BRIEF

To deliver a 3rd restaurant for the Six By Nico brand using the new design identity, further developing the brand within another key city whilst celebrating the history of the building situated on Colemore Row.

CONCEPT

The core design concept for Six By Nico evolved by looking at a six legged dragonfly, honing in on characteristics of their body form, colour and natural habitat. This was then layered with a sub concept as the dragonfly makes its journey to the next city – Birmingham.

Birmingham has always been recognised as a city of innovation with the invention of the Boulton and Watt steam engine in 1776 putting it firmly on the map. The mechanical detailing of this industrial machine formed a strong design root for the concept.

DESIGN

A tale of two halves, the building features a listed frontage and opens up into beautiful double height space which lent itself perfectly to the bar. The symmetrical, towering back bar is 5 meters tall and mirrors the grandeur of the room and plays on the curvature of ‘cogs’ within the steam engine. Through an arched opening into a lower height space, the experience alters to embrace a shift in offering from bar drinking to restaurant dining. A once large open space was divided into smaller, intimate areas achieved by using bespoke, concept driven console designs, oversized light fittings and fabric screening. Components of the steam engine such as the cylinders, the pumps and the steam have formed design pulls within the material selection and detailing. Materials such as iron, timber and blackened metal were paired with opal lighting, reflective of steam and softened with concept driven fabrics.