On London’s Fenchurch Street, WatchHouse is coffee shop nestled within the bustling atrium of a large office development. As befitting the upright, professional environment, the shop’s interior pulls from the design of civic building lobbies. EBBA applied modernist architectural elements toward the small chic space, nodding to Dublin’s Miesian plaza buildings, which bear many architectural similarities to Mies van der Rohe’s Seagram Building. Like an espresso, WatchHouse packs a punch within a small frame.
As one approaches the small cafe, the minimalist palette lures you in. Outside it is masked in black grid metal framing, a stark contrast to the warm wooden oak paneled walls inside. There is a constant dance between cold and warm materials throughout the shop: the wood-grained walls against the light gray Ceppo stone floor; the breezy white wall curtain against the heavy, sculpted steel counter that centers the cafe. Although each demands your attention, it doesn’t feel overwhelming or heavy within the space’s layout.
Read more about the coffee shop on aninteriormag.com.
