One of the UK’s leading manufacturers of aluminium eaves products, Dales Fabrications, has completed a project for prominent chef, Tom Sellars. Located in central London, Tom’s inaugural eatery, Restaurant Story, features a range of distinctive elements. Replacing a derelict public convenience, the single-storey pavilion has been designed to sit modestly alongside a small garden, framing views of a Listed statue and The Shard beyond.
Dales Fabrications was tasked by Space Craft Architects with differentiating between the ends of the roof and the main eaves cladding to either side. For this, a combination of anodised and polyester powder-coating finished aluminium was used. The result is a distinction between the raw edges of the building and the main surface – with large, anodised raking panels to the soffit producing a noticeable contrast to the vertical darker matt polyester powder-coated gable end panels.
David Allgood from Allgood Guttering (Contracts), says: “From the outset, this project was very demanding in terms of technical spec, quality and delivery requirements. We therefore required a fabricator able to successfully meet and exceed the client’s expectations. We suggested Dales Fabrications as the preferred contractor for this project given their experience, attention to detail and ability to deliver on time to a very high standard.”
Dales Fabrications designed and manufactured the narrow fascia and large raking soffit panels for the main eaves to the front and rear elevations in Anolok 541. The pale umber bronze metallic finish of the anodised panels provided a clear contrast to the dark brown, RAL 7013 matt polyester powder-coated vertical panels to the gable ends of the building.
Through ensuring a consistently high level of care and attention, Allgood Guttering was able to successfully install the large panels of anodised aluminium on the spatially restricted site. The build featured a vast raking soffit overhang of 2m, facetted to a large radius plan curve, which required the panels to be modulated to the curtain-walling uprights. Precise and careful manufacturing by Dales Fabrications, combined with care and attention to the detailed installation, ensured that this element of the build was delivered to an exacting standard.
Tom Sellars comments: “The building that houses Restaurant Story is all that I hoped it would be. The design is contemporary and the space clean and fresh. The use of natural materials, like the wood cladding and decking, and the garden landscaping gives the building a unique look in an area so full of stone and brick. It was also important to me that the building be sustainable and environmentally sound, so having it completed to meet with the BREEAM standards and, to look so special, is a real result.”
Space Craft Architects, adds: “Dales Fabrications were a good team to work with, and were a critical part of the design workshop – which was crucial to ensure all parties understood the limitations and reasons behind the design concept. Despite the complexity of the canopy, I think everyone would be in agreement that it is definitely one of the highlights of the finished scheme.”
