Latest news with #Bauhaus-inspired
Express Tribune
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Restaurant review: Da Noi knows how to marry flavours
In a city teeming with flashy new openings and formulaic café menus, Da Noi brings something far rarer to the table: restraint. Located in Karachi's ever-expanding upscale dining circuit, Da Noi feels like a restaurant with nothing to prove and everything to offer. From its minimal Bauhaus-inspired interiors to a menu rooted in refined simplicity, this is certainly not your run-of-the-mill eatery. We started with the roasted bell pepper soup, a velvety, indulgent opening note. While the pepper's smoky essence played a more supporting role to the soup's buttery base, the overall effect was comforting — exactly the kind of richness Karachi's cool evenings call for. The garlic bread alongside was excellent: crisp, fragrant, and generously portioned. The citrus quinoa medley arrived next, looking like a summer garden in a bowl. Bursts of watermelon, the crunch of candied walnuts, hints of maple, and the slight bitterness of rocket all played their parts. The quinoa could've used more spotlight, and the 'citrus' barely made itself known; the salad, on the whole, was a well-balanced starter and marked a welcome departure from the overdressed greens seen elsewhere. From the appetisers, the seared beef with spicy soy glaze stood out. Served medium, the meat was tender, with a delicate char that gave it an earthy edge. The soy glaze was amazingly just as fiery as the name might suggest, the umami competing with the spice, which worked well in its favour. Even for diners not typically drawn to red meat, this dish makes a strong case. The sundried tomato grilled chicken was another crowd-pleaser. Juicy, flavourful, and plated over a generous bed of fresh rocket and feta, the dish offered depth and texture. The baked potato on the side — crispy-edged and fluffy inside — was an especially welcome touch. This is the kind of plate that satisfies with its generous portion, but never feels overwhelming. If the meal had a weaker link, it was the pesto prawn linguine. While the prawns were cooked just right and the serving large enough to rival most mains in the city, the pesto lacked brightness. A squeeze of lemon or a little more seasoning might have added dimension, but it's a small complaint in an otherwise well-thought-out spread. Dessert came in the form of a cheesecake with fruit compote, or rather, fruit scattered neatly over the top. While purists might expect a true compote, the cheesecake itself was rich and decadent, with a biscuity base that delivered exactly the crunch you want at the end of a meal. Verdict: While the spice doesn't always deliver the bold heat it promises, Da Noi's strength lies in its sophisticated, velvety layering of flavours. This is a restaurant that trusts its ingredients and pairs thoughtful cooking with attentive service and an ambient dining experience truly considerate of its guests. Rating: 9/10 Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
Time Out
04-05-2025
- General
- Time Out
The revolutionary high-tech London building named one of Britain's most at risk from demolition
Every year the Twentieth Century Society (C20) puts together a list of Britain's most at-risk 20th and 21st architectural marvels. Earlier this month it published the 2025 edition of its Risk List, with the included structures ranging from a Brighton synagogue with a stained glass Holocaust memorial to a Bauhaus-inspired department store in Bradford. C20's 2025 Risk List intended to highlight 'outstanding twentieth and twenty-first century buildings across the country that are at risk from demolition, dereliction or neglect'. Among the 10 selected structures is one from London – and there's every chance you haven't heard of it. The Patera Prototype in Newham is the only structure in the capital to feature in C20's 2025 At Risk list. So, what exactly is it? Well, for starters, here's what it looked like back in its 1980s heyday: The Patera was made as a prototype for a new type of industrial structure designed to be replicable and moveable. It's a significant example of 'high-tech architecture', a style that emerged in the 1970s with the aim of incorporating high tech industry and technology into building design. High-tech buildings are often identifiable for having visible beams, pipes and cables, as well as for being very flexible in use. Famous examples include stuff like Lloyd's of London in the City or Paris' Pompidou Centre. Anyway, back to the Patera. The structure that currently sits in Newham was made in 1982 by Michael Hopkins Associates and Anthony Hunt Associates and it's one of only two remaining prototypes (the other is part of the Hopkins office in Marylebone). C20 describes it as being 'a prefabricated off-the-peg industrial structure… envisaged as a form of 'High-Tech Nissen hut''. The Patera Prototype is undeniably a fascinating piece of design – but it could soon be lost as a document of architectural history. C20 says that the structure is currently threatened by the redevelopment of the Royal Docks. The Patera sits in a boatyard workshop on Albert Island, which is earmarked for a major £300 million development. The structure was rediscovered in 2020, and C20 had a listing application rejected in 2021. It has sat semi-dismantled since 2022. C20 isn't suggesting that the docks' redevelopment is halted by the Patera – just that it is relocated and restored. The charity reckons that 'this early relic of the High-Tech movement [could] become a cultural or creative venue'.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plans approved for new development above Southwark Tube station
Plans for a new development above Southwark Tube station have been approved. The joint venture between Places for London, Transport for London's property company, and central London developer Helical, will see 429 purpose-built student accommodation units and 44 affordable homes built on the site. The development will also include a new Bauhaus-inspired block, which will house the student accommodation. The project, designed by architects AHMM, will also include new retail and community spaces, including a shared community garden. The development will aim to deliver the highest standards for sustainability and is targeting a 4.5-star Home Quality Mark for the affordable housing provision. Scott Anderson, head of property development at Places for London, said: "It's wonderful news to have received approval for our over station development above Southwark station. "Designed to preserve the architectural heritage of the station and aiming for the highest of sustainability standards, our plans with Helical will bring new homes and provide real benefits for London. "We're proud to be providing improvements to the local community through new high-quality and affordable homes and student accommodation which will help to alleviate pressure on the housing market in the area." The development will also include improvements to the public realm, with an increase in greenery and active frontages on the Cut and Isabella Street. Future residents will benefit from easy and fast public transport connections across the capital, with London Bridge and Waterloo within walking distance. Matthew Bonning Snook, CEO of Helical plc, added: "This planning approval is a further positive step forward in our JV with Places for London. "Whilst the site benefitted from planning permission for a 220,000 sq ft office scheme we have brought forward a more valuable proposition at this important site which will deliver much in demand purpose built student accommodation and affordable housing along with high quality public realm and significant benefits to the local community." The development is one of three initial sites that Places for London and Helical are delivering as part of the Platinum Portfolio joint venture. A 140,000 sq ft office building at 10 King William Street is underway, and is due for completion in December 2026 in a supply constrained market in the heart of the City of London. Another office development of 235,000 sq ft at Paddington is progressing and due to start early next year. The proposals form part of Places for London's wider housing programme, which will provide thousands of homes across the capital. Work has started on Places for London sites across London that will deliver 4,300 homes, and more than 1,300 homes have been completed, of which 54 per cent are affordable homes. Cllr Helen Dennis, cabinet member for new homes and sustainable development at Southwark Council, said: "We want decent homes for everyone in Southwark and I'm delighted this project to provide 44 much-needed council homes has the green light to move forward. "I'm particularly pleased that we reached a creative solution, using our planning policies to turn a negative situation into a positive at Styles House. "Even more local residents will now benefit from this deal, with 44 new council homes in a development that will also enhance the existing estate. "I look forward to seeing building works getting started again here soon, delivering new council homes for those in need."
