Flying Horse Coffee Shop, Shoreditch
Design.
The customer's dream for their space
This site was a commercial unit in a newly built estate just off Shoreditch High Street and was literally 166m2 of concrete and glass with a 5m high ceiling!
The Design/Architect team were two designers, who we’d worked with before, and the brief was to build a café in this space. Constructing toilet facilities, standard and disabled access toilet, back of house kitchen and storage, front of house coffee/café dispense and of course, restaurant and café seating.
The unique challenge for the design and build dream
On acquiring the space we observed a 20cm step down from street level and normally we would install an elevated floor to meet street level, for wheelchair access. A consideration of raising the floor was that there was a cavity under the floor, which would be prime real estate for mice and other pests!! So we opted to raise the floor level with insulation and poured a 7cm liquid screed and laid underfloor heating pipes throughout.
Laying underfloor heating meant that the heating bills would be more cost effective over time and would be a trickle feed of warm rising. Air Conditioning would typically try to push warm air down and be noisy, while underfloor heating offered warmth from you feet up. Giving a cosy feel, especially if you want somewhere to send a few emails and have coffee and breakfast!
Relate.
Create.
Turning the vision into reality
The size, style and textures of this café are pleasing and create a sense of calm. Just off the high street and nestled in a quieter precinct, less dominated by cars and noise, this Flying Horse Café is still managing to claim its spot in this bougie part of London. If you're visiting, the Eggs Benedict and black filter coffee come highly recommended!
