Arnotts Chocolate Bar Concept

Chocolate Bar Concept

BriefAnalysis

Concept DevelopmentDesign Development

The Project

The project is a small café/retail business in a bay in the prestigious Arnotts department store in Dublin’s Henry St. The owner is a returning client for whom we created a number of designs for his Café di Napoli chain of cafes. In this particular project the client had entered into an agreement with an Italian chocolate manufacturer specializing in exclusive high end chocolates and pastries. In order for this project to be successful the design must appeal to the client, his business partner and the board of management in Arnotts.

Project Requirements• The object of this project was to create a stylish and

comfortable café and integrate a good retail area in such a way as to make both parties feel comfortable in the presence of the other.

– As the space was limited the client requested that these two concepts be integrated rather than splitting the space in two.

– A comfortable flow of retail traffic had to be created that did not infringe on the personal space of those customers sitting down for a coffee.

– The maximum number of seats had to be allotted for the sit-in patrons without reducing the retail wall space.

Project Requirements

• The client wanted a touch of the theatrical aspects of chocolate production and asked that space be allowed for feature demonstrations of a chocolateer adding the finishing touches to the chocolates and packaging them in view of the clientele.

– The confined space in which the Chocolate bar was positioned meant that the only available space for this display counter was a section integrated into the main sale and drinks preparation counter. The difficulty was in creating this display somewhere it was visible but would not cause congestion or interfere with the running of the drinks preparation counter.


• The client’s business partner has a café in Italy with which he is very pleased, however the client does not

feel that the design would be suitable for this location.

– In order to please both parties, some elements and materials reminiscent of the Italian café needed to be integrated into the new design so that it would remain an original concept while remaining familiar to the client’s business partner.


• In terms of target market and location, the passing traffic is predominantly female due to its being situated next to

a large women’s fashion department. – The surrounding bays and displays were quite

feminine in design and content and the management of the department store required that the new café not look out of place while the client required that it neither fade into the background nor exclude male patrons. A gender neutral design needed to be conceived.


• The client wished to have chocolates on display out of packaging to emphasize the impression that they were produced on-site.

– In researching this project I came across an article on the subject explaining that 80% of chocolate on display melts. A section of refrigerated chocolates for retail had to be incorporated within the design with all that was entailed.


• The bay is positioned immediately next to the customer services desk and the entry hatch for the desk opens

onto the bay.

– This hatch could not be removed and it was deemed unsuitable to have the desk staff walk through the café. It was decided that a way of screening this entry way from the café proper must be found.


• Finally, board of management required that we not make any permanent changes to the existing ceiling, flooring

or pillar finishes.

– Obviously this limited our choice of materials and finishes somewhat, driving us to create a scheme which incorporated these finishes in a cohesive fashion.

The Design Process• The area in which this project was to be carried out measured

approximately 65sq/m and in order to ensure a functional flow of traffic both for passing retail and sit-down patrons it was decided that an island bar counter located central to the widest points of the bay. Within this counter we allotted space for all three required functions; retail, drinks preparation and feature preparation display.

• The bar itself consists of an oval counter made of backlit acrylic material with soft waves of acrylic in various shades of brown reminiscent of melting chocolate and a counter hewn from luxurious brown granite. The countertop houses several recesses displaying chocolates under glass.

• Above the bar there is a bulkhead that partially mirrors the shape of the bar and two more waves of brown acrylic fixed to it contain backlit signage.

Flow of traffic around island bar counter

Box Feature Display Unit

Product Display Shelving

Curved Shelf Display Cabinet

Refrigerated Chocolate Display

Feature Chocolate Preparation counter

Curved Shelf Display Cabinet

Test tube dividing screen

Bar Counter – Design Detail

• Two cylindrical glass tubes extend from the bar counter to the bulkhead and house a small font from which chocolate flows into a series of copper bowls and into a large copper jug where it is pumped up inside the framework back to the nozzle. This gives the impression of a never-ending waterfall of chocolate. The overall effect is a rich, inviting show that further instills the feeling that chocolate is also manufactured here.

• The back of the bar counter facing the refrigerated displays and rear seating houses the display preparation area

Bar Counter – Design Detail

Acrylic Bands reminiscent of melting chocolate

Chocolate marble counter topChocolate waterfall pours

within the glass tubesFeature chocolate display

area to rear of counter

Retail cabinets & shelving – Design Detail

• The style of the design is modern but many of the materials have a more classical feel to them. The displays themselves use alternating panels of wood and glass with a mirrored back to give the impression of additional depth. The shelves inside are porcelain and are an irregular soft shape.

• Between these units are more traditional shelves displaying the ornate packaging of the high end chocolates, lit from above and with storage drawers underneath to replenish stock when necessary.


• To either side of the entrance are eye-catching Perspex displays .These displays are designed from a range of angled boxes. These boxes sit inside of each other at different angles and hold different displays of chocolate and gift boxes with in them. The base of the display sculptures consists of Perspex boxes filled with coffee and cocoa beans for weight and aesthetic.

• To screen the café from the customer service hatch, a screen was designed consisting of a series of suspended test-tubes encased between two sheets of clear Perspex. These test-tubes are filled with coffee and cocoa beans at various stages of roasting adding a fun effect to the screen which still remains light despite the division it creates.


Decorative display cabinets with curved Porcelain shelves

Simple mirrored shelving with storage drawers below for replenishing stock

Test tube screen filled with cocoa beans and grounds in different hues

The mirrors improve the sense of space while the dark stained wood and porcelain add a rich, luxurious feel.

Section of refrigerated storage to the rear of the bay with backlit drilled brass sheets

The seating is a mix of deep upholstered bucket seats and elegant dark wood café chairs

Alternating panels of wood and glass give the cabinets an unusual sense of structure

Furniture elements – Design Detail

• The furniture is modern and chic but comfortable. Its simple design and rich brown stain lends itself to café interiors flawlessly.

• The furniture is divided into two areas; the area to the front of the café has simple stylish wooden chairs where traffic and consumer turnover would be higher while the seating towards the rear of the bay is a more luxurious upholstered bucket seat to cater for those who wish to linger sipping coffee and relishing the fine chocolates.

This design is an advertisement for its wares;

rich, luxurious and stylish.

Combined with the scent of fresh coffee and cocoa wafting through the store, this café will prove a

wicked temptation to those shoppers in need of a little personal indulgence!