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Pollen Bakery, Kampus x NoChintz: Patisserie processes, heritage features & celebrating new beginnings.

Modern patisserie interior featuring a long concrete table, minimalist black stools, and soft natural lighting.

Inspired by the passion, quality and integrity which Pollen puts into each and every product, NoChintz designed an interior scheme for the popular bakery's second site with a focus on materiality, refinement and process.

Expanding to a second location in Manchester, Pollen’s Kampus site is home to the patisserie and large cafe area which flows out into the Kampus public gardens. Raw unrefined materials, repetition, layered materials, grained texture, clean industrial lines, linens, wholemeal tones and darker ‘caramelised crust’ accents pay homage to the baking process.

Here, Katie Lea, Design Director at NoChintz gives us an insight into how this sweet scheme was cooked up.

Contemporary patisserie interior at Pollen Bakery featuring stylish tables, plants, and heritage design elements.
Outdoor seating area of Pollen Bakery, featuring modern chairs and lush greenery, highlighting the café's inviting atmosphere.
Modern café interior at Pollen Bakery featuring stylish furniture, greenery, and natural light, celebrating quality and heritage.

Can you talk us through the inspiration for this project?

"The inspiration for the project stemmed from the patisserie and its processes. Milled flours, industrial machinery, lamination and layering inspired the palette, layout and aesthetic. Polished stainless steel sits next to organic tones to create balance."

How did you evolve this second site to make if feel different to the first Pollen location?

"The second site represents where the business and brand is now, all that it has learnt and presents a more ‘workable’ space which give the patisserie its own dedicated space to support the business as a whole.

"It wasn't so much of an evolution as a new chapter, we spent a lot of time understanding what makes Pollen so loved, how to resolve issues with the first site and create something which feels new, that can create its own impression but still has a connection to its sister location."

Modern interior of Pollen Bakery featuring elegant tables, stylish chairs, and soft lighting, reflecting quality and heritage design.
Modern café interior with seating, natural light, and minimalist design at Pollen Bakery, perfect for enjoying pastries.
Modern café interior featuring minimalist decor, natural light, and a blend of indoor plants at Pollen Bakery.

How does Pollen fit in with the wider Kampus development?

"As the only coffee shop and bakery within the development it hopes to be that go to, welcoming heart of the development. We respected the building and its surrounding within the design by keeping window vistas clear, looking out into the amazing garden courtyard, allowing this to work with the design we put forward and not fight against it.

"We kept the 60s' waffle concrete ceiling, which was part of the original architecture, as clear as possible so there was a sense of belonging within the development, like it was always meant to be."

Modern café interior featuring a sleek metal chair, plants, and minimalistic furniture highlighting Pollen Bakery's design ethos.
Modern café interior featuring minimalistic design, wooden furniture, and natural light highlighting a cozy atmosphere.
Modern patisserie interior with a sleek counter, wooden shelves, and ambient lighting showcasing Pollen Bakery's heritage and design aesthetics.

Check out Pollen for yourself at 42 Aytoun Street, Manchester, M1 3GL. And read more about NoChintz and its latest projects here.