlery inserts sculpted from the material by ‘laminating’ 12mm Terrazzo Classico on top of 20mm Alpine White to create a 32mm block, before carving out spaces for the cutlery.
This experimental approach produced a distinctive design that exceeded expectations. Ensuring thematic continuity was crucial, so seven sheets of Terrazzo Classico were also chosen for four round dining tables and three large waiters’ station worktops, adding to the elegance. For tonal contrast, three sheets of HIMACS in Maui were used for three different waiters’ stations, further enhancing visual interest.
For an attractive organic quality to complement the HIMACS, solid and veneered oak as well as maple was also applied liberally and the interplay between the materials demonstrates how modern and traditional can merge for striking results.
Enabling new and unique solutions
Tim Parker, Creative Director at Parker & Co Design & Build, comments, “We strive to create spaces that not only impress visually but also function seamlessly for our clients and end-users. It was a joy to work with James Latham whose consultancy was invaluable, especially the ingenuity needed to work with HIMACS in a new way. Such a great material that allowed us to produce something truly unique. When you see the seamless dialogue achieved between all the materials, I think the results speak for themselves.”
PROJECT INFORMATION
Design: Tim Parker
Fabrication: Parker & Co Design & Build, UK
HIMACS Supplier: James Latham, UK
Material: HIMACS Q001 Terrazzo Classico
Photographer: © Stuart Milne
Project website: https://www.lxhausys.com/uk-en
Image gallery
