A floating restaurant has moored up in a London canal, just in time for the restrictions lift on indoor dining. The Cheese Barge is a brand new hospitality offering in a custom, nautical design on a barge by Wallpaper* award-winning architecture studio Adam Richards Architects. Situated in a Paddington canal just south of Little Venice, this floating restaurant, was commissioned by British Land and occupied by World Cheese Awards judge Mathew Carver as a venue to champion cheese in all its forms.
The design draws on the area's shapes and heritage, wrapping the roof structure in verdigris-coloured patinated metal, gently announcing its arrival to the neighbourhood. A large, light-filled dining area is placed under the curved, sloping roof, looking out towards the canal through wrap-around glazing. A natural material palette of oak and recycled elements compose the interiors, which were created by Raven Collective. Reclaimed ship passageway wall lights, boat cleats and buoy-like table lamps offer light nautical references throughout. Meanwhile, the ship's main body was made by specialist marine fabricator in Somerset.
The design also references James Stirling’s Electa bookshop pavilion in the biennale gardens in Venice – a structure with similar nautical nods. Overall, it was a fun and exciting process for the architecture studio.
‘It is wonderful to be asked to design a space for the pleasurable activity of eating and drinking on the canal,' says architect and studio founder Adam Richards. ‘The barge creates a festive and sophisticated environment, whilst drawing on the heritage of narrow-boat design and local social history. It has also been an opportunity to pay homage to James Stirling’s Electa bookshop in Venice: one of my favourite buildings. That building was inspired by the designs of boats — so it was fun to design a boat based on a building based on a boat!'
The open plan interior across two levels was designed for maximum flexibility, while the kitchen area is located on a separate but connected, smaller boat. Naturally, the kitchen and restaurant are connected via a bridge, adding drama to the arrival of the food.
INFORMATION
-
Samuel Ross begins a new chapter with Zara: ‘Clothes give you the power to transform’Samuel Ross gives Wallpaper* a first look at his ‘multi-chapter design dialogue’ with Zara, which begins with a clothing collection launching this February
-
A new lakeshore cottage in Ontario is a spectacular retreat set beneath angled zinc roofsFamily Cottage by Vokac Taylor mixes spatial gymnastics with respect for its rocky, forested waterside site
-
Steve McQueen presents a portrait of protest in BritainTurner Contemporary’s groundbreaking exhibition Resistance reframes the history of protest, reminding us of photography’s political potential
-
From a mobile pub to a thatched canopy: Japanese architecture and craft explored at AA show in London'Distillation of Architecture', a new AA show in London, pairs architects with materials and makers in an exploration of craft through the Japanese lens
-
A library in a London telephone box? This is a charming reading nook full of surprisesSet in a restored London telephone box, Upper Street Little Library is a cosy beacon to encourage reading to the wider community
-
This revamped east London terraced house is a music lover’s dreamAn east London terraced house gets a boost of personality and sustainability thanks to Archmongers, whose transformation makes room for the owners’ creativity and extensive record collection
-
This elegant infill project slots beautifully into the London streetscapeIn this infill project, a row of garages in Blackheath, south-east London, has been replaced by a contemporary family home by local practice Mailen Design
-
Don’t Move, Improve 2025: the 14 London homes adding design oomph to the everydayThe shortlist for Don’t Move, Improve 2025 has been announced, revealing 14 residential projects across London that add value and pizazz to their inhabitants’ daily lives
-
Space House: explore the brutalist London landmark’s new chapterSpace House, a landmark of brutalist architecture by Richard Seifert & Partners in London’s Covent Garden, is back following a 21st-century redesign by Squire & Partners and developer Seaforth Land
-
Fire-damaged Walworth Town Hall shows off majestic transformationWalworth Town Hall gets a much-needed reimagining by Feix & Merlin, who transformed the heritage building into a contemporary workspace and a hub of its local community in south London
-
Hanif Kara on building materials, the transition from old to new, and a healthy dose of realismHanif Kara, co-founder of structural engineering practice AKT II, discusses building materials and the future of sustainability
