The Hive Cafe and Bakery is just a short walk away from our workshop in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham. They commissioned us to design and make a pair of mobile retail display units for their welcome area.

The Hive is a fabulous venue with many strings to its bow, including a gallery and workshop spaces, a cafe and a bakery with a wonderful kitchen garden on its rooftop. It also provides valuable work experience and training opportunities for students at Ruskin Mill Trust’s Argent College.

The aim behind the welcome area was to create a focal point for the public, to showcase design-led crafts and to share information about the venue. In response, the design of these retail units is therefore multi-functional and can be configured in many ways with their pop-up sides, different display modes and mobility so they can be used for different events. It was important to include internal storage and that they were practical, functional, hard-working, robust and adaptable.

Our approach needed to be sensitive, authentic, and complementary in that the visual quality complemented the existing interior and aesthetic direction already established at the Hive. Therefore, the material pallet and current styling were the catalyst for design decisions and aesthetic direction. The style echoes their existing furniture and we love the pop of vibrant yellow, which is seen in their branding.

Naomi Clarke Community Outreach & Learning Manager at The Hive, reflects upon the project:

“A pleasure to work with the Dual Works, they really took the time to listen to our needs and understand our space, aesthetic and audience. We commissioned a front-of-house retail unit, and they presented new solutions that we hadn't considered, ensuring longevity and multifunctionality. Excellent communication through the process of commissioning and installation.”

Photography by Crumb