Where spirited debate meets design and every corner has something to say

ClientThe Cambridge Union Society

Studio team Birmingham, UK

Services Architecture Interior Design

Size80 seats

The Orator is more than a bar and brasserie. Set behind the historic debating chamber of the Cambridge Union Society, it is a space shaped by words, ideas, and centuries of spirited exchange. With a global alumni that includes world leaders, thinkers, and former US Presidents, the Union provided a powerful context and an opportunity to transform a tired student bar into a vibrant, self-sustaining destination for students, locals, and visitors alike. Our ambition was not to preserve history in isolation, but to bring it back to life. To create a meeting place where heritage is not observed from a distance, but felt in the details, the atmosphere, and the conversation unfolding in this unique space.

Let’s talk

The speakers wall of fame

The Members bar area.

A Story Rooted in Intellect and Independence

Our brand and design strategy drew directly from the character of the Society itself: a home of thinkers, rebels, orators, and iconoclasts. We described this spirit as spirited independent sociability — a distinctly British sensibility grounded in wit, wordplay, and quiet confidence.
The name The Orator set the tone. From there, storytelling shaped every layer of the experience. Menus are stitched, referencing Savile Row tailoring and the craft of speech. Signage reveals subtle quotation marks. Walls are punctuated with witticisms from legendary speakers. Behind the bar, a chalkboard stands ready for each guest speaker’s closing line a constant reminder that the story is always evolving.

Heritage with Lightness of Touch

Inside, the interior balances gravitas with character. Rich timbers, deep blues, aged metals, and bespoke artwork create a sense of depth and permanence, while moments of humour and surprise keep the space feeling alive and accessible. It is serious without being solemn. Intelligent, but never intimidating.

Every decision was made to support the experience and not to compete with it. Design here listens as much as it speaks.

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A Living Narrative

The Orator is not simply a place to eat and drink. It is a setting for exchange it’s where guests are invited to linger, contribute, and become part of an ongoing narrative shaped by debate, ideas, and shared moments.

At The Orator, debate may be the tradition. Storytelling is the transformation.