Single London Plane tree sits at the heart of new Smoke Knutsford by Up North Architects.

Manchester-based Up North Architects has recently completed a second venue for suburban specialist Smoke bar, in the picturesque and thriving town of Knutsford.

Building on the language of the original site in Wilmslow, completed in 2018, the new project sees Smoke's popular 'dark sparkle' atmosphere brought to Knutsford's Princess Street.

The focal point of the design was the ambition to create a full extended bar counter out of large format and heavily textured ‘live edge' timbers. Working with chainsaw and wood sculptor, Andy Burgess, Up North Architects sourced an entire felled London Plane tree - cut into 80mm sections.

These 'waney' edge bar top sections were given additional support via CNC cut timber fins. Japanese 'Shou Sugi Ban' charred Accoya panels formed the dark section of the bar front.

"London plane is incredibly strong like Oak, and displays a distinctive and beautiful 'Lacewood' texture that has visual characteristics of rippling Damascus steel. The bar counter became a 'poem in wood' which conveys Smoke's landscape inspired atmosphere, via the promotion of heavily textured and warm natural elements." - Patrick Thomas, Director, Up North Architects

Sections of the 12m long bar top were carefully fixed alongside each other, with Andy Burgess providing a degree of sculpting to blend adjacent panels together on the heavily textured leading edge.

Elsewhere, and on the other half of the handsome double fronted unit, sits a new dining area and kitchen pass, featuring dark green marble - specifically 'Verde Guatemala'. The intense serpentine green with white veining adds a sense of luxury and forest green to the aesthetic.

The taller spaces at the front of the venue link to a rear courtyard and 'garden room' via a series of quirky smaller spaces creating a variety of cosy corners and workspaces suitable for Smoke's '24/7' use pattern - breakfast till late.

The use of smoked tinted mirrored surfaces dotted throughout the space, provide subtle reflections of warmer brickwork and lighting, increasing the apparent depth and adding a layer of mystery. Wall lights and additional drinking shelves bring more live edge timber to the equation, and, set against dark surfaces and oily black painted steelwork - a setting is provided where the Knutsford community have a welcoming and memorable venue available to them throughout the year - morning, noon and night.

Up North Architects provided a full interior design and architectural service to the project. The practice states that the 'difficult second album' situation is avoided through hard work from all involved - genuinely pushing the language beyond that of the first venue to update and stay relevant to the new setting.

UNA Director Patrick Thomas notes: “'Roll out' was a term to be shunned - we don't do 'roll outs' as they often lead to diminishing visual returns - and actually to brand weakening. I think what you've got to do is really respect each new unit and maximise the potential of the setting. You've got to push to develop the brand and grow the language, not repeat yourself."

Dark grey Autex 'Cube' acoustic panels were specified from Material Source Studio by Up North Architects to provide "sound attenuation, in this case, 'invisibly'", Patrick shared.

To find out more about Smoke, click here.