BARS & RESTAURANTS
14 Hills
City of London
Hidden on the 14th floor of a building in London’s Square Mile, D&D London’s 14 Hills combines skyline views with a lush setting that brings the outside in. The interiors, by Robert Angell Design International (RADI), include banquettes and waiter stations made by Ben Whistler.
A technique that took some engineering to perfect, on a tight timescale
There are two banquette designs: one with modular leather sections forming both straight and curved configurations, with a French cane back; and one featuring green velvet and leather upholstery with a distinctive splayed back in steam-bent oak – a technique that took some engineering to perfect, on a tight timescale.
The waiter stations are made from oak veneer
Complementing these carefully detailed designs are the waiter stations, which are made from oak veneer, with the grain laid in different directions to create a chevron pattern, and contrast banding in ebony. Designed to hold points of sale, they also include brass menu racks to each side.
THE CRAFT: STEAM BENDING
Steam-bending is an old technique used to create curved elements from single pieces of timber. The timber is placed into a steam box to heat it up and soften it; it’s then bent into the desired shape by clamping it onto a jig. Setting the timber in a dehumidifier for a few hours then dries it into its finished curved shape. Steam-bending works best on timbers with long fibres, such as the oak used in the 14 Hills seating.
THE CRAFT: CANEWORK
The cane for the backs of the banquettes was supplied on a roll. The material was steamed a little to make it more supple to be able to wrap around the frame, before being attached by an upholsterer, who fitted the cane around a curved panel on the back of the banquette. For durability, it’s then sprayed with a top-coat of lacquer, to prevent the cane going brittle and fraying.
