The venue’s design-led aesthetic has been noted in the industry worldwide, culminating in an Interior Design of the Year accolade in the Bar category at last year’s European Hotel Design Awards.
Creating stories through interior design is Stylt Trampoli‘s speciality, and the design of Cuckoo’s Nest is a prime example. The concept for the restaurant is based on its location: an old shipyard – once prey to post-industrial decay – which has been transformed into Lindholmen Science Park, home to a centre for new technology and communications.
Although inspiring, the restaurant’s location proved challenging to work with. Across the river and away from the city centre – and the subsequent passing traffic – the aim of the renovation was to draw in the locals and visitors to the city. Stylt Trampoli’s emphasis on storytelling played a big part in making the venue an attraction that people would want to go out of their way to see.
“In our work, stories are central to everything – from brand positioning to props,” explains Erik Nissen Johansen, Stylt’s founder and creative director.
“We use stories as emotional business plans. The story is the red thread from the positioning and the communicative concept to the interior, the menus, the website. That integration in turn results in a coherent, exciting, meaningful experience for the guest. That’s a competitive edge that other approaches can’t provide.”
The end result is a warm and welcoming bar and restaurant, which features a plethora of stylish yet quirky details. The overall aesthetic is a dynamic mix between an old-fashioned library, a natural history museum and a science lab.
“Stories are the glue of relationships,” says Erik. “Today, people don’t want a mass-produced service, they want a personal, local experience with a real sense of place – one that they will remember, and talk about, for a long time.”
