Image Credit : Interior Design by Phoenix Wharf, Photography by Franklin & Franklin
Project Overview
The Bristol Loaf is a local, independent artisan bakery providing a community food hub in Bedminster, Bristol. The dynamic new space incorporates an organic sourdough bakery, Hugo’s Greengrocer, Two-Belly Cheesemonger and The Bristol Vine – an exciting, new organic & natural wine shop. Located on Bedminster Parade, the café-store sits within Engine House Developments, a boutique, mixed-use development, taking up the entirety of the site’s ground floor, with 240 sq m front-of-house space and 90 sq m back-of-house to deliver an expanded food and drink offer.
The vision for the new undertaking is an ethical supermarket that is accessible to all, where customers feel very welcome to spend time and relax. The Bristol Loaf will be retailing its own takeaway bakery produce in the space, as well as offering café customers a menu that includes coffee and pastries and a deli offer encompassing soups and sandwiches, quiches and salads, plus drinks such as smoothies and kombucha. All the produce will be locally-sourced and all dishes made from scratch on-site.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Emma Carter, Associate Creative Director, Phoenix Wharf
Chris Gwyther, Founder & Creative Director, Phoenix Wharf
Project Brief
The brief for the new site was to create a community foodie hub that widened The Bristol Loaf’s offer but was still visibly linked to the original location in Redfield, Bristol. The brand also required a refresh to its identity design, which has been applied to the environment, website and packaging design.
Taking design cues from the current site the brief was to create a warm, welcoming space for visitors and locals to spend time while being able to do their shopping and support local independent businesses. Plants were a key factor that resulted in a high-level wrap around ceiling feature clad in solid ash slats. Other requirements of the brief included the use of raw materials, a warm neutral colour palette and bright white tiling to reflect the natural light.
Integral to the brief was the spatial planning and user analysis. Considerations to avoid pinch points for kitchen staff, waiting staff and customers collecting coffee were a top priority, alongside creating clearly defined zones for the kitchen, bakery, retail areas and cafe.
With a large footprint, the brief required as much flexible seating as possible while not feeling cramped. Full-height storefront glazing needed to be maximised with bi-folding windows utilised during both day and evening service. The scheme includes 58 covers in total: 44 at the tables and 14 perch/bar stools. The windows provide open views of the interior while external branding is low key, inspiring curiosity and enabling the businesses inside to do the talking.
Project Innovation/Need
Partnering with local and complimentary businesses The Bristol Loaf offers an expanded food and drink offer as well as the ability to do your weekly grocery shopping and enjoy a coffee, breakfast, lunch and dinner all under one roof.
All the produce is locally sourced from fairtrade suppliers with over 80% certified organic by the Soil Association and everything is made from scratch on site. Local operator Hugo’s Greengrocer fills 25 sqm of space alongside Bristol cheesemonger Two Belly and The Bristol Loaf’s new sister brand, wine specialist The Bristol Vine.
The working bakery acts as a distribution hub to other independent supermarkets and delis as well as baking goods for The Bristol Loaf bakery and cafe. The location makes distribution more efficient while also giving the local community greater access to artisan breads and pastries.
Real plants line the perimeter of the space in bespoke suspended ceiling troughs with their own irrigation system. Unusual in a large commercial space but emphasising the importance of growth, nature and the environment within the company ethos.
The design has given Bedminster Parade a unique food and drink proposition, adding theatre to everyday consumption, promoting a more sustainable way to live as well as a central place to go within the community to shop and meet friends and family.
Design Challenge
Turning a cavernous concrete shell that was previously a garage into a welcoming, warm and inviting space was the first challenge. The suspended wooden ceiling troughs lower the ceiling height with warm tones while the planting adds colour and softness. We wanted to keep raw, exposed materials to retain some of the history of the building so it was important that any new fixtures and fittings worked in harmony.
Another challenge was ensuring the space felt like one cohesive experience despite hosting 4 different businesses. Consistent materials and finishes throughout the design unify the space while displays and subtle branding in each area allow individual personalities to come through. Each concession operates independently but customers can get a taste of each one through the varied and seasonal The Bristol Loaf menu.
Along with many new developments and existing businesses opening during this time there was uncertainty around making the space COVID safe. This has been overcome with a design that provides flexibility of space to cope with the flow of customers throughout. Safety screens were designed in and created by the same joiners in keeping with the bespoke finishes used elsewhere within the design.
Sustainability
The Bristol Loaf believe in leaving a positive footprint within the community and this new project was no exception. As a bakery their largest carbon footprint lies in energy consumption so this was addressed by installing brand new energy efficient baking equipment. The design also recycles the heat created from the bread oven which is directed through the ducting and filtered through to the interior.
The counter was designed to incorporate a milk dispenser with a refrigerated glass container that is then refilled by a local supplier, again reducing plastic waste and providing fresh milk on tap. Mains water is also filtered negating the need for bottles.
Efforts to minimize waste include never using cellophane or plastic packaging for breads, wholesale produce is delivered in cardboard crates and re-used as well as all single use disposable items being made from recycled materials and bio-degradable. A fully digitised order system ensures no additional paper is needed between front to back of house.
Light fittings were sourced on ebay and came from an old factory, they now have energy efficient bulbs. Where possible all furniture is upcycled, including several of the cafe tables that were constructed out of the original Bristol Loaf bakers table.
Interior Design - Hospitality
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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