This Emirati owned café, Ten 11, began in Abu Dhabi where it established itself as a home-grown all-day coffee & dining experience. Inspired by other international cities, the team committed themselves in 2018 to create welcoming spaces high quality local food for a fresh and uplifting approach in the UAE which has been very successful.

The London debut marked a decisive shift to add to the brand a sumptuous flagship boutique restaurant with links to Abu Dhabi. This restaurant offers specialty coffee and a variety of delicious dishes and desserts. Due to its prestigious address next to Hyde Park and the Lanesborough Hotel, the flagship must compete with high profile cafes where refined materiality and engaging atmospheres are cherished by guests.

TGP International was appointed to evolve Ten 11 into a London flagship, translating its essence into a space aligned with the city’s premium food and beverage culture with the brand’s well-loved coffee at the core.

The Brief

Fostering a strong sense of community in every location has always been part of the TEN 11 brand DNA and this has been the case in London too, so it was essential to understand the local customer. There are a large number of Emiratis who are very fond of this area as well as London dwellers. This discerning clientele often seek new experiences and refined excellence and style which aligns perfectly with TEN11’s aspiration.

In parallel, TGP collaborated closely with an external branding consultant responsible for upgrading the logo and graphic identity to align with the new design direction for a seamless experience for the customers.

Developing The Concept

The guiding principle of execution was quiet luxury.

Rather than rely on overt visual statements, the design focuses on depth, tactility and atmosphere. The ambition was to create a bijou space that feels exclusive and welcoming.

The gentle nature-led narrative makes subtle references to Hyde Park via biomimicry demonstrated through layering, filtered light, natural materials and amorphous forms found in nature. This creates a feeling of calm that can resonate with all people. The pendant lights are a bolder, yet abstracted, reference to sitting underneath a peaceful tree canopy in Hyde Park. Outdoor enjoyment is precious in the London climate due to its rarity, and the design uses these pendants to reflect this feeling of jubilance when the sun emerges.

Food presentation forms an integral part of this experience as high quality produce is the cornerstone of the brand. Counter displays create visual theatre, encouraging guests to engage first with their eyes. The interior frames the culinary experience as something considered and composed, elevating the everyday into moments of aesthetic pleasure.

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Design Drivers

Spatial Organisation

As customers arrive, they are greeted by the mouthwatering chilled glass display framed in natural stone. They can see the barristers expertly preparing drinks and the curved counter is designed to guide people towards the main dining space where people can experience a calm oasis from the busy city. This space features larger wooden tables and more generous banquettes with an abundance of stylish table lamps to encourage intimate meal occasions and longer stays.

A secondary seating area accommodates shorter visits and laptop users, incorporating banquet seating and smaller tables where people can see the gentle bustle of the hospitality staff, these are suited to reduced dwell times. No guest journey is complete without a visit to the exquisitely designed WC; the smallest room received no less attention than the main spaces.

The London site presented a particular architectural challenge because the entrance is set-back from the pathway. This could have negatively impacted footfall coming into the restaurant. Therefore, the design draws customers in with layered lighting, sheer drapes and a welcoming terrace area with lush planting, elegant taupe shading and subtle signage. All these items combine to express attention to detail and sophistication that leads potential customers to the entrance.

The outdoor terrace of Taupe canopies, a curated playscape and seating zones draws the customer to the entrance of the cafe'. A minimalist Ten11 LONDON sign on the window is framed within this setting. In general, the operational flow is extremely efficient. The links to the basement kitchen were choreographed with the operations team to make the best use of the site, no space is underutilised resulting in maximum efficiency. Despite it’s diminutive size this space has a lot to offer for the chefs and the customers.

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Materiality and Finish

Material selection anchors the local Hyde Park influence. The timeless luxury of the curved service counter, conceived as the defining visual element within the space, is clad entirely in Taj Mahal natural stone. Chosen for its warmth, elegance and understated veining, the stone introduces depth and permanence while responding effectively to London’s cooler daylight conditions and Knightsbridge’s preference for natural stone. Here, it becomes both symbolic and functional, housing the bakery display and positioning artisanal products as valuable sculptural objects within the interior.

In contrast to the brighter aesthetic of Ten 11’s UAE locations, the London flagship embraces a warmer and more enveloping interior character. Additional finishes reinforce this elevated language in this softly lit space through a warm neutral palette; layered upholstery fabrics applied to the plush seating and crown cut timber. Externally, peach and green toned planters frame the façade, introducing seasonal texture while maintaining composure within the streetscape. When the sun is low, light filtered through the terrace trees dances in the interior space.

Brand Integration

While the logo and packaging refresh were developed externally, TGP took part in a collaborative approach where both teams inspired each other to cultivate an exquisite customer experience. It was a pleasure to work closely with this team.

Brand expression is embedded through refinement, the palette and elegant proportions and textures. The result is a cohesive flagship where brand presence feels inherent to the space itself.

The Outcome

Ten 11 London establishes a new design benchmark for the brand’s first international expansion from the UAE.

The unwavering consistency and quality, a targeted appeal to loyal customers with subtle references to Abu Dhabi culture and an experience that captures the best of local Knightsbridge are all on brand for TEN 11. These factors create a space that welcomes everyone but also is extremely popular with our target clientele.

Situated within one of London’s most competitive café environments, the flagship positions Ten 11 confidently within the luxury segment and provides a foundation for future UK growth.

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Contributors

A special thanks to the project team who worked on Ten 11: Vlad Mircea, Vinoth Mudaliar, Claire Richmond, Anum Khattak, Dominika Kroll, and Simon Wright

 Photography by Gavriil Papadiotis