Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Bluewater

The design brief was to create an individual look and a cool, casual atmosphere which would stand out from the crowd; it also had to be truly inviting: beautiful without being intimidating. This national burger chain is currently undergoing a re-branding exercise with the emphasis on promoting a cooler, more contemporary image. Here the designers took a bare shell unit within the Bluewater shopping centre and produced a concept which featured a modern interior with some notable retro hints. The design brief was to create an individual look and a cool, casual atmosphere which would stand out from the crowd; it also had to be truly inviting: beautiful without being intimidating. Bright orange bench seating invites couples to dine next to each other and creates a vivid splash of colour against plain, painted brick walls; bright pendant lighting provides a further splash of colour and lowers the ceiling to a more intimate height, as do the pallets which hang suspended over much of the restaurant area. Much use has been made of wood – from Havwoods, of course – with an oversized chevron design in a warm oak on the floor, and engineered reclaimed barn oak boards forming the walls and ceiling of the designer’s “timber box,” an intimate space towards the rear of the restaurant.