: : aikmans restaurant & bar

Brief
The project brief was to revitalise an already well established bar / restaurant situated on a prominent site in Christchurch. It included extending the existing space into the adjacent vacant tenancy and lowering a portion of the floor to create a level entry and a better relationship between the inside spaces and the outdoor courtyard.

Design
The original existing two buildings which occupied the site were joined together in order to create a significantly larger floor area, and this subsequently required alterations to the facade as it was important for them to read as one coherent building form and create a dramatic backdrop for the courtyard area in front.Â The South West facade has become the main entrance and a striking, contemporary focal point with reference back to the site's residential origins.Â While only a few old bones remain of the villa which originally occupied the site, the new design pays respect to the site's past with its domestic scale and use of materials.Â Â Also, at the request of the building owner, the existing gabled end on the Aikmans Rd facade was retained and part of the design challenge was to marry this in with the more modern forms proposed.

An important part of the project was to maximise the potential of the courtyard by blurring the line between inside and out, creating more ambiguous and versatile spaces. Large glazed stacking sliding doors open up the whole South West facade to the courtyard and give people inside the feeling of being outside, which means the spaces can be well utilised in all weather.Â The louvred canopy outside provides a sheltered outdoor space and incorporates a gas fire, plasma screens and built in seating.Â The overall effect of the courtyard and entrance is open and welcoming but with sheltered and private areas to create a relaxed and comfortable environment.

Space
The interior spaces were designed with a domestic feel to them, created by the changes in level, slatted screen walls and different surface treatments and materials.Â TheÂ use of light and dark T&G oak flooring defines the originalÂ areas of the 2 separate buildings. The bar area is at the original higher floor level and overlooks the other spaces beyond, creating an interesting play of spaces. It incorporatesÂ natural oak cladding to the floor, walls and ceiling which extrude beyond the facade to create a raised exterior deck.Â A large gas fireplace, clad in dark stained shiplapped cedar weatherboards, separates the booth seating of the dining area from the lower lounge area with it's buttoned leather couches and patchwork Persian rug.Â The interior spaces are full of contradictions: open vs intimate, light vs dark, linear vs organic, structured vs ornate,Â natural vs synthetic,Â raw vs refined. The emphasis is on creating intimate corners and comfortable zones, but with an overall feeling of openness. Spaces are visually linked but have spacial privacy. The fireplace creates a linking element between the spaces, as well as dividing and defining the spaces.

Materiality
Surface treatment and materiality plays a huge role in the transformation of the space. Materials used are visually rich and warm, textured and patterned, including leather buttoned panelling set in concrete clad walls, as well as the extensive use of both light and dark stained oak on floor, walls and ceilings. Ornate wallpapers are incorporated in the dining area and bathrooms. The furniture used is organic and sculptural while remaining functional and timeless. Lighting is used to add to the decadent effect, creating illusion and depth, shadow and reflections, giving texture to otherwise flat surfaces. The internal timber surfaces appear to glow, giving a softness and warmth to the spaces. Clusters of bubble lamps and chandeliers add to the effect, as does the gas fire which is a prominent feature visible from almost all areas within the space.