the world’s first

fusion café

With the multi-billion-pound nuclear fusion energy project due to start imminently, our brief was to design a space that could be used to bridge the community to the UKAEA fusion energy projects, including STEP 2030 and West Burton 2025.

The STEP and West Burton schemes will see the redevelopment of the former West Burton power plant, and a new UK power plant based on the compact ‘spherical tokamak’ reactor concept, with the aim to deliver net electric power output by 2040.

Fusion energy, based on the same processes that power the sun and other stars, has great potential to deliver a safe and virtually limitless source of clean electricity.

West Burton A was a coal-fired power station which closed in 2023 and so, along with the redevelopment of the site to produce clean energy, sustainability was essential to the brief and was the core driver for decision making throughout the project.

Until 2023, The Bridge Skills Hub was a long-term vacant building in Worksop town centre. Now a state-of-the-art skills and education hub, the building welcomes businesses and supports learners undertaking higher education programmes, apprenticeships, access courses and more.

Fitting out an existing space, the project involved careful and sustainable interior design solutions to bring about a facility that would bring the local community together and promote the variety of skills and diversity in the future energy projects, and the variety of job and wider social opportunities in fusion energy.

Taking inspiration from the forms and materials of a Tokamak fusion energy generator, specifically JET, the world’s largest and most advanced Tokamak, we have created an immersive and inspiring experience which includes various learning spaces and settings.

Sustainability has been weaved into every aspect of the project and using the process of generating fusion energy as the catalyst, curves and fins have been integrated into the user journey throughout the building and into subtle design influences within the furniture.

Curved aerial batons, which are made from 100% recycled materials, represent fusion energy instantly set the scene upon entering the café. In the centre of the room a giant halo light acts as a visual representation of the reactor core, or plasma of the Tokamak, and provides a sleek and minimal interior style.

Walls with surface mounted, perforated panels and integrated lighting create a simplified form inspired by the Tokamak where visitors have the choice to enter or explore around the intervention. Internally screens are fixed to create a digital and interactive learning space. Externally the profile of the walls morph to integrate seating and tablets, to create a multifunctional response.

Fuelling hungry minds and appetites, the Fusion Energy Café - the world’s first fusion café - opened in November 2024 with the aim to actively engage the local communities of Retford, Worksop and wider-Nottinghamshire in fusion energy and technical training opportunities.

The café is designed to be utilised for 3 years, until the completion of the first phase of the West Burton surrounding infrastructure, including a further education college and training centre. The UKAEA, Bassetlaw District Council and businesses involved in the West Burton development are now hosting careers events at the café to raise awareness and attract young people who may one day work in this exciting new sector – and inspiring a generation of young people who could one day, work at the West Burton fusion energy plant or across wider STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) industries.