In 2018, we sat round a table with Christin Siegemund for the first time and discussed foodlab. We quickly agreed that we would need to find an unusual building for this exceptional concept.
We went together to look at several suitable premises, but when we visited ‘Watermark’ our interest was really sparked. The idiosyncratic, voluminous, angular space with its spectacular view over the harbour was the perfect place for foodlab.
Because the Watermark building is only a few streets away from our practice, we were able to visit regularly during the early phase of the foodlab project. This gave us the opportunity to envisage how a restaurant would function on the Elbterrassen and surrounding steps.
We needed to find a special something to radiate out from the building – a response to the beauty of the view over the harbour, something that would catch the attention of passers-by and draw them into the restaurant. This is how the idea of a ‘cloud’ behind the tall façade came about. We used various prototypes and tested out several shapes and colours before we finalised the simple, folded napkin forms that waft from the ceiling. They guide visitors from the entrance into the café, accompanying them down the large flight of steps into the restaurant, and are also a feature of the co-working space.
When designing the interior of foodlab, we made a point of leaving the raw beauty of the concrete building visible. We wanted to find fixtures and fittings that would be multipurpose and could be used, say, for a cookery course, as well as candlelight dining.
foodlab had to be designed to function both as a restaurant and a culinary workshop space, so we designed tables using robust solid oak panels and height-adjustable steel frames. The second-hand Czech auditorium chairs enrich the space with their patina. As a final touch, we used rotatable, swivel-mounted, telescopic workshop lamps for our lighting programme, so that the tables can be well-illuminated regardless of their configuration to aid anyone working at them.
We limited the range of materials employed. Aside from the concrete material of the building itself, we used steel, wood, understated fabrics, and leather in our designs, allowing users to arrange the space for special events, or to offset the simplicity of the furnishings with the vivid colours and aromas of the food on offer.
The ‘cockpit’ with its view over the harbour can be found above the restaurant. It is the office hub and a place where the food professionals can exchange ideas with their colleagues. From the start, we conceived it less as a large office space and more as a densely packed beehive. The work spaces are large enough for administrative work to be carried out and function as useful places when privacy is required. The hub is also a communal area with pigeonholes for mail and unlimited coffee on tap.
In order to save space, we incorporated the idea that access to the tables could also function on a temporary basis as circulatory space for users of the workspaces. We carefully checked that this would work in practice not only using drawings, but also by testing it out ourselves using real furniture.
To keep the noise down to a minimum when people are working, the co-working spaces feature an acoustic ceiling made of folded felt panels, which dampen loud sounds. There are also individual niches where people can take a few minutes alone or have a private conversation.
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