RZSS Grasslands Café

As a year-round event space and destination for zoo visitors to refresh and relax, the Grasslands Cafe needed an update to make it fit for purpose and appeal to a wider range of users. The project priorities included improving the acoustics; upgrading the toilet facilities and plumbing; and redesigning the space with a new layout and branding to give the cafe a total lift both aesthetically and functionally. We suspended acoustic baffles from the ceiling to offset the noise distribution in a space with high ceilings and hard surfaces and introduced rattan lighting features to add a pop of colour.

Dark ceilings, large wall graphics and a bold colour palette create an interior inspired by the dry grasslands themselves. Flexibility is key for this space, as it functions both as a cafe and an event venue when needed. Furniture is loose and moveable, with panels on lockable casters to add privacy between dining booths.