Overends Cafe, Airfield

PKA's design brief for the Overends café was to create an interior that reflects the ethos of Airfield - the promotion of an awareness of nature and horticulture within of the city.

Established by the Overend family in 1974, the Airfield Trust set about restoring the south Dublin estate for educational and recreational purposes, providing families with opportunities to enjoy and learn about food, farming, gardening and history in a beautiful setting.

Developing the plan by Solearth Architecture, PKA's design creates three distinct spaces: the elongated café with its glazed wall that overlooks the reflecting pool and mountains; the farm kitchen with its oak tables and views to the working kitchen; the private booths with their framed views of Airfield's wildflower garden.

The design objective was to create a room that is a pleasure to be in, with a feeling of light and air: the timber ceiling floats above a fully glazed wall to one side, while the alcoves on the other are playfully punctuated with windows of various sizes that open views of the vibrantly-coloured wild-flower meadow.

PKA's interiors scheme utilises a combination of wood floors, zinc counters, ceramic walls and sheeted joinery. The bespoke furniture consists of painted benches and limed-oak tables, designed by Rachael Chidlow and made by Irish artisan furniture makers. This aesthetic is complemented by contemporary aluminium chairs made from recycled soft-drink cans.

The project won the most sustainable building category in the 2014 annual awards of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland for its joint designers - Solearth and Paul Keogh Architects.

Client: Airfield
 Trust
Value: N/A

Size: 460 sqm

Reference: Hugo Arnold
Design: 2012
Completion: 2013