Softroom renovates the Great Court restaurant at the rear of the British Museum Reading Room.

The architecture practice Softroom has been in charge of renovating the restaurant located at the Great Court inside the British Museum of London. Now a cosy space with different atmospheres that takes full advantage of its exceptional location on the terrace level, offering wonderful views to a highly appreciated Reading Room with a masterpiece drum.

The project was commissioned by Benugo group, the chain of restaurants that since 2012 is in charge of managing the Great Court one at the British Museum. Benugo asked to create a more relaxed dining environment, one that could provide a variety of distinct experiences and atmospheres within the restaurant. Another goal for Softroom was also to increase the flow through a more attractive and appealing design that would improved the accessibility to the space as well, since it is located in the back of the Reading Room.

Therefore the restaurant has now different atmospheres. On one end there is a comfortable club-like area to have a drink or a relaxed lunch, with custom-made back to back upholstered seating.

On the other, the kitchen has been opened up and expanded it in to the restaurant so that diners can have a glimpse of the cooking team at work while sitting on the high communal tables perpendicular to the counter. This area is more suitable to have a quick, informal bite.

Finally, the Great Court Restaurant boasts a series of individual tables in both the previously mentioned spaces as well as in more isolated areas for intimate —or event private— petit comité gatherings, some of them with views to the Reading Room.

Photo credits: Simon Kennedy

More about Softroom

Softroom is a studio based in South London well-known for projects such as the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse on terminal 3 at Heathrow airport or the Sackler Centre of the Victoria & Albert Museum in the British capital. One of their most recent projects was the temporary restaurant made of containers and designed for the mexican food restaurant chain Wahaca, located during Summer 2012 on the terrace of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, on the South bank of the Thames.

Read more about Softroom’s project for Wahaca on diarioDESIGN