Up Architects were privileged to be involved in this new restaurant venture by Matt Emmerson and the team behind Perilla who found new premises in an old bank building at the end of Exmouth Market. The lavishly decorated high-ceilinged former banking hall still retained most of its original features, albeit hidden from view or painted over. Up were tasked to transform the space into a modern, beautiful restaurant and in doing so create a new story for the building.

The central part of the brief was to retain and celebrate the original grandeur of the banking hall, whilst creating a cozy and intimate dining experience. The new layout offers wine bar and restaurant dining area on the upper level, and a private dining room and mixed bathrooms in the upgraded basement. The interior design approach makes use of raw or stripped back materials and plays with light, either the daylight coming through the large windows or candlelight and bespoke lighting fixtures in the evenings.