Eden: A Garden Dining Pavilion

A Unique Art Installation by Henry Chebaane

The inspiration for Eden's architecture and lighting design, garden planting, and styling comes from several sources related to Perrier-Jouet Champagne. The graphic symbol of Perrier-Jouet is the white anemone, a flower brought back from Asia by Chelsea resident and Victorian botanist Robert Fortune. This botanist also introduced tea from China to India and Britain, as well as other plants like kumquats. All of these plants are incorporated into the garden design and pavilion, and are presented as part of the food and drinks served.

What sets Eden apart is its unique design and features. It is a garden pavilion that doubles as a dining table for 14 people, all within an art installation called "Born of Flower." The name refers to the canopy of 300 hand-painted butterflies that surround a large chandelier, symbolizing a vineyard in the flowering season. This combination of art, nature, and dining creates a truly immersive experience.

The realization of Eden involved the use of cutting-edge technology. The main installation consists of 300 laser-cut aluminum butterflies, each hand-drawn and then converted into a digital file for machine processing. Each butterfly is then individually spray-painted with an abstract graffiti in gold, white, and three shades of green. The lighting is created using wire cages, Edison light bulbs, and 90 meters of green fabric electric lead.

Eden's specifications include a 20 square meter pavilion with a rooftop and patio garden, seating 14 people at a long oak table. The pavilion can be used by walk-in customers as a communal space or booked for exclusive dinners and events. The flower planters in the middle of the table can be swapped for special ice containers to keep champagne and food cool while being shared by guests. Tea plants and edible flowers are also incorporated into the decoration, allowing them to be added to food and cocktails.

Eden was created in collaboration with Perrier-Jouet Champagne and opened in October 2016 during London Fashion Week. The project took two weeks of planning and two weeks of execution. Since then, it has become a popular destination and is still in operation today.

The design of Eden required extensive research. The designer delved into botanicals, exploring the 19th-century Asian expeditions of Robert Fortune, a Chelsea botanist. Research was also conducted at Kew Botanical Garden and in the Champagne region, focusing on the lifecycle and production of vineyards. The challenges faced during the design process included hand sketching and prototyping elements of lighting with plants and cut-out butterflies to test the proof of concept, all within a tight timeframe.

Eden is a testament to the fusion of art, design, and nature. Created within a Victorian pub from 1870 on the Kings Road, it pays homage to the history and location of Chelsea. The surrounding plants were carefully chosen for their aesthetics, scents, and relevance to food, drinks, and history, reflecting the Art Nouveau style of Perrier-Jouet's brand identity.

Eden has received recognition for its exceptional design. It was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space, Retail, and Exhibition Design category in 2017. This prestigious award acknowledges designs that demonstrate creativity, resourcefulness, and a commitment to improving the quality of life through art, science, design, and technology.