Shamal Nanji from CTRL Space was the project lead designer for the recently opened New York Grill at Westfield Newmarket. In this collaboration with Warwick Fabrics, she discusses some of the fabric choices for this hospitality space.

Traditionally (although this is changing), food outlets in local malls are akin to fast food courts rather than destinations on their own. How did this fit-out differ from more conventional, stand-alone hospitality work?

Shamal Nanji (SN): We knew from the beginning that the rooftop dining environment would be an unfamiliar hospitality concept for the Auckland market and therefore undefined. With that in mind, we approached the design in a way similar to a ground-level public precinct, with the added bonus of rooftop views back across the city. 

How do the materials help strike a balance between that high-end look and what is potentially a more mainstream clientele?

SN: The design of the space offers this balance by having a casual mid-height dining with a lighter palette at the front of the restaurant, welcoming customers in from the pedestrian laneways. The central space is the premium dining experience, it is darker and more dramatic in design and atmosphere. The rear section of the restaurant moves back into the casual territory. There’s also a dedicated space for larger group gatherings, which can be closed off with a curtain. 

Tell us about your choice of fabric for the chairs at New York Grill?

SN: We used Warwick Fabric’s Eastwood range, which is a leather-look fabric. We chose Slate; a blue-toned grey and Bison; a deep, dark brown. This was a more cost-effective solution for the chairs and stools to achieve the same premium feel as the rest of the space.

What other considerations did you have when selecting that fabric?

SN: Leather was a critical component of our steakhouse-driven concept for this design. We used genuine leather on the banquette seating, the feature leather-hide wall and the intricately designed leather straps, which cradle the wine bottles in the glass display cabinets. 

As for the chairs and stools, we opted for the Eastwood range, as it has a true leather-like feel and texture, without the high price tag, allowing us to have an abundant leather effect. 

What materials did you use on the rest of the chair and how do you think that combination works together?

SN: The chairs and stools are all in solid timber. The richness of the dark, walnut-stained beech/oak paired with the soft, leather-look upholstery is sophisticated and complementary to the interior scheme. The style of the chairs is also really important to consider, as they are in the classic bentwood range, which is an ode the traditional New York steakhouse restaurant.

See more in the Material Focus series, including inspiration from the Naumi Hotel, Richards Partners Office and Fabric Bistro here.

ArchitectureNow works with a range of partners in the A&D supply sector to source appropriate content for the site. This article has been supported by Warwick Fabrics.