[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_fullwidth_image _builder_version=”3.0.91″ show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” background_image=”https://www.rtae.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Bg-image-2.jpg” parallax=”on” parallax_method=”off” use_overlay=”off” custom_css_main_element=”height: 75vh;” /][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.91″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” prev_background_color=”#000000″ next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.91″ module_alignment=”center” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” custom_padding=”65px||65px|” padding_right_1=”5%”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.9″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” custom_padding=”0px||30px|” header_font=”|||on|||||” text_font_size=”1em”]

Fen Art Café – Restaurant

The design brief called for a fully functioning restaurant in an existing historical building facing the Sharjah International Art Gallery that would serve the artists and visitors for the globally acclaimed Sharjah Art Biennale.

Built as home for Emirati residents, these traditional buildings they presented a challenge that was multi-fold. The scale of the spaces (particularly the entrance) was not designed at a ‘public’ scale and the buildings turned inwards with blind niches decorating the otherwise monotonous facades.

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Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

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Project Fen Art Café- Restaurant
Client The Ruler’s Office (Sharjah)
Size
Services Architectural Concept and Detail Design, Interior Design, Furniture Design, Specifications, Cost Management, Planning Management, Contract Negotiation and Award, Construction Supervision.
Status Complete, 2004
Budget Undisclosed

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Serving Counter
Food Display Cabinets
Internal Seating for 50 persons
External Seating for 80 persons
Guest Washrooms
Commercial Kitchen
Cold and Dry Stores

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Both challenges were overcome through the sensitive re-alignment of the internal spaces allowing them to cater for their new use. Externally, the blind niches were cut through and replaced with fixed/ opening clear glass elements, thus allowing the building to ‘read’ as a restaurant/ café with internal seating and external seating in the piazza. Intricately carved niche details once lost in the vas façade were accentuated recessed individual low-voltage up lights

All of the furniture is custom design, detailed and manufactured locally in a contemporary clean style that would complement the rich historical backdrop without distracting/ competing with it.

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Hand-carved niche once lost in the internal façades were sensitively brought to life through recessed low voltage lighting

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