Orangerie-inspired restaurant opens in Kent’s Wildernesse Estate
The contemporary pavilion references the Estate’s heritage through timber vaults, channelling a 19th-century tea house
![Wildernesse Restaurant](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/29pEMheDrV5bbX4iic58TQ-415-80.jpg)
‘It had to be jewel-like, but not overly pompous’, says Morris + Company director Joe Morris of his latest building, a finely crafted restaurant pavilion located on Wildernesse Estate in Kent, England. And indeed, the perfectly proportioned, low-rise structure does not disappoint.
Replacing a former 19th-century conservatory within a Grade II-listed country estate now transformed into a new, modern retirement development by PegasusLife, the restaurant was not only designed as the beating heart of the community, but also is the architects’ modern take on an orangerie, or the classic Victorian tea house.
The structure is created to serve the residents, who will be based in Wildernesse House – a contemporary housing scheme in the grounds of Wildernesse Estate in Sevenoaks. Architecture firms Tibbalds, Purcell, and Camlins are also involved in different parts of the scheme, which also includes eight new-build mews houses, 53 apartments within five free-standing villas and a Grade II-listed wing (these are all still in development).
When it comes to the restaurant, which sits at the heart of the estate and right next to the historical building, creating strong visual connections was important for the architects. ‘It needed to have a subtle draw,’ continues Morris. ‘We had limited means in terms of finances, so we needed something that is repeatable, efficient and we ended up on the grid and that drove the whole design'.
Timber vaults delicately reference the estate’s heritage and the colours chosen echo those of the listed elements on site. ‘The semi-precious nature of the outer metallic skin alludes to the delicacy of a traditional glasshouse, contrasting with the solid masonry plinth that ties the building back to the existing house,' say the architects.
Meanwhile, the interior is bright and permeable, filled with light and offering expansive views across the estate; a perfect spot to eat, socialise and relax, taking in the striking natural views around you.
A version of this article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Wallpaper* (W*241)
INFORMATION
For more information visit the Morris & Co website
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
This Nova Lima apartment is a Brazilian family oasis with striking Minas Gerais views
A Nova Lima apartment designed by Jacobsen Arquitetura celebrates its long, natural Minas Gerais vistas
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Commune’s sustainable personal care products look ‘quite unlike anything else’
Commune’s Somerset-made products stand out in the sustainable skincare crowd. Madeleine Rothery speaks with the brand’s co-founders Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Tour the Natural History Museum’s new gardens, a Jurassic lark in London
The Natural History Museum in London has unveiled two new gardens, with resident dinosaurs, after a transformation led by architects Feilden Fowles
By Bridget Downing Published
-
Drama Republic moves into a colourful, handcrafted workspace in London
For the new creative HQ of production company Drama Republic, Emil Eve Architects remodels a warehouse into office space in London’s Holborn
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Hideaway House in London features timber panelling inspired by the New York hospitality scene
The elegantly refurbished Hideaway House by Studio McW in London features timber panelling inspired by Philip Johnson’s The Four Seasons Restaurant
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
‘Modern Buildings’ tours south-east London through a guide to post-war Blackheath and Greenwich
‘Modern Buildings: Blackheath and Greenwich’ is a detailed survey of a London borough’s rich trove of new modernist architecture
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Triangle House invites you to its inner world of colourful surprises
Triangle House by Artefact is a private home in Epsom, outside London, combining Caribbean style, colour and functionality
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Tour the refreshed Saint Andrew Holborn: an icon reveals its crisp new interior in London
DaeWha Kang reimagines Saint Andrew Holborn church through a sensitive architectural solution that blends tradition and modernity in London
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A Suffolk house by Studio Bark pairs a fresh visual language with low-energy design
Suffolk house Water Farm is off-the-grid but defiantly on the map, a bold new object in the landscape with a strong visual impact and minimal carbon footprint
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Westminster Coroner's Court renovation delicately blends moments of softness and austerity
Westminster Coroner's Court gets a refresh and addition, courtesy of Lynch Architects and artist Brian Clarke
By Ellie Stathaki Published