Urbano 32, Chester

A beautiful conversion from old liquor store to trendy pizza restaurant in the centre of Chester.

Uncovering original Roman features and putting difficult space to great use for all-day dining and drinks.

The Need

The client needed a complete turnaround using experienced designers to suggest how to redesign a complex space to achieve profitable returns.
The layout of the building was narrow and tapered towards the back with toilets down a narrow passage, so thought had to be given to how customers and staff would circulate the space in the best way, while ensuring safety, such as fire escapes, was met.

The Solution

The client wanted to use the space as a pizza restaurant so we felt an exposed pizza oven and an open kitchen would create a strong focal point and add some visual action and theatre to the dining experience.
We considered the narrow shape of the space and felt it would work best to have the bar area at the front with the restaurant at the back. This was the best way for the layout to flow well, to create some buzz at the front with more relaxed table space behind.
Historical Roman aspects were uncovered during the build, which we naturally decided to showcase, and which added to the décor and traditional restaurant feel.
We also added clever lighting to attract guests at night and while creating café elements so that cakes could be served during the day to offer all-day dining.