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At the beginning of 1995 I was approached by an interior designer
to submit concept designs for the ironwork which was needed for
fifteen doors to the various entrances of the restaurant Cafe
Gaudi, part of the Turnmills nightclub in Farringdon, East London.
 The
ironwork sits in front of the glass of the doors to act as a
security grill in the shape of artwork. I took the main snake as
the centerpiece being held in position and fixed to the woodwork
with lots of smaller snakes, whipped together with a thin gauge
wire. Behind the main snake's scrolled body is a copper circle and
then a stainless steel star left with the natural colours for the
finish. The snakes, all forged from mild steel , are zinc sprayed
and finished in graphite with copper paint applied to triangular
shapes hot stamped into the body of the main snake.
The overall picture works well and creates a unique style to the
entrance.
The
nightclub owner was very pleased with the security artwork for the
entrance, and I was asked to design interior balustrading for
restaurant Cafe Gaudi in a typically Gaudi style, Art Nouveau with
an organic feel.
I studied the natural movement of Ivy and vines incorporating
their strength of twisting and spiraling in a sample piece made
from a variety of solid round mild steel sections.
The sample, which measured roughly one meter square, was accepted
and I began the difficult task of producing 30 meters of
balustrading in an ever changing free flowing design.
 The
first section is an L-shape in plan view. The top and bottom rails
are 1 inch round and the main uprights are 3/4 inch round with
intermediate knot work using 5/8 inch round and 1/2 inch
round.
There is not a single weld on this balustrading, all the
connecting end are tapered in a variety of forms: round, square,
flat and hexagonal and then wrapped around the adjoining section.
The work flows in every direction: upwards, sideways, crossways
and downwards. The spaces are filled with a variety of organic and
exotic shapes from cones to knots and even including moving parts
that spin.
 The
next section runs vertically down the stairs to the Turnmills
nightclub, connected at the top to the first section and at the
bottom to a steel pier running from floor to ceiling.
The balustrading has a familiar but changing structure
incorporating such features as forged snail shells and cosmic
shaped basket puzzles.
 The
third section climbs the stairs from the restaurants ground floor
halfway to the first floor.
At the start of the stairs I built a huge archway that hits the
wall some twelve feet up, forming a mass of swirling metal.
Partway down the arch are three energy stones clasped in stainless
steel, further down is a copper carrot. As you climb up the stairs
the balustrade starts to take on a wavy style including other
varieties of copper elements before it hits the halfway landing
where the top rail joins the wall with an upset mass of solid
steel.
 The
fourth section continues from the halfway landing to the first
floor, rising vertically until returns horizontally to a tiled
pier. New features have started to appear in the form of stainless
steel flowers and a brass mushroom.
In the middle of this section is a twisted post which attaches to
the ceiling for strength, this is made from a mixture of mild
steel, copper and brass.
 I
was then asked to make a candelabra tree which sits under a brick
arch. It features seven cones for seven candles and the tree grows
up from a spiraling stem to explode with organic flair. This
creates a real picture at night, especially when the candles are
lit.
 Section
five guards the upstairs area, the champagne lounge. This section
is probably the most detailed and imaginative.
The span runs over four meters horizontally. There are two huge
candelabras which obtrude overlooking the bar downstairs, each
candelabra has six flutes for candles with small snakes spiraling
up the stems.
On the face side there are spinning balls, a copper ashtray and a
steel apple at either end of the balustrade: one has a bite mark
in it, the other is shriveled up and has a steel maggot crawling
from a hole. There is also a variety of grape leaves and several
bunches of grapes, all made from solid steel.
At the far end of the balustrade is a huge arch which attaches to
the bar in a cone shape with a light inside. The arch was formed
from thirty six meters of 1 inch round solid steel.
 The
sixth section of balustrading incorporates a functional seating
area in the form of an L-shaped bench. I selected a copper backing
for the bench to show off the contrast with the mild steel. There
is a central pier which attaches to the ceiling with a light at
the top in the shape of a leaf.
The middle of the two benches features a small drinks table and at
either end of the balustrade there are two wall mounted leaf
design lights.
 I
was then asked to design six multifunctional champagne bucket
holders. They also hold three candles each and are used outside to
form a queuing system.
There is a heavy gas cut base at the bottom with three forged
uprights. All are unique in design but they share the eagles claw
feet.
Andy
Quirk
  About
two years after we finished work on Cafe Gaudi we were asked to
design and make a further two pieces of balustrading for Los
Brassos, a Spanish restaurant that has now been opened next to,
and as an extension of, Turnmills and Cafe Gaudi.
It
is very interesting to look at the similarities and differences
that resulted from the two year break.
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