London is also the location of the company’s celebrated tea shop and several restaurants, including 45 Jermyn St., formerly the Fountain Restaurant, in the heart of St. James’s. Fortnum & Mason’s exquisite dining room and bar bring back the golden age of glamour and service for contemporary London.

The 113-cover destination restaurant was designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS), an internationally acclaimed interior architecture and design studio based in London and New York. Its experienced team re-imagined the Fountain Restaurant, seeking inspiration from original illustrations. As a result, 45 Jermyn’s St.’s colour palette reflects the history and heritage of the iconic store.

GREAT RELATIONSHIPS FORM SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS.
Boon Edam was selected as the main supplier for the bespoke entrance after being recommended to MBDS by Fortnum & Mason due to its speciality in revolving doors. ‘The entrance to the restaurant is essential,’ says Lisa Phillips, Head of Property at Fortnum & Mason, who was closely involved throughout the whole project. From the first point of contact, it was clear that Boon Edam would be supplying a decorative hand-made wooden door - with a modern twist - in a relatively short lead time to meet the deadline for the grand opening.

"It's the first thing that you see when you walk in. The overall aesthetic has to be appealing, welcoming and give you a window into what you will experience when you are dining at 45 Jermyn St.”

ESSENTIAL DESIGNS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS.
‘Our brief was for a timber-framed product, integrating the mechanics from a modern-style revolving door,’ explains MBDS’s Senior Designer Katherine Briggs. ´The most challenging aspect was getting the finishes correct, so we provided timber and brass samples for Boon Edam to match. In addition to the aesthetics, it needed to be practical, have technical functions and be easy to use. We had to incorporate collapsible mechanisms and accessibility for wheelchairs and an emergency exit with a link to the fire alarm system. It could be used for passing bulky and larger luggage items.´

The design of the door was vital, as it not only needed to fit in with the look and feel of the restaurant but also the Fortnum & Mason brand. ‘We had to get the balance right between high-quality workmanship and something that also felt independent to the store, something that was quintessentially English.’ continues Lisa. ‘Added to the design process, we also had to consider our doorman. He needed to feel safe and benefit from some kind of shelter in the wind and rain. Furthermore, our customers also had to be protected from the elements to ensure that they have a comfortable dining experience.'

“When I saw the door for the first time, it exceeded my expectations, Boon Edam delivered exactly what our design intent was from the concept to the implementation, and the process was exceptionally clean and easy. The reaction was excellent, and we had extremely positive reviews from both Fortnum & Mason and of course the diners at 45 Jermyn St."

ADDITIONAL FEATURES FOR A BESPOKE ENTRANCE.
An authentic and bespoke revolving door was entirely hand-made of middark-stained oak timber by Boon Edam with a power-assisted drive and an additional collapsible function. This was also the preferred option for overcoming any inclement weather, as it decreases the amount of cold air that enters the restaurant during use. The finished product has an internal diameter of 2400mm and a height of 2300 mm under the canopy. It features glazed curved walls to the underside of the canopy with rubber safety buffers at the ends and wooden cross-detailing. The design is enhanced with antique brass push and kick plates and two mortice espagnolet locks complete with whole profile cylinders and handles.

‘We selected a revolving door to give the feeling of grandeur when you walk into the space,’ says Lisa. ‘We want our customers to feel really special when they enter 45 Jermyn St., as well as the experience they enjoy from the dining and service. There’s no doubt that the finished product fulfilled the brief. The materials selected are warm, beautiful and of the highest quality.
“The day the door arrived was spectacular, it honestly felt like Christmas Day,’ It arrived in large pieces on the back of a huge flat-bed lorry and it looked remarkable - we even sent the images around the business."

THE BENEFITS OF DETAILED DESIGN.
The close working relationship between the two parties may be evidenced from the design phase through to the manufacturing process. Boon Edam even took the opportunity to invite MBDS to inspect the newly assembled product at its factory and headquarters in the Netherlands. ‘We took advantage of the kind offer from Boon Edam so that we could view the revolving door as a completed product prior to it being delivered to the UK,’ adds Katherine. ‘It also gave us a chance to get a clearer idea of what was being provided and to allow for any changes that needed to be made before dispatch.’

Due to the excellent communication and working relationship between Boon Edam, Fortnum & Mason and MBDS, the installation of the revolving door was completed in less than five months. The architects and client were understandably delighted with the final product, which was also delivered and installed by the supplier. ‘The day the door arrived was spectacular; it honestly felt like Christmas Day,’ Lisa concludes. It arrived in large pieces on the back of a huge flat-bed lorry, and it looked remarkable - we even sent the images around the business. The Boon Edam guys installed it in no time at all, and it looked absolutely brilliant.

‘The door massively benefits the restaurant due to the quality of the workmanship, the materials that we chose and the functionality of the door itself. It’s very practical, and we firmly believe that it enhances the experience of arriving at the restaurant. The overall reactions have been very positive, and the business as a whole is really pleased with it. From my point of view, the experience we’ve had with Boon Edam has been fantastic. It’s been a wonderful relationship.’

For more information, please contact your local entry expert or visit the website at: boonedam.com/contact