Frank Hughes, as project architect , designed and project managed the award winning Mimo restaurant in the Powerscourt Townhouse off Grafton Street in Dublin in 1999. Clarendon Properties were the joint Client for the restaurant designed as the centrepiece of this historic Protected Structure. Frank also designed for us the contemporary Interpretative Panels for the Centre using hidden lighting in the slim frames.
The Centre has long been associated with Craft and houses the Design Centre and an eclectic mix of specialist fashion / craft boutiques and restaurants. Our brief was to integrate the new contemporary cuisine restaurant within the characterful 18th Century Townhouse built by Lord Powerscourt . The Centre has previously won a heritage award for its design – transformation and re-use and we had high standards to maintain.
His response to brief was very elegant , responding to the historical context by re- interpreting the woven / wicker motif fashionable in the 18th Century in interlocking walnut and glazed screens , housing the heating , built in seating , glazed panels . He designed an efficient arrangement of the kitchen and serving area, well integrated within the central space. The restaurant subsequently won the American Hardwood Award for innovative use of wood and is still very successful under its new owner.
Frank was very hands on to work with and exercised great attention to detail , working well with the craftspeople involved. We would gladly recommend him for design projects where a strong sensitivity to historic context and good design is required.
Mary Larkin
Powerscourt Townhouse Centre – Dublin Manager