The 100-seat restaurant is housed within two conjoined historic buildings on Nethergate, at the heart of Dundee’s retail and entertainment district. The design of the restaurant has restored period features of the building, and incorporated bold additions to create a colourful, contemporary space.
A key design challenge for the restaurant was merging the architectural identity of the Grade II listed Victorian building that makes up the front portion of the restaurant with the industrial character of the adjoining 1920s warehouse to the rear.
Working closely with conservation officers, BuckleyGrayYeoman removed a modern suspended ceiling within the Victorian building to expose concealed period detailing. In the former warehouse, the architects removed an outdated plant room to create a spacious double height area with an exposed timber roof and structural steelwork that emphasise the spatial qualities and industrial character of the building. These details were interspersed with an eclectic palette of materials and colour.
BuckleyGrayYeoman has also introduced a 40ft shipping container that accommodates the kitchen at the heart of the restaurant in a nod to the roots of the Nando’s brand in South Africa, where shipping containers are commonly used as spaces for restaurants and shops.
The rear wall of the warehouse building is adorned with a five metre-high graffiti mural by local artist Marc Delayea. BuckleyGrayYeoman used the full height of the warehouse space to create a delicate pendant light sculpture, creating a play of colour, which hovers above diners’ heads.
In the central space that links the Victorian and warehouse buildings, a staircase made from reclaimed Balinese timber leads up to a mezzanine overlooking the warehouse dining area. The mezzanine level accommodates the washrooms, which have been clad in reclaimed galvanised steel spiral ducting and feature bespoke wash basins innovatively cast using concrete infused fabrics. The restaurant also features furniture from Fritz Hansen upholstered in Paul Smith fabrics.
