London, without a doubt, is an epicentre of creative forces in constant motion. Last year, in April 2023, Ladbroke Hall materialised as a vessel for contemporary art, design, culture and food inside a 1903 Grade II-listed building in Notting Hill. Led by Julien Lombrail and Loic Le Gaillard of Carpenters Workshop Gallery, the arts space has seen many initiatives flourish since its opening.
Ladbroke Hall introduces outdoor dining and secret garden
Its restaurant Pollini, brought together by Italian chef Emanuele Pollini and architect Vincenzo De Cotiis, was awarded the Best Restaurant recognition in the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024 for its range of classic Italian dishes presented against breathtaking contemporary art. Meanwhile, its gallery space, which serves as Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s London flagship, continues to attract visitors for its curated seasonal cultural program celebrating the best of art, design and learning.
Coinciding with the onset of spring and summer, the arts and social club now introduces a tranquil garden and al fresco dining space by London-based landscape designer Luciano Giubbilei. Seeing the success of Pollini, the Carpenters Workshop Gallery team sought to extend the fine dining experience by adding a private pavilion to the bamboo-rich oasis. The outdoor seating area, which also boasts an intimate setting for 70 guests, continues chef Emanuele Pollini’s menu, enriched by seasonal elements.
The extraordinary pavilion housing the new al fresco restaurant was designed by the influential French architect Jean Prouvé at the end of World War II as part of the atelier’s ‘demountable buildings’ project: an initiative to create prefab homes for French people displaced by the war. The wooden structure was carefully restored by a specialised team who added a two-by-six-metre porch, doors and airtight windows to elevate the comfort of the space. The original painting and parquet floors were rehabilitated to maintain the spirit of the initial design. Here, it serves as a private dining space for 18.
‘Creating a publicly accessible garden was always an important piece of our vision for Ladbroke Hall. We wanted to create a world-class outdoor space where visitors could enjoy artworks whilst dining among them. The way the garden has been designed means that there are little hidden pockets everywhere you turn – you might encounter a sculpture by Wendell Castle nestled amongst the bamboo or a secluded table where you can enjoy the full Pollini menu,’ says Le Gaillard. In line with this, those visiting the new leafy space will have the chance to preview Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s latest exhibition ‘Monumental’, which explores themes of proportion through large-scale outdoor works.
An original Prouvé 'maison demountable' at Ladbroke Hall garden
Ladbroke Hall is located at 79 Barlby Rd, London, ladbrokehall.com
-
Mediterranean dreams come true at this radiant Puglian hotelA former convent has been converted into Vista Ostuni, a plush bolthole inspired by the landscape and heritage of the Puglia region
-
The architectural innovation hidden in plain sight at Frieze London 2025The 2025 Frieze entrance pavilions launch this week alongside the art fair, showcasing a brand-new, modular building system set to shake up the architecture of large-scale events
-
Chantal Joffe paints the truth of memory and motherhood in a new London showA profound chronicler of the intimacies of the female experience, Chantal Joffe explores the elemental truth of family dynamics for a new exhibition at Victoria Miro
-
This 100-year-old private members’ club in London feels young at heartThe Sloane Club unveils a stylish new rebrand and redesign courtesy of Russell Sage Studio
-
The ancient and the erotic inspire Sessions Art Club’s Frieze London 2025 pop-up‘I think food should hum beneath the skin, like a good painting,’ founder Jonny Gent tells Wallpaper* on the opening of his temporary restaurant-cum-art-installation
-
Community and culture coincide at Mount Street Neighbourhood Arts FestivalWith this year’s theme focused on art and books, expect to see various literary moments around the Mayfair address
-
Refreshed China Tang at The Dorchester remains a love letter to 1930s ShanghaiTwenty years since it first opened, the beloved Cantonese restaurant in London has been subtly reinvigorated, pairing Haipai style with cosmopolitan decadence for milestones yet to come
-
A sculptural reimagining of hospitality takes over the Mandarin Oriental MayfairThe Mayfair Design District has curated a tactile exploration of nature and form across the quietly sumptuous London hotel
-
Labombe by Trivet reinvents an unforgettable Cool Britannia hangoutIs London hospitality about to hit peak 1990s revival? The Como Metropolitan has unveiled a new dining room on the site of the former Met Bar
-
Wallpaper* checks in at the wonderfully unfussy Swan Inn, FittleworthAs the night’s draw in, this cosy English inn deep in the Sussex countryside beckons
-
The world’s largest capsule hotel opens in the heart of LondonWith nearly 1,000 capsules across five floors, Zedwell Capsule Hotel Piccadilly Circus promise cocoon-like calm above the city’s loudest square
