鈥淚鈥檓 not drinking until April,鈥� boasts Riette as she sips her hot water and lemon. I feel a little guilty as I knock back a double espresso.

We鈥檙e in consultant HTA鈥檚 office to christen the latest addition to its cafeteria 鈥� a stylish new coffee maker. 鈥淪ome people have been rude about our coffee,鈥� snaps Lucy, casting a shifty glance towards a far corner of the open-plan office, 鈥渂ut now they can鈥檛 complain.鈥� She wanders off to the kitchen.

I enquire about their coffee preferences. Steve favours Italian brand Illy, but concedes it may be too predictable a choice for such a chic office. 鈥淭here is a place nearby where you can mix your own coffees, if you鈥檙e fussy,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hich I鈥檓 not,鈥� he adds, chuckling.

Colin recalls a coffee shop in Camden. 鈥淭hey specialise in North African brands,鈥� he says. Riette joins in, and a lengthy debate about regional coffees follows. The novelty of their new toy has not yet worn off.

鈥淢y new year鈥檚 resolution was to stop eating chocolate,鈥� Lucy says, returning with a plate of scrumptious-looking biscuits. 鈥淏ut I forgot, rolled in at 4am on new year鈥檚 day and ate a whole box!鈥� She grabs a chocolate-chip cookie.

鈥淚 forgot to make a resolution this year,鈥� mumbles Colin through a mouthful of ginger biscuit. 鈥淟ast year I didn鈥檛 drink for 10 days out of each month.鈥� He looks smug.

鈥淚t sounds like you have a drink problem,鈥� teases Steve.

I mention recent reports that we are a nation of binge-drinking alcoholics. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e proud of it,鈥� Lucy jokes.

South African Riette is more serious. 鈥淲hen I first came here I wondered how you could go out every night just to drink,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淣ow I do it too.鈥�

鈥淭here isn鈥檛 much pub culture in Australia either,鈥� says Steve. 鈥淧eople just drink in parks.鈥�

They all laugh. I should have taken them down the pub.

Now the caffeine has kicked in, the conversation takes a serious turn. 鈥淭he sustainability agenda is driving design quality,鈥� says Colin.

鈥淵ou have to sell a new lifestyle to the public,鈥� adds Riette.

鈥淭he Swedes have such drive,鈥� Steve interrupts, referring to a trip he made with Colin to the Swedish eco-city Malm枚. 鈥淭he whole refuse system is a series of suction tubes under the ground,鈥� he explains. Colin takes over: 鈥淲e asked the guide what happens if kids throw, say, matches down it.鈥�

Apparently the guide was baffled at such a suggestion. 鈥淗ere, kids would be throwing their little brothers in there,鈥� says Lucy. They all laugh.

The conversation has taken a bizarre turn. Post-festive blues or something in the Illy beans, I wonder as I exit the building 鈥�

Chosen venue: Cafeteria, HTA headquarters, Kentish Town Road, north London 

Ambience: Understated kitchen area dividing the open-plan office

Topics: coffee and alcohol 

Drinks drunk: Three lattes, one double espresso, one hot water with a slice of lemon and four biscuits

Steve Newman director of building design
Colin Ainger project director
Riette Oosthuizen head of planning Lucy Whitehead marketingco-ordinator
Nargess Shahmanesh-Banks 好色先生TV

Topics