A high street brand, Nando’s started out in South Africa and since setting up in the UK, has gone from strength to strength. The redesign of the interior of the Dundee branch was undertaken by London based architecture and design practice, Buckley Gray Yeoman who have already worked with the brand on several projects and understand the underlying ethos of the company.
The location of the restaurant played a major role in the project. In the historic city centre, now transformed into a hive of activity and entertainment venues, the Nethergate region contains several Grade 2 listed buildings, one of which is this one. This presented an opportunity for the designers to restore several of these historic features, in this case the timber beamed ceiling and the industrial metal supports, of what was once a Victorian warehouse. The double height of the dining space is emphasized by the colorful light sculpture created by the designers from riveted metal pieces. Where possible, reclaimed materials have been used particularly in the wooden stairs leading up to the washrooms on the mezzanine floor and the galvanized metal facade of the washrooms.
The kitchen is located in a shipping container, a reference to the South African roots where containers are commonly used to house shops and restaurants. A local artist was invited to adorn the rear wall with graffiti like interpretation of a chicken and the eclectic feel of the space was completed by the choice of Fritz Hansen furniture upholstered in Paul Smith fabrics.
