Martello Café, Felixstowe

The Overview

The brief was to create an iconic café/restaurant building that would act as a focal point for the Felixstowe South Seafront regeneration. The site lies in close proximity to the Martello Tower P, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade II Listed Building.

The design of the beach cafe has been based around three strong coastal themes, a shell, a board walk and fish scales. A clam has a distinct ribbed shell, which when open, reveals a beautiful interior. The two-tone zinc shingles act as a dynamic wrapper, animating the wall facades and roofs. Light and shade and the play of light / reflection on the coloured surfaces helps to create a real landmark building in the landscape, with a personality of its own. The vision was to create a vibrant environment loved and well used by the wider community and act as a positive beacon within the local community to support and aid regeneration of this fantastic and unique location.

The roof / canopy is rooted to the ground by a ribbon of glass. The rhythm of the undulating roof also expresses movement or flight, much like the wings of a seagull. The building’s plan form arc’s around the site, opening up and framing panoramic views of the bay - from the pier to the mouth of the Orwell estuary, and importantly the Napoleonic Martello Tower. The building is raised above ground level to enhance these visual connections.

The tilting of the roof plane back toward the central drum, allows all rainwater goods and kitchen plant extract to be concealed from view behind a high parapet. The cylindrical design of the drum is also reflective of the form of the Martello Tower nearby, its timber cladding will slowly weather silver grey over time, whilst always appearing subservient to the main building.

The use of Air Source Heat pumps and underfloor heating throughout the expansive footprint forms a thermal mass to efficiently heat the space, the extended roof canopy assists with controlling solar gain in the summer months, but allows the lower winter sun to radiate though the large glass apertures. Combined with a Mechanical Ventilation and Heat recovery system it provides a continuous supply of fresh air to the restaurant space.