A day in London: British Auction Michelin star restaurants, and tourism
The classic view of Michelin House in South Kensington.
This week, the restaurant Bibendum Michelin House reopened if the time of this post is entirely fair.
Although I saw Michelin House featured on blogs and in the media of his not often mentioned these days except for the reopening of the restaurant This is quite a surprise to Michelin House is an important art noveau example and without doubt one of the most exquisite.
Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road SW3, was designed as a working building, specialized in tires, car accessories and repairs, with it's main themes are the tires, wheels, bikes and race cars, and of course Michelin man himself, Bibendum All these reflected the company's products namely car bicycle accessories and tire automotive Nowhere else in London will see a huge amount of artistic creativity a similar scale.
The classic view of Michelin House in 1911 Source Wikipedia.
Michelin originally had offices at 42-53 Sussex Place near South Kensington tube station from 1905 It seems that finally contracted premises that they became 49-50 Sussex Place The old location was Kendrick Place where opposite Lloyds Bank and Coral are in what is now Old Brompton Road as shown below.
Motoring companies seem to have been attracted by the South Kensington area as offices for the Locomobile Company of America were also found few doors Locomobile steam car originally built, but eventually moved to gasoline pipelines cars.
The Michelin base 81 Fulham Road opened in January 1911 s early years there was an Old Curiosity Shop, with collections of defective tires photographs or poorly designed, intended to educate people that the tires should be mounted and put pressurized properly to ensure their safety and better use He was also a passenger service that sold maps and accessories such as guides for motorists.
Designed by the Michelin engineer François Espinasse, the building is perhaps the best Art Nouveau building in London Some say it is rather than Deco Noveau two were certainly used in France at the time Michelin House was built, so Sá debatable topic is actually a mixture, the main one being Art Noveau, proto-Art Deco, and even functionalism elements and classical representations of plants, flowers, shows House Michelin is definitely designed as art Noveau, but the images are tiled art Deco's quite possible they were added at a later stage of construction.
It is not Art Deco Elegant representations of flowering plants on the building reveal Art Nouveau building.
Two interior tiled pictures clearly showing the plants with Art Deco influences.
Bibendum on the front of the building Nunc est bibendum means now is the time to drink.
large stained glass windows featuring the Michelin Man character give the construction costs.
The windows themselves have Michelin paraphernalia charges too All windows had once engravings but many are missing, but attempts were made to locate the originals or, at best, use overrides Best windows are representations stained glass Bibendum During the war, the stained glass windows were removed and the Michelin factory in Stoke on Trent for safety.
The exterior of the house Michelin is wonderful, but that s not forget that it is fascinating inside is a busy place and the different murals and currency Bibendum new Nunc est bibendum the ground floor are more visible during quieter periods.
bibendum mural on the floor of the building with Nunc est bibendum.
The interior tiled panels and doors leading to Conran now Claude Bosi's restaurant and reception areas Bibendum The one and only representation of a British car takes the stage.
Still being here in France until the race cars which used Michelin tires, a British vehicle that takes the stage's appointment to His Majesty King Edward VII This caption appears above the car explained is the presence among all French racecars the last King gave his royal assent to Michelin and I'm sure he would have gladly opened the premises had he been alive.
Landaulette the king represented on the restaurant wall Bibendum Michelin House.
Except for a few changes cosmestic image is a good image of a showing Edward VII with his Landaulette to Goodwood House Sussex The pillars of the facade of Goodwood, well cured, one can see.
General appearance of the facade along Sloane Avenue, SW3.
Why Michelin choose this part of London Well, it was not too far from their previous offices in Sussex Place Land for the premises was bought from the estate Cadogan local streets were cleared to form the new block the area also was recently served by Metro's South Kensington It is rather strange to suggest Michelin would be near the tube, but that was the novelty and the closest was at a station as nowadays more visibility had not only that the area at the time was well enough to the campaign's reach quite an important factor in terms of the car.
Here's a video on Vimeo that shows the offices and reception that have clearly been done quite tastefully, with Bibendum elements and the roof garden which most of us will not see.
Michelin has more basic London instead her now to Stoke on Trent factory the company owns since 1927.
Michelin House 1 LondonBlog, Recommended, home-starred restaurant guide Bibendum, Michelin Bibendum Restaurant House.