Architect：Nick Leith-Smith Architecture + Design;Forward Associates

Location：London, United Kingdom

Project Year：2017

Category：Restaurants

New dining destination at Villa Park As Aston Villa builds for a return to the Premier League, a similar transformation is taking place off the pitch. Working with Forward Associates (branding and strategy) and Nick Leith-Smith (interior design), the club has embarked on a dramatic overhaul of its hospitality offer. The first fruits of this exclusive partnership between architects Nick Leith-Smith and venue strategists Forward Associates is The Directors’ Club – a 180-seat, fine-dining restaurant.

Previously the reserve of the VIP, The Directors’ Club invites fans to dine at football’s top table. Guests get to watch the game from the best seats in the house, enjoying the same menu and sense Nick Leith-Smith and Forward Associates — Sept 2017 cont. of occasion as the directors, as Roy Westwood of Forward Associates explains: “Rather than just create an exceptional restaurant, we wanted to invite Aston Villa fans into the inner sanctum. The Directors’ Club doesn’t just imitate the VIP experience but offers fans a chance to dine, drink and watch the game with the great and the good of football.”

Design inspiration With panoramic views across the pitch, the design team wanted to ensure the Directors’ Club was a match for its stunning location. It needed to talk to its intended audience and relate the stories that make up its history. As such the design draws on the rich tapestry of one of the world’s oldest football clubs, as Nick Leith-Smith explains:

“The design of the space includes multiple references to reflect Aston Villa’s journey from winter pastime for the local cricket club to its place today’s as one of Europe’s most famous footballing institutions.”

The main spatial strategy was to place the directors box at the heart of the new restaurant. This acts as the focal point to the room, connecting and separating the diners from the directors. Diners are able to see the comings and goings, while the glazed partitions and wine wall offers further natural theatre and tantalising glimpses into a world rarely seen.

Bars At either end of the room are two marble-topped bars. Constructed from steel and amplified by the addition of mesh gantries made from brass, the bars have significant impact. The front panels are steel framed, elevating the bars, while the brass edging and skirting create coherent ascents.

Palette To avoid over-branding the space, the materials and colours are respectful of Aston Villa but given greater depth through the use of different shades of blues. Dark oak floors, wall panelling and tables adds to the sense of history, while brass is used to detail the skirting and table edges, helping to brighten the environment. Shaped lounge chairs and geometric tiles add to the eclectic mix, while the Michael Anastassiades’ balancing balls wall lights are a perceptive nod to the game. The branding for The Directors’ Club - the diagonal lines of the A and the V of Aston Villa - are weaved into the design, such as within the interlocking relief panelling, and help to introduce a sense of movement throughout the space.

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