IDK

'The restoration of an Art Deco sausage shop into a restaurant for Xinjiang cuisine.'

IDK have been providing conservation design services for the restoration of a former sausage shop on the Walworth Road in south London. Over the decades, Walworth has attracted a community of people from Xinjiang, a region in the north-west of China, and the restored shop will become a restaurant serving the regional cuisine. The shop was formerly run by another local business, Kennedy’s Sausages, which, on the quality of its meats, spread from humble beginnings across south London. The business was wound up in 2007, but Kennedy’s Art Deco storefronts can still be seen on highstreets including Walworth and Peckham. Working with our client, Southwark Council, Historic England, The Twentieth Century Society and Purcell we are providing a scheme that will gently restore the iconic design to its original lustre while providing the necessary capacity and setting the look for its new owner: Lao Dao.

The principal driving the design is to restore the historic shop front and interior by removing any unnecessary elements, while also repairing or replacing original 1920s components which have suffered damage.  The modern metal entrance doors will be replaced with half-glazed timber doors and the original sunburst motif top light will be reinstated above the entrance, completing the composition across the facade. The 21st century awning will be removed and replaced with a Victorian style box awning, and a new hand painted sign, suspended from pre-existing hanging points, will announce the name of the new business. The original Kennedy’s shop interior will be conserved and repaired so the original features and design can be appreciated to the best advantage. Set against the warm tone of a newly laid red linoleum floor, chosen to match historic photos of the butchers in operation, appropriate fittings will create a warm, convivial atmosphere.