UK studio NEX has won a competition to design a cafe outside the Saatchi Gallery in London's Chelsea with plans for a spiralling pavilion and rooftop garden.
The Cadogan Cafe will be constructed in the Duke of York Square beside the gallery's brick perimeter wall, which originally formed the perimeter of a nineteenth century army barracks. NEX drew inspiration from this curved structure to plan a building formed of a single coiled wall.
"After thorough analysis, we were convinced that the best approach was an architecture which resonated with the architectural heritage of the site, while providing a contemporary space that has flexibility for year round use," said NEX Director Alan Dempsey.
The wall will be cut in places to form a colonnade for sheltered outdoor seating and retractable glass panels will allow the indoor space to be opened up in the summer. Meanwhile, a staircase will wind around the exterior to lead customers up to the garden and terrace on the roof.
"It was a challenging brief to respond to, and we were fascinated by the opportunity of mixing leisure and public realm uses in such a concentrated form," added Dempsey.
The competition was organised by Malcolm Reading Consultants. The winning architects will now work with clients Cadogan Estate to develop the design and submit an application to build.
Above: proposed site plan - click above for larger image
NEX Architects are a small practice based in London and previous projects include a timber pavilion inspired by the structure of leaves for the Chelsea Flower Show.