Dezeen Magazine

Ippolito Fleitz Group installs metal trees in natural foods restaurant

Undulating branches emerge from the centre of a dining table at this Swiss natural foods restaurant by Ippolito Fleitz Group (+ slideshow + photographs by Zooey Braun).

Not Guilty restaurant by Ippolito Fleitz Group

The Not Guilty restaurant in Zurich by German studio Ippolito Fleitz Group features a canopy of white lacquered steel pipes that poke up through a canopy of ribbons. "The meandering branches of the trees create a focal point from outside the restaurant, drawing one's gaze from the street through the elongated floor plan," the architects told Dezeen.

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Diagonally and vertically strung twine in varying thicknesses is installed on the walls above dining tables to the rear of the restaurant.

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"The woven pattern on the walls was created from dark and light coloured henna twine, backlit with cove lighting built into the supporting frame," said the designers.

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Vertical strips rise from the back of circular booths and curve at ceiling height to look like oversized birdcages.

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Monochrome illustrations feature on the opposite wall in white frames against pink-coloured surfaces.

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At the front of the store, drinks and other products are displayed in alcoves. A large extractor fan is encased in glass and positioned in between the salad bar and the dining area.

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This is the third branch of the Not Guilty restaurant chain to open in Zurich. The first two were also designed by the Ippolito Fleitz Group.

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Here is some more information from the designer:


The Swiss restaurant chain "not guilty" is the embodiment of honest and nutritious foods, imaginatively prepared into many different salads and snacks.

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The downtown Zurich location, opened in 2013, is now the 3rd location of the "not guilty" expansion to have opened.

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In this flagship locale, the philosophy of a "little heaven on Earth" is expressed in the store’s interior, inspiring those within to delight in the harmony of nature.

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The long, open restaurant welcomes its guests with the familiar tones and textures of natural oak wood flooring combined with mixture of delicate white and pastel tones.

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The entrance focal point is the colourful salad bar, and a menu board designed like a kitchen hutch.

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But even from outside, the guests are invited simply to join the other guests at the long, central, high table canopied by the meandering, white lacquered branches of floor to ceiling trees.

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Nearby, several other types of seating are also available – something to everyone’s taste. The dominant materials within the space speak to purity, synonymous with the wholesome standard of the chain.

Not Guilty restaurant by Ippolito Fleitz Group
Ground floor plan - click for larger image

Playful and unexpected elements, like the taught, twisted canvas ceiling bands, and the cloud and hemp twine wall graphic underline the attention to, and love of detail – a reflection of the passion and honesty of the "not guilty" family.