Warmth, Curiosity, Elegance and Humour: Studio Frantzén at Harrods by Joyn Studio.

A new restaurant takes centre stage at an iconic London address. Michelin-awarded chef Björn Frantzén takes on the luxury department store Harrods with Studio Frantzén, a restaurant, bar, mezzanine and rooftop terrace with panoramic views overlooking London.

The chef brought on some familiar faces, tapping Stockholm-based Joyn Studio to design the space for him after collaborating together on his Stockholm eatery Frantzén in 2017. Within the two-floor custom-built restaurant and bar awaits a Nordic concept with Asian influences in both food and décor.

Just like the menu, the interior consists of carefully composed textures and experiences considered down to the smallest detail. Materials have been taken out of context and reapplied in unexpected ways, all to create a welcoming environment where Scandinavian and Asian cultures collide.

“We had to pinch ourselves when we got this opportunity. Harrods is a conventional form of luxury and now Joyn Studio has had the honour to show what Scandinavian luxury can look like,” says Joyn Studio’s Creative Director Ida Wanler. “The result is based on our beliefs and values of what luxury is; a combination of personal creativity and unique compositions. The interior is like the cherry on top of this beautiful menu and restaurant.”

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Different rooms of the restaurant are layers to be discovered over time. The design is based on guests’ movements throughout the space, where lights, materials, colours and artistic expressions are essential to capture the right mood in each room. “We wanted to create a world where guests can enter an experience filled with warmth, curiosity, humour, elegance, and flair. With inspiration coming from different directions such as the old forests of Sweden mixed with pop culture and the big city life. We take guests on a journey of being the main character but also the viewer”, says Lisa Grape, Co-Creative Director at Joyn.

The visual journey begins in the reception, with influences of forest chapels and Scandinavian churches. It’s a stripped-down space with light warm timber and a specially designed dome showcasing motifs of Nordic nature, illustrated by the artist Ragnar Persson.

In the main dining room, which takes inspiration from a Japanese Izakaya square, sits an open kitchen flanked by luxurious root veneer booths and sofas made of grain wood with carved-out seats. On the walls, artist Emma Löfström has illustrated a Swedish enchanted forest contrasting with urban city life. Above, a high-ceiling in silver has a massive chandelier devoted to Scandinavians’ love of cast candles, specially designed by Front Studio.

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In the hall, a combination of loud and vibrant colours and artwork is followed by a mezzanine, a place where guests become spectators in opera booths, looking down on the actors of the square. Here, the classically designed and hammered metal lamps give off a beautiful and sparkling light to the room.

“By being able to handpick Swedish designers, artists, and illustrators early in the process, we not only had the time to specially design all the smaller details but also had the great possibility of creating this unique experience. The project has a really powerful feel to it given that so many other creative Swedes have been involved throughout the whole journey”, Co-Creative Director, Helena Eliason concludes.

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[Images courtesy of Joyn Studio. Photography by Åsa Liffner.]