12,000 Francs: A Napoleonic-Inspired Restaurant by Emma Maxwell

Blending History and Modernity in a Unique Dining Experience

The restaurant's design is a blend of Napoleonic period references and contemporary context. The space is woven with Napoleonic narrative including the iconic Napoleonic bee, which was synonymous with his reign. Elements such as the bee hive lighting and the hand pressed metal ceiling featuring bee wings feature this. They contrast effortlessly with sharp contemporary monotone ceramics to pull the space into the present.

The interior is realized through a variety of design techniques. At the entrance, a long communal sommelier table greets the guest as they arrive. A large bronze cast bespoke designed Pig sits prominently at the centre of the table. As the guests venture through the space, dense clusters of hand blown, honey coloured glass Bee Hive pendant lighting float evocatively above them. The ceiling, treated with hand pressed brass metal in a bee wing pattern, ensures the space is blanketed a soft, comforting amber coloured glow.

The rich narrative of the space is further articulated with Kerrie Brown, “Broken Green” wallpaper. The pattern resonates with the memory of a 300 year old French Chateaus when the Napoleonic empire saturated Europes psyche. The wallpaper appears to sit like delicate layers of a patterned midian on the wall, as if one just opened the door to a long ago abandoned building.

The whole space is pulled into a central focus by the “hearth”, a wood fired oven. Set within the open kitchen, it enables the chef to survey his empire and directly interact with his diners. The space is after all a theatre for the chef and his diners.

The project, which started in September 2016 and completed in December 2016, faced several challenges. With incredibly high rents, the project had a very short time frame for completion. That coupled with a tiny space in a very busy and central location that had over its 100 years f existence had just as many renovations. It was not until demolition phase that the true shell of the space could be seen for the first time. The many layers of previous renovation works proved to challenging in their mass. This essential meant that the design had to be an organic process during the build.

Despite the challenges, 12,000 Francs was awarded Silver in A' Hospitality, Recreation, Travel and Tourism Design Award in 2017. The award is a testament to the creativity, professionalism, and innovation that went into the design of the restaurant.