Mizzi Studio has completed a series of architectural kiosks within London’s Royal Parks, with its latest structure unveil near Buckingham Palace. The brass tubular food and coffee kiosk is the latest in a family of fluid, nature-inspired designs that the studio’s founder, Jonathan Mizzi, embarked on in 2017. With the final piece to the puzzle ticked off, and restrictions lifting in the British capital, there’s no better time to go and explore.
The kiosk near Buckingham Palace
The kiosk features a 360-degree sculptural canopy that ‘swells outwards like a tree’s crown’, say the architects. Sinuous and flowing, the design takes organic shapes that feel at home in the green landscape of the parks. ‘The richness of the brass kiosk echoes Colicci’s dedication to quality food and drink and highlights our belief in the relationship between excellence in design and service – each positively reinforcing one another,’ says artisan food and drinks brand Colicci director, Rob Colicci. ‘We look forward to seeing the kiosks being enjoyed by park-goers once again come the summer months, uniting families through their warmth and magnetism.’
How did the project come about?
The series began when Collici approached Mizzi Studio some five years ago, to create Serpentine Coffee House. Its completion came with the design of nine more kiosks that were meant to be installed on various locations across the Royal Parks. In October 2018, the roll out began, slowly and steadily leading up to today’s culmination point – the launch of the Buckingham Gate pavilion in St James’ Park, the largest in the range.
The kiosks were created to replace a number of older, tired structures in place, and to update the visitor experience at the famous London parks. They share a similar aesthetic, while being adapted to fit each of their respective sites.
What the architects say
Engaging with modern crafts and contemporary forms was important for the design team, but responding to the Grade I listed landscape was equally key to this high profile commission. ‘Mizzi Studio has designed each kiosk to sit sympathetically in its environment,’ say the architects. ‘The freestanding kiosks are conceived as a family of individual curvaceous structures with a graceful tree-like canopy that unites their design language. The initial kiosks are clad in hand ‘steam-bent’ English oak timber, developed in collaboration with British designer and maker Tom Raffield.’ §
