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Humble Pizza

Child Studio

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Client
Humble Pizza Ltd
Floor area
120.00 ㎡
Completion
2019

‘Humble Pizza’ is a restaurant located on King’s Road, the neighbourhood synonymous with British fashion, music and pop culture movements of the 20th Century from mods and hippies to punks and New Romantics. The designers drew from these cultural references when creating the interior.

The inspiration for the design came from the staple of the British vernacular postwar architecture - the ‘Formica caffs’, which first appeared in London’s West End in the 1950s. Typically established by Italian immigrant families, those coffee bars served simple meals in the pared-back modernist settings featuring laminate surfaces, pastel colours and cosy seating nooks and crannies. This was the beginning of the ‘cafe culture’ in London with King’s Road at the epicentre, attracting writers, musicians, photographers and bohemian characters of all styles.

The interior is clad in wall-to-wall pink Formica, which continues across counter fronts and tables tops. The rhythmic pattern is highlighted with cherry wood. The designers worked with Formica factory, exploring their archives to recreate the original ‘linen’ pattern design popular in the 1950s. Other subtle nods to the past include mosaic flooring, cherry wood shelving and neon signage. The space is accessorised with the classic mid-century lighting pieces by Poul Henningsen, Jacques Biny and Luigi Massoni. The resulting interior is an immersive environment presenting a new chapter in the history of this iconic neighbourhood.