Local studio Nina+Co used responsibly sourced materials, including clay plaster and recycled plastic, to create a layered interior for east London restaurant Ara.
Nina+Co’s founder Nina Woodcroft was tasked with transforming an empty shell in a new building next to Aldgate East station into a characterful space defined by the inherent timelessness of its materials.
Turkish chef Murat Kilic asked the studio to design Ara’s interior after experiencing its previous work on Silo – another east London restaurant that utilises sustainable materials and a circular approach to reflect the owner’s zero-waste philosophy.
The project adopted a similar focus on materiality and sustainability, combining tactile surfaces and reused objects.
“We didn’t want Ara to feel like it belonged to a single place or tradition,” said Woodcroft. “It’s borderless, both in food and design. It offers a warmth and familiarity common to many cultures in the melting pot of London.”
The restaurant’s walls are finished in raw clay plaster, which creates a warm, earthy backdrop throughout the space. An acoustic spray made from 95 per cent recycled cellulose is applied around the tops of the walls to add a further textural element.
The central bar is constructed from slabs of terracotta-coloured recycled plastic. Its curved top and smoothly rounded edges soften the overall aesthetic and are complemented by bar stools from Danish brand Hay.
Nina+Co collaborated with bespoke joinery firm Craftworks Productions to create much of the restaurant’s furniture, which was made using elm rescued from diseased trees that would otherwise have been burned.
A system of modular benches built from slabs of elm can be easily reconfigured to suit different layouts. Unlike conventional banquettes, the seating can be repaired or reused in future projects.
“Ara’s benches are extremely solid and endlessly refurbishable, as solid wood is,” Woodcroft pointed out. “Each module is connected to the next with a chunky block that simply slides on and clamps the legs together with no need for any other fixings.”
The benches feature removable seat pads upholstered in a fabric made from waste pineapple leaves. Natural latex foam was chosen as a sustainable alternative to the more commonly used polyurethane filling.
The project also features pendant lights woven from foraged reeds that can otherwise clog waterways and mirror frames made using foraged seaweed.
A range of vintage objects, including rush-seated dining chairs, pots, table lamps and a floor-to-ceiling storage unit, brings a sense of history and character to the space.
Living plants feature throughout, including three trees that are sunken into the floor, reflecting Woodcroft’s push for a greater connection with nature in the spaces we inhabit.
The floor itself is made from reclaimed galvanised steel panels that were originally meant to be covered with parquet made from salvaged pine beams.
The designers chose to retain the patinated metal panels, which offer a simple and utilitarian solution that also helped to save on resources and the cost involved with installing the parquet.
Offcuts from the kitchen’s stainless-steel cladding were used to create simple, curved wall lights, while salvaged terracotta tiles bring patina to the bathrooms and corridors.
Ideas relating to circularity and reuse informed the entire project, which prioritises future material separation and reuse. The bar, for example, was built using mechanical fixings instead of glue, so it can eventually be dismantled.
Nina+Co describes itself as a “material-driven, activist interior design studio” with previous projects including a north-London beauty store featuring elements informed by the products’ ingredients, as well as a store for an eyewear brand that showcases various biomaterials.
The photography is by French + Tye.
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