Otarian is a vegetarian fast-food chain from New York. Its philosophy is that by eating vegetarian food supplied in a sustainable way (no air freight, recycled packaging etc) we can reduce our carbon footprint. The menu displays the quantity of carbon saved by purchasing that dish compared to a similar meat based product from an alternative fast food restaurant.

So, to the interior! I like the fact that on their website Otarian have acknowledged that, ‘Sustainable Building Design is a whole new area that is continually changing and evolving and we find the whole thing a bit confusing!’ I like it because it’s honest and all too often people (restaurants, hotels, suppliers, designers etc) make sweeping statements about being sustainable without really explaining what they mean specifically. It’s a massively complex issue and I’m always suspicious of these unqualified claims. Otarian then go on to say, ‘But we know that there are a few really important things so for the moment we’ve focused on these.’ The things that they have focused on in relation to design are, in brief, recycled materials, non-toxic paint, using existing buildings, using materials that reduce the use of energy. All good so far, but how does the interior actually look?

It’s a nice unit with a very high ceiling and beautiful arched windows so they had a great starting point. Unfortunately I wasn’t impressed with the overall look and feel. It feels rather sparse and bland. The walls are painted a very ordinary cream colour and the flooring, although a beautiful material, is a brownish orange colour which didn’t do it for me. The feature ceiling raft is curious consisting of recycled aluminium rings supporting the light fittings. At the back of the shop is the servery counter. The counter itself is a backlit panel perhaps made of recycled plastic, I’m not sure. Unfortunately it looks a bit cheap. The menu boards above the counter are backlit and mainly white. They contain a lot of information (don’t forget the carbon footprint) and could do with being lower down to make them easier to read. There are a few graphics around the interior and the graphic design is good. Unfortunately they have just been printed on board and stuck on the wall making them look rather unprofessional. The interior design also does not seem to relate to the graphic design with colours, shapes and images not being carried through.

There’s a large screen on one wall displaying info graphics relating to environmental issues. It’s highly educational, sometimes shocking. Even the paper napkins are printed with environmental statements, facts and figures. I found this barrage of information rather annoying. I don’t go to a restaurant to be lectured… Anyway, back to the interior design! Table tops are made from recycled plastic and are actually quite nice. Again though they are cream, offering no contrast. Most of the chairs are silver in colour and apparently made from sustainable bamboo. A display of wicker baskets made in India from recycled newspaper do add colour but also a rather cliched, hippy feel. It all looks a little bit make-shift. Finishes and furniture have been selected for their environmental credentials and unfortunately this seems to have been at the expense of aesthetic quality. It’s really the overall effect that is lacking. For me a sustainable restaurant should be great food, great service  and a great interior with the bonus of sustainability. And being a fast food restaurant is also no defence these days with the likes of MacDonalds upping their game in terms of design too.

I hope Otarian will do well trading off its green credentials because I think it is well meaning and in many ways ground-breaking. But I fear that once the idea of sustainable interiors becomes more widespread, the design won’t stand up to the competition and Otarian won’t be able to maintain its leading position. Before too long all interiors will need to be sustainable and great looking, one or the other simply won’t be enough.

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