Here at KLD, we have been having a pretty amazing year with various projects up for awards. Our Urbana and Thérapie projects have both been longlisted for the inaugural Dezeen Awards 2018. And one that is close to our heart, the Pot Bellied Pig, has been shortlisted for the Restaurant and Bar Awards 2018, amongst some fantastic company we might add. Today we shine the spotlight on the Pot Bellied Pig and how we turned the restaurant into a feast for both taste buds and eyes.
The brief for this design was to create a fun, exciting and vibrant café space to tie in with the branding and name, and equally appeal to the broad demographic in the urban Rathmines area. The concept KLD presented was hugely inspired by the pig. A large part of the brief was that the business would be focused on catering to the young, professional, brunch market so the design required a ‘cool’ and trendy aesthetic with maximum capacity for covers while providing both takeaway and eat in options, as well as an outdoor area for customers to enjoy.
The main challenge of this design was the small space and how to create a multitude of experiences within one small space. The solution was clever zoning identified by stark juxtaposition of materials with great importance invested on texture and tactility making them imperative to the overall design. KLD used a mix of tiles, brass, velvets, leather and lush planting for interest and excitement throughout. Nature and greenery were drawn in to enhance the palette of pink and green.
The building had limited natural light and a long orientation. This encouraged the design team to add a lot of mirror in order to bounce light and reflect the space, giving the illusion of a wider frame to the café. A mixture of velvet caged booths and green leather booths provide cosy seating and play on that idea of different experiences. Clientele was likely to be varied and so seating was designed to cater for everyone from groups and couples to singles and families – another side to creating different zones, related to the vast and diverse market in the area.
A stand out feature of the design is the innovative installation of tubed lighting. The installation is inspired by the pig, and specifically the pig’s snout. By grouping multiple tubes on the ceiling and adding lighting in these tubes (some in the shape akin to the pig’s curled tail) the Pot-Bellied Pig brand was reinforced through the design. The undulated fire rated tubes were lined with a gradient of pink tones to draw the eye and lead customers into the main space, seeking to see more. The tube installation also serves the purpose of framing the coffee making process, enhancing the experience for the customer nipping quickly in for their morning coffee.
Ultimately this design was based on a youthful new business launching and making a name for itself in the area. There is a definite nod to the café culture of Melbourne, where owner Lema Murphy was originally inspired. It was an ambitious project in the highly competitive café/brunch market and the KLD team knew the importance of a strong design to help push the business and offer something different and remarkable in the market.
The Irish Times commented, “The space is surely one of the most Insta-ready in Ireland, its pastel booths propped up by a backdrop of leaf-adorned wallpaper leading the eye to the hexagon teal tiles on the floor”
KLD still work closely with Lema to ensure that the Pot Bellied Pig adapts and grows and caters further to their customers.
The Pot Bellied Pig design is one of KLD’s proudest achievements and we are delighted that is has been shortlisted in the café category at the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2018.