Fortnum & Mason: The Royal Exchange

Fortnum & Mason, the luxury food and department store, located its third outlet beyond its Piccadilly base in the beautiful Royal Exchange in the City of London. Our design for a restaurant, bar and store skilfully uses form, proportions and materiality to marry the distinctive luxury brand with the historic, landmark building. 

Fortnum & Mason has become synonymous with a distinct brand of English heritage and luxury. A gentle expansion of the brand has already seen stores open in St Pancras and Heathrow (designed by us), and the newest addition offers 90 covers with both table and counter dining, as well as a store of 213 sq. m.

The bar and restaurant occupy a central position in the majestic internal courtyard of The Royal Exchange, but remain respectful of the 16th century building’s neoclassical architecture, with a structure that sits harmoniously within the vast internal atrium, whilst creating a sense of intimacy at human scale.

The central bar adopts a warm, textured material palette that complements the hues of the courtyard’s dominant material, Portland stone, and takes additional cues from the delicate architectural details in Fortnum & Mason’s Piccadilly home. This results in a contemporary interpretation of the original store’s historic frame structures, filigree latticework and English silverware. All of the metalwork and hand-blown glass detail have been created in the Southeast of England, whilst the bespoke leather banquettes incorporate the Fortnum & Mason ‘eau de nil’ colour palette.

Tucked within the historic internal archways, the retail store continues the contemporary reinterpretation of traditional materials, featuring a bespoke chandelier by East London’s Studio Roso.

Sensitive, respectful and impeccably detailed, this project brings luxury heritage and tradition to a historic destination.

Universal Design Studio