CAFÉ CULTURE
London-based interior design studio Conran and Partners have created a new contemporary-meets-traditional multifunctional retail and café boutique in one of the world’s most iconic heritage hotels, The Peninsula Hong Kong.
Located a level below The Peninsula Hong Kong’s famed baroquestyle lobby, a recently unveiled 3,500 square foot open-plan emporium houses the brand new Peninsula Café, a central space showcasing luxury teas, seasonal gifts, chocolates and baked items, and mementos for purchase, with an area for tasting teas, and an Assouline bookstore.
Located a level below The Peninsula Hong Kong's famed baroque-style lobby, a recently unveiled 3,500 square foot open-plan emporium houses the brand new Peninsula Café, the redesigned Peninsula Boutique - a space showcasing luxury teas, seasonal gifts, chocolates and baked items, and mementos for purchase, an area for tasting teas, and an Assouline bookstore.
The design concept invokes the timeless combination of the tradition and glamour of the hotel, which opened in 1928, while adding a fresh, distinctly modern, innovative twist that also appeals to young urban consumers. The Hong Kong flagship is the first to feature the new design concept, and Conran and Partners has also been commissioned to write a brand manual for future rollouts in other Peninsula hotels and boutiques, including the new London property which is scheduled to open in 2022. The design concept was developed for maximum flexibility to apply to different scales and contexts, from boutiques to pop-ups.
The first Peninsula Boutique opened in 1988, offering teas, wines and spirits, pastries, bread and chocolate, and there are now 20 retail outlets in Asia and beyond.
“The Peninsula Boutique & Café adds a new, contemporary dimension to the hotel's iconic heritage,” says Guy Riddell, General Manager of Peninsula Merchandising Limited. “Embracing innovation and respecting our traditions go hand-in-hand.”
The new Peninsula Boutique and Café is rectangular in shape with a 30 metre-long glazed glass frontage. The spacious open-plan interior is arranged over three zones, each with a distinctive ambience and there is a main centrally located entrance and a separate dedicated entrance to both the Café and the Assouline bookstore.
The design concept remains true to The Peninsula's meticulous brand codes: a rich, classic palette, elegant lines, luxurious materials and artisanal touches. Additional elements have been introduced to add a contemporary feel to the overall experience, mixing classic and minimal aesthetics in a complementary manner that emphasises approachable luxury.
At the core of the design concept is a crisp and refined palette with marble, slate, leather and lacquer in the signature Peninsula ‘Brewster green' offset by champagne coloured metal and soft blush pink tones. Details such as brass edging express The Peninsula's
heritage in a minimalist way. The combination of contemporary colours and detailing give the open-plan interior a distinctive, modern edge and offsets the more classical elements.
Movement between the different zones was carefully considered in the design layout with an intuitive open feel and subtle layering of signage and views. Commissioned photographic collages by experiential design studio and concept house Studio Appétit add splashes of colour and drama, fusing art, food and community.
In the centrally located retail space, designated counters offer a variety of Peninsula-branded retail experiences, such as chocolate tasting and gift wrapping. A semi-enclosed inside area is specially designed to highlight the experience of tasting teas. A bold array of display counters and shelving has been designed with packaging size and colour palette in mind.
The Café is for customers to enjoy all-day coffee and freshly baked cakes and pastries, whilst the Assouline bookstore offers a curated collection of its luxury coffee table books.
“We are delighted to offer guests of all ages a wider range of lifestyle experiences with the new boutique and café,” says Riddell.
The central double entrance sets the scene with elegant, minimalist brushed bronze doors that echo the overall Peninsula Arcade finish and The Peninsula Boutique & Café bronze medallion inlaid in the centre of the Verde Guatemala marble floor. A pair of elegant suspended brushed bronze display units with pink marble presentation plinths flank the main entrance.
Inside, two feature counters with a Brewster green lacquered scalloped base sit in front of a dramatic, product-filled feature wall bearing The Peninsula logo illuminated in champagne coloured metal.
An open-plan layout and careful layering of displays enhance views through to the chic Café to the far left and the Assouline bookstore on the opposite side of the boutique. Subtle shifts in the décor identify each space while retaining a natural flow. The Café and retail space are separated by glossy lacquer finned screens that provide privacy for guests, as well as glimpses of the adjacent retail spaces.
Experience and intuitive movement within the boutique are central to Conran and Partners' design concept. Custom designed
product signage and accessories include a contemporary calligraphic font and typefaces in a modern palette of cool grey, satin gold and silver foil. Minimalist price stands in different sizes are in a compatible green, white or red marble, and the circular marble presentation bases, curvaceous coral and green marble plinths and transparent chocolate trays have been matched and finished to complete a coherent visual experience.
The marbles used throughout include Verde Guatemala and Statuario Venato, and green Broughton Moor Slate add a further luxurious natural surface. A key feature is the soft champagne gold metal of the fixtures and fittings, which provides a crisp contrast to the overall signature green palette.
The tremendous popularity of The Peninsula Hong Kong's renowned Lobby afternoon teas and seasonal goods such as mooncakes, means there are now dedicated areas for showcasing the products and facilitating fuss-free collection.
The central retail zone has two layers: displayed near the entrance of the boutique are chocolates, cakes and seasonal items, along with ancillary services such as gift wrapping and collection of special items, and further in, behind the shelving is an area devoted to teas with a custom designed tasting table.
A matching pair of two metre-wide, white marble-topped counters in a glossy Brewster green ribbed lacquer finish and champagne metal skirting take pride of place at the entrance to the boutique. Above each counter, a minimalist metal pendant light aligns theatrically with the counter below.
The counters themselves are flanked by smaller oval display units in glass with brass edging for items such as chocolates, and there are also unusual plinths in green and coral shades for displaying seasonal products.
Depending on their function, counters are in glossy green or coral lacquer finishes, and moss green slate, all with white marble countertops that act as luxurious clean canvases for product display. Designed as a family of units, the counters have gentle, yet geometric semi-circular ends that ease circulation and subtly minimise the barriers between staff and customers. “The elegant curved end detail of our counters creates a softer appearance within the overall space, avoiding the notion of classic sales counters where the customer is on one side and staff on the other,” explains Conran and Partners partner Tina Norden.
Behind the two main counters, two open feature display units complement the layering of spaces and sense of privacy and quiet, offering glimpses of the Tea Experience area which houses a two metre-long tea tasting table in fluted coral with a pristine white marble top and built-in taps and drainage. “Each part of the space subtly transitions from one to the next,” states Norden.
Custom designed shoppable wall display shelving includes monochromatic floor-to-ceiling green lacquer shelves with brass trim, as well as elegant circular glass shelving ‘floating' against a green scalloped wall, all with LED detail down-lighting as well as accent lighting. Small dome-shaped table lamps in champagne coloured metal provide soft ambient lighting throughout.
“Lighting is especially important in a rich, monochrome setting like the Boutique and Café, so we undertook many tests to find the perfect colour temperature and introduced integrated LED lighting and pendants that are more usually found in restaurants and guest rooms,” Norden says.
The new Peninsula Boutique and Café is a perfect spot to unwind and spend time with friends, family or business associates, and promises a memorable experience for enjoying barista-crafted coffees and cakes from the hotel's famed pastry team, being inspired by ingredients and gifts, or perhaps just simply reading a book. Open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm seven days a week, the engaging new 25-seat space is chic but warm, with contemporary design touches.
“We are delighted to have created this immersive and elegant lifestyle experience at The Peninsula Boutique & Café, one where relaxed café dining and drinks combine with the finest gourmet products, gifts and books and reinforce The Peninsula's iconic heritage,” states Riddell. “We are looking forward to welcoming customers of all ages into a new world of impeccable service and discerning taste where a truly special cultural and culinary experience await.”
At The Café, patrons can choose from a variety of delicious culinary creations and beverages throughout the day, all presented with The Peninsula's unsurpassed service. An on-site barista crafts perfect coffees with latte art, while The Peninsula's world-renowned collection of teas may be enjoyed at the table or at a dedicated tea counter. Champagne, wines by the glass, soft drinks and juices complete the beverage options.
The Peninsula's famous scones are also on the menu, and are featured in elegant afternoon tea sets that are sure to tempt those after the perfect sharing moment, be it with tea or Deutz Champagne. Creamy parfait creations using Hokkaido milk ice cream are also available in different flavours with fresh fruits, including two vegan options.
Delicacies, signature treats and light bites are set to tempt diners or those seeking something special to take out. Delicious patisserie creations include buttery Palmier biscuits, macarons, French pastries, cookies, fruit tarts and mango pudding, while finger sandwiches and savouries are also on offer.
For lighter treats, a set of three chocolates in flavours including passion fruit, raspberry and smoky cocoa are hand-crafted and make for the perfect accompaniment, especially when their Instagramworthy design honours the hats worn by the world-famous Peninsula Pages.
In terms of design, five banquettes line two sides of the Café, and there is a central island table with a green fluted base and a crisp white marble countertop. Overhead is a glossy ceiling with feature lighting, and the curved coffee bar counter has brass and glass screens. The focal point is the dramatic, dream-like and colourful 4.2 metre-long, food-inspired glass panel photograph by Studio Appétit on the display wall.
The banquettes are upholstered in Peninsula green leather, complemented by leather and timber-legged armchairs. Soft pink crushed velvet stools provide additional seating and each café table has a white marble top with metal trim detail and a green and coral pink base creating a warm, inviting ambience.
The two banquettes nearest the retail space are semi-enclosed by elegant open finned screens in glossy green lacquer which offer both light and privacy. Banquette niches against the wall are fluted and lined in leather and the dark green rug features a ripple pattern. The reflective ceiling over the island highlights cakes, and a suspended orb illuminates each table.
“We wanted to create a space that is social, that feels like an inviting yet stylish neighbourhood café with soft lines and intimate corners that encourages conversation,” notes Norden.
Three large photographic glass wall panels by experiential artist Ido Garini of Studio Appétit reflect the artist's painstaking research into the essence of the Peninsula brand and philosophy. These vivid, dynamic contemporary murals are composed of hundreds of decorative objects from his own collection, created in his studio workshop or found in flea markets and antique shops in Europe and Asia, meticulously layered and arranged, all of which took several months. The food and dishes were bought locally in Hong Kong and baked, cooked and developed in his studio, and the various elements coloured with a special technique give a monochromatic effect.
“My guiding motivation in building the concept was to search for a way that the artwork would enrich and enhance the overall guest experience. Not just beauty shots or crowd pleasers, but creating something that is intriguing to the mind, seductive to the eye and doesn't just blend in - a focal point that adds value and meaning,” he says. “Considering the immediate interaction between the viewer and the art, and the human-to-art scale and their architectural position, I decided to treat the murals as windows that extend the space - physically, but even more conceptually.”
“We wanted it to be reflective of the space, intricate and immersive yet beautiful - and as a result, we suggested very large pieces, all part of the same family, that would become part of the immersive environment,” adds Norden. “Ido's work is always based on and executed with food, but has a beautiful stylised often monochromatic appearance.”
Garini's words perfectly sum up this new Peninsula destination. “The murals present a highly detailed high-definition elevation of reality, and show a layer of the fantastical, magical and inspirational world from which the boutique and its products are carved.”
For more information or to place orders, please visit The Peninsula Boutique & Cafe, The Peninsula Arcade, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, enquire by phone at +852 2696 6969, email hongkongtpb@peninsula. com or visit peninsulaboutique.com
Opening hours: Daily from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm