A popular destination for shopping and leisurely strolls, the King's Road in Chelsea might be soon getting a brand new attraction; the Duke of York Square scheme's developers, Cadogan, have teamed up with Nex Architecture to propose a contemporary cafe pavilion for the London plaza.
Building on the area's redevelopment – originally completed in 2004 – should it come to existence, the new cafe will be joining the area's bustling street life, which includes public areas, shops and restaurants, as well as one of the neighborhood's key cultural attractions, the Saatchi Gallery.
The architects were chosen via an international competition held back in 2012. Nex Architecture scooped first place out of a total of some 150 entries. The independently run cafe will feature a soft and welcoming, curvaceous design as well as an 'innovative glass façade, which will lower into a single storey basement during fine weather, the first of its kind in the UK', explains the developer.
The pavilion will also include a circular roof terrace open to the public, offering even more green space for visitors to relax and take in the area's views from above.
'Our approach ensures that the new cafe resonates with the architectural heritage of the site, while providing a contemporary space that has flexibility for year round use,' explains Nex Architecture's Alan Dempsey. 'It provides a new perspective on the Square, for watching the world go by, while at the same time providing shelter. When the glass façade is lowered during warm weather, it will feel as one with the surrounding area, merging holistically with the existing space to create a large al fresco seating area.'
A two-day public exhibition in Duke of York Square will display the proposal for the new cafe on the 4 and 6 February, offering the public an opportunity to review and give feedback on the design, which is scheduled to be submitted for planning later in the year.
The project features a UK first – an ’innovative glass façade, which will lower into a single storey basement during fine weather’, explain the architects
INFORMATION
For more information, visit Cadogan Cafe’s website
-
Chef Matt Abé steps out solo with Bonheur in MayfairA former fine-dining institution is transformed through a study of light, tone and materiality, courtesy of Russell Sage Studio
-
A forgotten history of Italian artists affected by the HIV-AIDS crisis goes on show in Tuscany‘Vivono: Art and Feelings, HIV-AIDS in Italy. 1982-1996’, at Centro per l'Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato delves into the conversation around the crisis
-
Futuristic-feeling Southwark Tube Station has been granted Grade II-listed statusCelebrated as an iconic piece of late 20th-century design, the station has been added to England’s National Heritage List
-
Futuristic-feeling Southwark Tube Station has been granted Grade II-listed status
Celebrated as an iconic piece of late 20th-century design, the station has been added to England’s National Heritage List
-
Archiboo Awards 2025 revealed, including prizes for architecture activism and use of AIArchiboo Awards 2025 are announced, highlighting Narrative Practice as winners of the Activism in architecture category this year, among several other accolades
-
Backstage at the Old Vic is all about light, theatre and sustainable actionThe theatre's new creative hub by Haworth Tompkins has completed, bringing a distinctly contemporary and colourful addition to the popular theatre space in South London
-
Tempted to try building with stone? This project will convince you of its meritsWelcome to the Future Observatory's The Stone Demonstrator, a project conceived to show off the material's strong points, now on display in West London
-
Step inside this Clerkenwell Rooftop, transformed into a minimalist urban abodeA Clerkenwell Rooftop has been transformed by Studio Felicity Bell into a minimalist modern home, featuring airy interiors and long views of London
-
Richard Seifert's London: 'Urban, modern and bombastically brutalist'London is full of Richard Seifert buildings, sprinkled with the 20th-century architect's magic and uncompromising style; here, we explore his prolific and, at times, controversial career
-
Welcome to The Gingerbread City – a baked metropolis exploring the idea of urban ‘play’The Museum of Architecture’s annual exhibition challenges professionals to construct an imaginary, interactive city entirely out of gingerbread
-
The Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s houses of the monthFrom Malibu beach pads to cosy cabins blanketed in snow, Wallpaper* has featured some incredible homes this month. We profile our favourites below
