Raw, hammered and chiselled surfaces lend a hand-crafted feel to the interiors of this restaurant on the banks of the Grand Union Canal in west London, designed by local studio A-nrd to evoke the area’s industrial heritage.

The eatery, called Canal, is part of a mixed-use housing scheme in Westbourne Park on the site of the former London Taxi Drivers’ Association headquarters, with a terrace overlooking the canal.

A-nrd has completed a restaurant on the banks of London’s Grand Union Canal

Designed in collaboration with restaurateur Dominic Hamdy and styling specialists Interior Address, the 280-square-metre space incorporates organic materials and textures that soften the building’s otherwise utilitarian aesthetic.

“We didn’t want to over-design the space,” explained A-nrd founder Alessio Nardi, whose studio is known for its sensitive transformations of existing interiors.

“The architecture had a directness and rhythm that resonated with our approach, and we drew on the site’s industrial past and waterside setting to create a space that feels layered and expressive.”

Its sapele wood joinery is inset with hammered zinc panels

The main feature within the 80-cover dining room is an island bar clad in hand-folded zinc panels. The bar is topped in cream-coloured stone with a hewn edge that introduces a textural detail.

A wall of bespoke wine storage spans the full width of the elevation behind the bar. The shelving is built from Sapele wood with inset hammered zinc panels that evoke the gently shifting reflections of the adjacent canal and amplify the restaurant’s “slow, meditative energy”.

The central island bar is clad in hand-folded zinc panels

Zinc-topped tables positioned next to the panels, combined with black-steel bar stools, provide an alternative to the more conventional seating in the rest of the room.

An open kitchen at the far end of the space is framed by a canopy made from wood and hammered glass, which produces subtle refractions.

Raw-edged stone serves as the counter

The dining area is organised using communal tables that emphasise the space’s sense of scale and visual rhythm. London furniture maker Jason Posno created the wooden tables, which feature hand-chiselled edges that add an artisanal touch.

A row of banquettes positioned next to the full-height windows creates dining spaces with views of the canal. The wooden booths are upholstered in a textured brown fabric, with the chiselled detailing repeated on their rear surfaces.

Bespoke paper pendant lights designed for the space by local studio Findere are suspended above the booths, adding a soft textural element and ambient glow to these areas.

Elsewhere, track-mounted spotlights integrated alongside the exposed ducting and utilities provide directional lighting, while doughnut-shaped wall lights from Foscarini add a playful detail around the perimeter.

Communal tables dominate the dining area

Interior Address was involved in sourcing furniture for the space, including wooden dining chairs from Danish brand Frama and bar stools with twisted footrests from Massproductions, which are organised around the central bar.

Large windows look out onto a terrace with seating for 30 guests, where black steel furniture and timber-edged planters create a sense of cohesion between internal and external spaces.

A row of banquettes is positioned next to the full-height windows

“Canal is about contrast, comfort and craft,” said Nardi. “It’s modest in scale, but rich in detail.”

“Every decision was about building a space that encourages interaction, where detail and atmosphere come together to feel open, and inherently welcoming.”

Chiselled detailing is repeated on their rear surfaces

A-nrd was established in 2015 by Nardi who, together with creative partner Lukas Persakovas, has completed a wide range of projects focused on creating spaces that feel intimate and familiar.

The studio previously transformed a former London bank into an Italian restaurant that retains aspects of the building’s historic interior, and designed a laidback interior reminiscent of an Australian beach club for a restaurant in the city’s Soho district.

The interior shots are by Cody Bamford and exteriors by Adam Firman.

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