In the spirit of continuous improvement, VICTORIA ARDUINO’s experiential workshop VICTORIA ARDUINO has moved to a new complex in London at 6a Pratt St. in Camden Town. With the intention of remaining in central London while being easily accessible to the rest of the UK, VA Machinery found an attractive property on Pratt St in Camden Town and worked with Hart Miller Design to bring the building back to life.
“The Experiential Lab we designed for Victoria Arduino is a space with the customer experience at its core,” says Anna Hart, co-founder of Hart Miller Design. “Our design brought the experience of working with Victoria Arduino to life. It reflects their expertise, energy, and passion for their products. The scheme aimed to bring the values and ethos present in Victoria Arduino’s rich cultural heritage to Italy and distill them into a scheme that positions this expertise and passion in the context of the British market. In the UK, specialty coffee is often loved for beautifully designed spaces and experiences, as well as for the coffee itself. So this positioning is important in establishing how it feels to interact with the space as well as its function.”
Located near the redevelopment of Kings Cross and Euston, Camden Town is a brilliantly vibrant and bustling area. But for the showroom, VA Machinery wanted to create a calm and welcoming space behind closed doors. Taking advantage of the natural light that fills the room through Crittall windows and the high ceiling, Hart Miller focused on sustainable materials and colors, playing with scale and versatility within the space. The Experiential Lab showcases Victoria Arduino’s state-of-the-art equipment for the specialty coffee market and provides a vibrant space for training, hands-on experience, and social events. It also houses the UK team with office space, supporting customer services, spare parts, and dealer support.
Arriving through a narrow alleyway leads to an inner courtyard complete with a restored original swing bridge and a custom mural by local artist Choots depicting Victoria Arduino’s contemporary interpretation of the famous poster signed in 1922 by Leonetto Cappiello.
A vibrant burst of color divides the room to showcase custom-made furniture displaying Victoria Arduino equipment on a series of stations fronted by fluted natural oak and brass details that recall the site’s historic production.
The recycled plastic specialist Smile’s countertops evoke modernity. “Our ambition was to create a social space to support Victoria Arduino’s growing reputation as we expand our market – the space had to be enjoyable to live in, experience-driven – interactive and human.” Says Peter Garcia, CEO of Victoria Arduino UK. “Over the years, we have been fortunate to build an incredible network of partners across the UK who have supported us and helped us grow. Our Tanner St showroom was the first step in welcoming our partners and showcasing Victoria Arduino’s exceptional technology, but now we need to focus on the next chapter. Having a larger space will allow us to focus on every part of our business-partnerships, technical support and customer service-and also grow to host more events with industry and beyond.”
Learn more about the London Experiential Workshop here: www.simonelligroup.com/uk
