A
pproaching the bridge across the
Serpentine, the famous man-made
lake in London’s Hyde Park,
visitors heading north are drawn into an
opening between the trees.
Sitting in this opening, a biomorphic
shape arises in the distance, seemingly
from the lake itself, its undulating
brass-coloured roof capping a porous
glass facade which displays the inviting
activities of a small coffee house inside.
Its unconventional shape appears as
though “a serpentine creature has jumped
out of the lake, and evolved into a smiling
stingray in flight, welcoming you to Hyde
Park,” says designer Jonathan Mizzi,
founder of Mizzi Studio.
The distinctive Serpentine Coffee House
- commissioned by client Colicci (an artisan
coffee chain) – is defined by its canopy,
which seems to float independently above
the glass structure below, “echoing a
stingray’s flight though water.”
This highly individualistic design is at
home among the art-rich surroundings
of the park, providing visitors to this
part of London with a new place to stop,
relax, and enjoy the views around –
housed inside a permeable, nature-
inspired construction.
The coffee house is located just beside the
Serpentine itself, which is in the centre of
the park, and formed to look like a soft,
naturally formed body of water. This
emulation of nature which the coffee house
backs onto was in fact a direct design
inspiration for the ‘creature,’ alongside the
practice’s ethos to create buildings “inspired
by the natural world and natural processes.”
On the approach
When approaching this extension to the
lake, there is a gradual “upgrading of
earth,” says Mizzi, as visitors walk
inwards, going from the tarmac of the
road, to the tar and chip of the paving
area, and then onto the coffee house’s
grounds, which are based with an
earthy and sandy flexible resin-bonded
gravel, “immediately letting you know that
you’re within a demarcated site,” explains
the architect.
Passing through these grounds, visitors
can then enter inside the envelope from
three sides of the coffee house, which is
surrounded with fully openable glazing to
its front, left and right. Inside there is a
fairly small front of house, around 30 m^2 ,
which is flooded with natural daylight
during favourable weather.
Users can then step upon the earthy
terrazzo flooring of the coffee house’s
interior, to be met with a simple and
efficient solid walnut counter, offering
items such as gelato, ice cream, coffees and
teas – the counter itself offering visual
interest in its triangular reed texture.
The walls behind the counter are covered
in deep blue tiles, intended to “blur the
boundaries between indoor and outdoor
space,” alongside green leather upholstered
chairs and marble surfaces which reflect
the hue of the lake and the surrounding
trees and flower beds.
Besides the chairs located in front of the
counter, looking around through the glass
envelope is further seating – which in fair
weather can host over 60 people, the
cantilevered canopy providing some shadeA new coffee house has been completed in Hyde Park, which sports a
striking ‘biomorphic’ design in the shape of a golden stingray. Its architect
spoke to Jack Wooler on the inspirations behind the projectA royal smile
SERPENTINE COFFEE HOUSE
HYDE PARK, LONDONBUILDING
PROJECTSSMILE OF A STINGRAY
The cafe’s undulating brass-coloured roof has been
designed to resemble a stingray with an upwardly
curving canopy to produce a ‘smile’
All images © Luke HayesIts unconventional shape
appears as though “a
serpentine creature has
jumped out of the lake, and
evolved into a smiling
stingray in flight”47ADF NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
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