Challenge
A sister site to the popular Fountainbridge venue that was opened in 2011, the new 120-cover branch represents a £1 million investment for the family brand – the first in a potential wave of growth for Loudons.
Known as a top spot for breakfast, brunch, lunch and bakes, Loudons prides itself on delivering food for everyone, including a strong menu catering to specialist diets such as vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian.
Peter, who acted as project manager and designer, brought the same attention to detail, and years of property development and design experience, much of it in the commercial sector, to the interior design and fit-out of the restaurant.
He said: “We think noise levels need to be pitched to give ambience with comfortable bustle but not so noisy that you can’t have easy conversation.”
Solution
Since Zentia had been the supplier of choice for the first Loudons restaurant in the city’s financial district eight years before, the client decided to revisit the manufacturer’s own portfolio for the latest options. These had to perform aesthetically as well as acoustically. The bright, airy space of the new cafe has been carefully designed to welcome a new city centre crowd, with plenty of outdoor space for warmer summer days. Featuring custom-designed tables and carefully selected Lammhults chairs, the vast dining space fronts a large, open-plan kitchen, giving diners the perfect view of the chefs’ skills.
For both aesthetic and acoustic appeal, the Zentia ceilings specified for this aspiring project are Oplia Tegular24 mineral tiles set within Axiom Classic canopies. Not only does this ceiling design visually separate the public dining area from the open kitchen area at the new Loudons restaurant, the Oplia tiles also perform to Sound Absorption Class A and Clean Room classification of ISO 5, and are up to 85% light reflectant and 95% humidity resistant.