Chipperfield glazes the Cafe Royal
If you ever need to dash to the fire exits of David Chipperfield’s Café Royal, don’t get distracted by the lovely Copperlight glazing that adorns the hotel corridors’ courtyard walls. The delicate art deco framework holding in over 30,000 small 6mm thick glass lights was built by specialist fabricator Gilbert and McCarty, and belies the glazed wall’s half hour fire rating. Having managed to generate a lovely, diffuse and safe light, even for a jumpy clientele, the firm has moved to the conversion of Lutyens’ Midland Bank in the City, catering to a whole new set of panicky punters.