Brief to Mc Donnell Design, Interior Designers.
The Waterfoot Hotel, Derry, which had lain dormant for over two years was to reopen following a major renovation. The brief for the bar/restaurant area which was housed in an unusual circular shaped building was ‘to provide a lively wine bar and restaurant for both hotel patrons and city residents with it’s own direct entrance’.
Solution
Apart from the existing entrance via the hotel reception, a new entrance was designed leading directly from the car park to give greater separation and identity. The previous design and layout paid no heed to the remarkable interior shape of the building and so the interior was stripped back to the original two storey open plan circular shaped shell and the windows of the central dome opened up. The mezzanine level was reduced in size to allow more light into the building and a simplified circulation flow was designed with new floor levels accessed by ramps and steps.
Success
The Waterfoot wine bar and restaurant has become the number one dining experience in the Waterside area of the city exceeding customers expectations
