505 Aura Fabric Engineering

Architectural Review, The, Nov, 2000

The Riverside restaurant at Somerset House, designed by Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones, stands on the terrace overlooking the Embankment and Thames. It is an open-air structure, fully demountable and capable of being erected in two weeks. Where possible, sustainable natural materials have been used.

Its base is a long hardwood deck partly enclosed by vertical glass panels set at intervals around it; overhead, floats a canopy like 'a row of delicate lilies unfurling in warm sunlight'. This is supported by a mild steel structure and fibreglass rods, and secured by stainless-steel clamps and wires.