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The latest Giraffe restaurants have a completely

new-look, Bath launched in March of this year

and more recently Soho opened its doors

in June. Gone is their signature orange and in its

place a much more grown-up urban interior. Why

the change? Russel and Juliette Joffe, co-owners of

the popular restaurant group, together with their

partner Andrew Jacobs, felt it was time for Giraffe to

evolve in its design and illustrate that it was much

more than a family hub, appealing to a sophisticated

adult clientele too. Introducing larger bars that are

suitable for people to pop in for a morning espresso,

a lunchtime burger or a place for friends to get-

together was a large part of the design strategy.

BATH GiraffeArchitects – Michaelis Boyd

Giraffe appointed Michaelis Boyd Associates

with a clear brief, which was to give the Bath

restaurant a bold, brave new look - one that

shied away from the Giraffe orange but retained and

built on their brand values, ensuring that the latest

opening would still be familiar and recognizable.

To encourage an all-day ambience, the architects

looked at old-style coffee bars and developed a

tiled bar as a focal point. Oversized and stylish,

the bar was strategically positioned adjacent to

the entrance in order to create a welcoming first

impression, be visible to passers-by and to catch the

morning sunshine. >

Showroom at The Ironworks, Lady Lane Industrial Estate, Hadleigh, Suffolk IP7 6BQ.Call 0844 414 1658, email solutions@jimlawrencecontracts.co.uk or visit www.jimlawrencecontracts.co.uk

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JLT_GS Mag_297x230_HR_Mar.pdf 1 17/02/2011 12:46

By Francesca Smalley

GIRAFFE grows up

BATH

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A variety of seating options were created to appeal

to different moods and dining opportunities. Ed

Barker of Michaelis Boyd comments, “we provided

tables in the open double height space for those

who want to be part of the action with an undulated

banquette running throughout which was balanced

by concealed secluded tables under the mezzanine”.

Ed continues, “Seating was made comfortable with

clubby leather benches and classic homely English

Ercol chairs. Bar stools, ‘love seats’, chunky tables and

pews for larger gatherings. Taking into consideration

the high student population a bench, ideal for

perching and surfing the web, was also added”.

The décor, whilst definitely more urban, still

reflects the fun and casual vibe of Giraffe. Quirky

touches include reclaimed 70s wallpapered ceilings

and bold hand-painted graphics of faces, letters

and a giant kiss on whitewashed concrete walls. On

the exterior of the building, a Giraffe head extends

from the internal graphics and looks out onto the

Bath streets, creating a fun first impression. The

facades were carefully designed to meet stringent

planners’ requirements - stating that any frontage

complements the traditional golden coloured stone

buildings of Bath - but also set the tone for the

sophisticated, welcoming and urban Giraffe within.

SOHO Giraffe Bar and GrillArchitects – Wells Mackereth Architects

When it came to the Soho opening

of Giraffe, it was clear that any new

look would have to reflect the casual

dining and after work/late night drinking culture

synonymous with Soho. This latest addition to the

Giraffe family introduces the brand’s new ‘Bar &

Grill’ format showcasing a number of new features

including a separate bar, a Robata grill, a private

dining room and a late licence.

The Bar & Grill is the result of a refurbishment of

a 1960s steel framed bank building on the junction

of Frith Street and Batement Street, just a little south

of Soho Square. The noticeable bright colour palette

has been toned down exposing the rugged concrete

and masonry of the existing structure to create a

predominately naturally coloured and textured

scheme with accents in metal and cast glass.

The discreet subtle backlit metal exterior

signage announces this is a very different kind of

Giraffe. Externally the ground and first floors are

unified in a dark umber grey finish with windows

and other metalwork painted gloss black.

Setting the tone for a connected meeting place

for the media and fashion crowd of Soho, a large

steel magazine rack alongside tables and chairs

were situated at the entrance to create an all-day

cosmopolitan yet relaxed vibe. Matt Wells of Wells

Mackereth Architects states, “It is a feature we

loved in a couple of Keith McNally bars when on a

research trip to New York for the project”.

Giraffe have, in the past, designed their bars

primarily for dispense purposes, however, on this

occasion, the ground floor encourages all-day eating

and drinking. Bi-fold doors open up with five tables

sitting on a raised timber dais creating an alfresco

dining and drinking opportunity on the lively Soho

street.

Other key features include a lighting installation

designed around recycled pickle jars and a sharing

table formed from a massive slab of oak complete

with a large industrial styled linear light feature over

head, perfect for dining solo or for large groups of

friends.

On the first floor, there is a destination lounge

bar – a first for Giraffe. Low-lying leather couches

and refectory-style tables lit by large metal pendants

that run the length of the room and striking floor to

ceiling windows allow drinkers to watch the world

go by. There is also a zinc finished bar and space

for a DJ booth. Giraffe introduced a new menu for

the lounge bar designed for drinking and grazing

with a range of tapas style skewers and late night

munchies and an extended wine list featuring 36

bins by the glass.

There is also a private dining room for up to 80

standing and 50 seated, called the ‘Red Room’, which

is currently under refurbishment and promises to

be just as stylish and contemporary as the main

restaurant and bar.

Further sites planned for this year include

Chelmsford, Stratford and Sheffield where we can

expect more changes and new design features once

again from the team at Giraffe, working with a whole

host of exciting designers; no two Giraffes are the

same. Each design brief takes into consideration the

location of the restaurant, the style of the building

and the demographics. Giraffe prides itself in never

taking a cookie cutter approach – making it all the

more interesting for us, watch this space! •

Giraffe, 8 Dorchester Street, Bath, Somerset.

Tel: +44 (0)1225 463 333

Giraffe, Bar and Grill, 11 Frith Street, London W1.

Tel: +44 (0)20 7494 3491

www.giraffe.net

Bath Architects: Michaelis Boyd www.michaelisboyd.com Tel: 020 7221 1237Soho Architects: Wells Mackereth www.wellsmackereth.com Tel: 020 7495 7055

BATH

SOHO

SOHO

SOHO SOHO