Pizza Express, Manchester Piccadilly

Pizza Express at Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester

Pizza Express at Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester 

1
Client

Pizza Express, Manchester Piccadilly

Project

Restaurant design and fit out 

Value

£0.5m / €0.7m

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Requirement

Pizza Express is steadily growing an empire of restaurants mostly based in unique new or old listed buildings. We have been involved in several projects with them, including recently the transformation of part of the 19th century railway station in Ilkley. As well as being, to an extent, ‘branded’, a notable design feature of their restaurants is the embracing of the building’s history. In addition the restaurant design needs to fit in with the ‘DNA’ of the Pizza Express brand which harks back to its founding days.

Our solution

  • Unusually, Piccadilly Gardens is a new build, but we wanted some reference to the site’s previous incarnations, so we researched the history of the facing gardens and took inspiration from it.
  • We worked with local radio to get listeners sending in their photos of the original Piccadilly Gardens. A selection of images makes up a massive feature photo wall celebrating the past and giving the building context.
  • We wanted to give the place texture, so we left a rough finish to the building columns and ceiling, to take the ‘new build’ sheen down a little, and slate / ceramic floor tiles. Behind the main bar, frosted glass mirrors and clear glass shelving add more texture and depth.
  • Along the back wall of the open kitchen, reconstituted black granite gives a dramatic backdrop to the chefs’ work, and small fragments in the granite add a little sparkle to proceedings.
  • We used a mix of materials to improve the natural acoustics of this double height space. Adding suspended walnut acoustic rafts to the ceiling and along one 4m high wall, creating a slatted timber panel that at the foot of the wall, flows seamlessly into a smooth timber bench.
  • For a daydreamy touch, Frank Gehry’s lightshades hang like cloud forms over the restaurant for another layer of texture.
  • Opening onto Piccadilly Gardens, we’ve made full use of the double height space that in summer, can open right out onto the al fresco dining area.