This 1,615 square foot Fit Out was undertaken to create a new restaurant with a mezzanine kitchen and bar for the expanding Cinnamon chain in the bustling dynamic area of Ballsbridge. The brief was to transform a basic ground floor empty shell retail unit into a dual function restaurant and takeaway with new mezzanine structure to house kitchen and to create a space dripping with playfulness and humour, combining multiple functionalities and experiences in a small and compact unit. KLD were appointed to carry out interior architecture and design for new dynamic Cinnamon restaurant, dramatically rethinking the brand with new concept and look whilst providing maximum covers to ensure the financial success of the business. KLD sought to create an impactful and playful design with pastel palette linking throughout. Inspired by dreamscapes, with a focus on oversized scale, designed by encourage exploration and implemented by T&I with a thoroughly detail focused Fit out approach with all regulatory and M+E elements cleverly concealed to maximise on both function and space. Execution Cinnamon restaurant Ballsbridge is a happy, vibrant, and energising space that offers something truly unique and unexpected to Ballsbridge. The design is brave, playful, and bold which offers a refreshing take on hospitality in Ireland and evokes curiosity and intrigue. We believe that good design should awaken emotion in those who experience it. Good design can positively impact people’s behaviours and attitudes and this light-hearted restaurant does just that with its cleverly considered layout providing an array of dining experiences. The design has overcome a long list of challenges in terms of compliance, capacity, dual functionality. And it does so with ease, cleverly disguising all regulatory aspects, engineering and structural supports and the rigorous M&E requirements in what appears to be a simple result. This was a complex project to combine all the necessary elements without them completely dictating the result. With design thinking and clever consideration, we have maintained design integrity and the main visible result is one consistent concept. We sought to create a space that was truly unique and to ensure this, designed a series of custom fittings and fixtures which we had manufactured specifically, including the wall buttons, banquette and bar lighting, tabletops, and built-in seating. We found solutions for finishes to work within a tight budget without diluting the design intent all the while collaborating with our project team to best maximise the quality and delivery of the result. As a design team, we at were whole heartedly invested in the success of this design and worked tirelessly to maintain the design throughout the process. Challenges Structural Installation of a mezzanine level in an area with a slab-to-slab height of 4.65m (Ground Floor 2.20m, Mezzanine Structure 180mm & First Floor 2.27m) meant the planning of service routes above the kitchen area and below the mezzanine had to align and be co-ordinated perfectly with the minimizing mezzanine floor to ceiling height, needed at 2.10m, to achieve the falls and service runs. Client requirements Versus Restricted Unit Size Fitting in a full commercial kitchen and enough seating capacity for 80 people within such a confined space, as well as achieving the client’s need for separate offerings (Grab & Go, Sit Down Lunch & Sit-Down Coffee) proved an extreme challenge. The Design Team combined brilliantly to ensure the layout was never compromised accommodating the functional services, dumb waiter, fire and DAC needs all in such a small area, maximising every millimetre of space and keeping the design integrity at the forefront. It required a full team effort to have such a simple visual result whilst incorporating intricate structural, mechanical, DAC and fire requirements. To maximise on the 4m tall height, KLD sought to maintain full height in the front area for maximum natural light. KLD sought to retain and emphasise the scale and verticality of the space so designed the mezzanine to sit set back in the unit. The mezzanine kitchen was designed to maximise floor area on ground floor and to visually provide two distinct zones, one full height, dramatic in scale and filled with natural light, and the other a warm and cocooning shelter to hide away. It was then concealed with mirror to reflect and bounce the natural light. Budget Budget was hugely affected by construction costs. Creativity was required to get the fit-out design within the overall budget as M+E and engineering considerably impacted budget. It Is crucial not to dilute the concept and to maintain design integrity while maintaining covers and client specifications for it to be a viable hospitality business. Innovation The approach to the project was innovative. By taking a creative approach, it informed every aspect of the design and detailing for team KLD and more importantly informed the contract and consultant team with their implementation approach. Every aspect of this fit out was bespoke, custom designed and made to suit. The budget was tight so collaboration and collaborative creative thinking from both the design and build team was imperative to achieve the high-end result. The design has overcome a long list of challenges in terms of compliance, capacity, dual functionality. And it does so with ease, cleverly disguising all regulatory aspects, engineering and structural supports and the rigorous M&E requirements in what appears to be a simple result. This was a complex project to combine all the necessary elements without them completely dictating the result. With design thinking and clever consideration, we have maintained design integrity and the main visible result is one consistent concept.