Swiss architecture and design studio Evolution Design has converted the former Neue Zürcher Zeitung print works into a dynamic multi-use hub with offices, event venues, and leisure facilities known as JED. The last phase of the conversion sees the opening of the restaurant Eve’s Kitchen.
What formerly consisted of the printing centre’s workshop, storage area and changing rooms has been transformed into the gastronomic heart of up-and-coming Schlieren, in a cool, contemporary surrounding dominated by a striking and flamboyant illustration of Eve – the restaurant’s fictional hostess – created by award-winning illustrator Gregory Gilbert-Lodge.
Eve’s restaurant is defined into three areas, each with its own signature character: the restaurant which serves tempting French cuisine, regional and seasonal dishes; the inviting communal table at which creative ideas can be born and business plans shared; and the showstopping 12-metre-long bar fashioned from steel, for catching up with friends or celebrating a day’s success.
The entire front façade is cleverly designed with retractable glass doors leading to a terrace that overlooks the newly-designed public square, resulting in a seamless connection between the inside and outdoors. This feeling of openness is further evident with the flip-out window that allows passers-by and those seated at the communal table to witness the hustle and bustle inside the lively kitchen.
«When designing Eve’s Kitchen, functionality and aesthetics were both crucial. The restaurant not only welcomes its own guests, but is also the catering base for venue events. The overall idea behind JED was to create a sense of community, therefore we focused on delivering an inviting and relaxed atmosphere that references the space’s former use,» says Stefan Camenzind, Evolution Design’s executive director.
Inviting accents of terracotta, paprika red and bronze are set against a palette of natural wood, steel and exposed concrete in homage to the space’s industrial heritage. Other eye-catching nods to JED’s legendary printing past include laser-cut letters on the bar and specially-commissioned wallpaper featuring old issues of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, the daily newspaper that was once printed here. These walls have stories to tell … and tales yet to be told.
