Venue #35

Sensory Lab Siphoning The Love Back Into Coffee

� Flooring Special

Look Out Below! page 68

Q

20 uestions with

HP &G’s Paul Hecker page 64

MARCH

Nº 35

$9.95 inc gst

9 771832 143005

Berlin Bar • The Attic • Outpost • C-Duce • Laruche & Many More Of The Latest Venues

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LOUCHE LARUCHE Laruche: 680 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley QLD (07) 3666 0880 or www.laruche.com.au

It’s not often we get to use the word ‘phantasmagorical’ in venue but it could almost have been invented to describe this new venue in Fortitude Valley.

Laruche is owned by Elie Moubarak (he of Lychee Bar fame) and he’s once again joined forces with designer Remo Vallance to create the look and feel of the bar and supperclub. The lighting features come courtesy of glass blower Lucal Salton, the bespoke wallpapers are by KT Doyle and Jennie Jackson, while the fancy woodwork can be credited to Ian Windross.

Laruche is a veritable Alladin’s cave of the kitsch, the cool and the eclectic. Moubarak says the interiors “swing wildly between the beautiful, the macabre and the decadent”, with the wallpaper, stairwell, glass features or other original artwork all playing their part.

Laruche’s audio system was designed and installed

by Brad Parker of Parker Black Pro Audio. Brad designed the rig around HK Audio speakers: 2 x HK Audio CT-112 mid/highs, 2 x HK Audio CT-118 subs, 2 x HK Audio CT-108 room fills and two HK Audio LUCAS SMART portable PA systems. 2 x MC2 Audio T3500 power amplifiers and a HK Audio DSM 2060 system processor drive the system. HK sound systems are known for their top-draw sound without the supersonic pricing. This rig represents some serious firepower, and Laruche’s Entertainment Co-ordinator, Miro Grgic loves the sound and the work done by Parker Black: “The dispersion and warmth of the speakers allow the patrons to enjoy a drink and not have to yell at each other. Yet at the same time, they can completely get immersed in the music and dance.”

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CONTACTS Parker Black Pro Audio: (03) 9555 2442 or www.parkerblack.com.au CMI (HK Audio, MC2 Audio): (03) 9315 2244 or www.cmi.com.au Remo Vallance: 0415 431 734 or www.galeandvallance.com.au KT Doyle: www.ktdoyle.com

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MASTER OF THE SENSES Sensory Lab: David Jones, 297 Lt Collins St, Melbourne, VIC (03) 9643 2222 or www.sensorylab.com.au Photos: Thom Rigney

St Ali owner and coffee evangelist, Salvatore Malatesta, wants to ‘own’ the coffee learn space, just as, he says, Apple ‘owns’ the touch space.

Maybe that should be ‘pwn’, because Apple just seems so far into the game that noone can touch them. Malatesta has got one up on Apple though; because with the opening of Sensory Lab, which doubles as the Little Collins Street entrance to David Jones, he actually does ‘own’ the coffee learn space. His is the only café full of staff sporting lab coats, high heels and vibrant red lipstick guiding customers through a survey of their senses to devise the perfect brew for them. All the while connecting how they taste with what they drink, which they can take to the next level by ordering off the raw food menu to enhance the coffee flavours even further. It’s all in the name of educating people to treat coffee as an experience instead of a fix. There’s also a retail element, and because he’s a realist there’s a coffee window to the street that bypasses the labcoats for a quick morning fix for guys on fixies. Designer Hecker, Phelan & Guthrie has brought a scientific attention to detail to the Sensory Lab. Loads of drab green and wire glass cabinetry, pared with white tiles and plenty of light creating a laboratory aesthestic that draws the line before clinical with plenty of noticeably human touches.

CONTACTS Hecker Phelan & Guthrie: (03) 9421 1644 or www.hpg.net.au Liquid Lines (Builder): 13 000 547 843 or info@liquidlines.com.au 1

Viridian (Georgian Wire Glass): 1800 810 403 or www.viridianglass.com.au Metalmesh (Perforated Metal): (03) 9588 1990 or www.metalmesh.com.au

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Dulux (Simpson Surprise Cupboard Paint): 13 25 25 or www.dulux.com.au Aeria Country Floors (Tiles): (03) 9690 9292 or www.aeria.com.au Laminex Group (Melamine): 132 136 or www.laminex.com.au

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Volker Haug (Pendant & Wall Lights): 0405 846 813 or volker@volkerhaug.com Euroluce (Recessed Lights): (03) 9657 9657 or www.euroluce.com.au

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Hub Furniture (Billiani Aloe & Cheope Chairs & Stools): (03) 9652 1222 or www.hubfurniture.com.au

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The choice of flooring for a venue is no simple matter. The options are growing exponentially as the industry develops more durable and cost-effective floor coverings that provide greater sound and shock absorption, comfort and, of course, visual impact. Why a floor covering is chosen depends on the kind of venue being covered, the intensity of foot traffic in an area, whether there is food and drink being consumed, or how long a fitout is intended to last. Above all, what’s underfoot needs to work as part of the design as a whole, or, in many cases, it is a central focus of the design, with other aspects of a fitout springing from it. In Toowoomba City Golf Club the custom-designed/made Brintons carpets are a focal point for the interior design, creating a theme that runs throughout the venue.

Most of the designers we spoke to emphasise durability as the key element in flooring choice, but clearly this has to go hand-in-hand with good looks. Each of the products featured combine these two elements, and it is for this reason designers and architects tend to return again and again to tried and tested manufacturers, using their products across multiple projects. Indyk Architecture, for example, uses InterfaceFLOR’s carpet tiles in a number of their fitouts because of the company’s commitment to sustainable practices (they use recycled materials in their carpets).

But what goes into a carpet or flooring is not the only point at which sustainability is an issue.

The carbon footprint of the manufacture of flooring is also something that needs to be considered, and this is where durability plays a big part; the longer lasting the flooring, the less waste, and the less impact on the environment in terms of manufacturing new floor coverings. Being able to combine the use of recycled materials with durability is obviously a big plus in terms of sustainability. And as Indyk’s use of InterfaceFLOR in the Greater Union Events Cinema in Bondi Junction goes to show, just because something is manufactured sustainably, doesn’t mean it has to be beige(!), nor does it mean that it is necessarily more expensive.

Obviously, carpet is not the only choice for a venue – timber flooring is another option, used to great effect in the new Berth Restaurant Bar Café, at Melbourne’s Docklands. Here, Karndean’s Winter Oak boards conjure up thoughts of boat decks or wooden piers, and, with a 10-year guarantee of durability, they represent what is essential in a floor – beauty and strength.

So, have a wander through some venues where the floor is more than just something to walk all over. It’s now an element limited only by a venue owner or designer’s imagination!

68 Flooring Special

venue takes a stroll through some hard-wearing, great-looking flooring options.

Story: Sophie Gebhardt

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Zenith Showroom Zenith Interiors: 200 Crown St, Darlinghurst NSW (02) 9211 4744 or www.zenithinteriors.com.au

The Andrews Group (Bolon): (03) 9827 1311 or www.theandrewsgroup.com.au Hassell: www.hassell.com.au

Zenith is renowned for its high end commercial furniture and its showroom in Darlinghurst is the hub of numerous launches and industry events. So, when it came to a floor covering, Zenith needed something that was hardwearing with a cutting-edge contemporary look and feel, to provide an appropriate backdrop for its products.

Matthew Blain of Hassell used Bolon’s innovative woven vinyl floor covering (from the Rips collection) to great effect in the showroom and, according to Barbara Schmidt of Zenith, it has attracted much attention — “It looks amazing. Everyone who comes in the door comments about the floor!”

Basically, what looks like textile flooring is actually

vinyl, with all the advantages of strength and longevity vinyl entails. Barbara notes that “it is very durable … we have quite a lot of promotional events in this showroom and we are always moving the furniture, which also means dragging! We really needed the floor to be durable…”

As one of the most environmentally sensitive flooring manufacturers in the industry, Bolon (distributed by The Andrews Group in Australia) are committed to leading the way in producing durable, beautiful and sustainable products. Its latest innovation, Botanic, uses a plasticiser that is taken from renewable raw materials, highlighting how every layer of a flooring can incorporate sustainable principles.

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The Galley Room, Waterside Hotel 508 Flinders Street, Melbourne, VIC (03) 9629 1350 or www.watersidehotel.com.au

Tsar: (03) 9525 0488 or www.tsar.com.au IF Architecture: if@ifarchitecture.com.au Projects of Imagination: (03) 9533 9991 or www.projectsofimagination.com

Iva Foschia of IF Architecture recently refurbished the Galley Room above the Waterside Hotel — one of the most historically significant corner pubs in Melbourne’s CBD, having been around since 1853. Iva chose Tsar carpets for the room, teaming up with Nick Cox of Projects of Imagination, who came up with the design, which is in keeping with the subtle combination of old and new that characterises the interior of the Galley Room.

Iva says she chose Tsar as a result of her previous experience with the company: “The carpets have a beautiful luxurious quality and Tsar has great staff, making the selection process easy.” The client, Stuart Wigney, wanted a carpet that would wear well under high traffic and cope with inevitable alcohol spillage. For this reason Iva used the Samara range, available in a combination of wool and Dupont, for its strength and stainresistance. According to Iva, this flexibility — the ability to custom-design the carpet to fit the interior — is one of the most appealing aspects of Tsar’s carpets, as they can be tailored to fit any interior.

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Toowoomba City Golf Club 254 South Street, Toowoomba QLD (07) 4636 9000 or www.toowoombagolfclub.com.au

CONTACTS Brintons Asia Pacific: (03) 9676 3310 or www.brintons.com.au Jennifer Fair Design: (02) 6680 5996 or jenniferfair@bigpond.com

If golf clubs were judged on their interior design there is no doubt that Toowoomba City Golf Course would walk away with the green jacket. Set in the hills of Toowoomba with the spectacular panoramic view that affords and lush garden surrounds to boot, the Golf Club’s interior has recently been transformed by Jennifer Fair Design to now feature a similarly lush collection of spaces — a sports bar, bistro, viewing area, gaming room, etc — with each boasting a strikingly different custom-designed carpet from Brintons Asia Pacific.

Jennifer Fair chose Brintons carpets because she was looking for unique design and “wanted to bring the beauty of nature indoors.” Working closely with Brintons’ designers meant her vision was realised in the wall-to-wall woven Axminster carpets — a method of construction that enables both a highly detailed design and a hardwearing carpet.

Jennifer says the inspiration behind the designs was “Toowoomba as The Garden City … we used a native pom-pom flower (designed by Libby Murrell of Brintons) in large-scale in different areas. A combination of colours was used that reflect the purpose of each area: in the restaurant there are food colours of red and green, while in the sports bar there are cool drinking colours. In combination with other natural elements used in features in the club, the carpet sets the scene for an exciting contemporary venue.”

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Fraser’s Landing 1 Landings Boulevard, Coodanup WA www.fraserslanding.com.au

CONTACTS Designer Rugs: (02) 9550 9933 or www.designerrugs.com.au Cloth fabric: (02) 9699 2266 or martine@clothfabric.com

Mandurah in Western Australia has recently become home to the Fraser’s Landing community, a development of 1250 homes in a bushland setting along the Serpentine River, where harmony with the natural surrounds is a key element. Julie Patterson of Cloth Fabric worked with Designer Rugs to produce rugs for the display homes, with designs depicting Australian flora and the surrounding environment. The striking rugs were custom coloured and sized to suit the colour palette and theme of Fraser’s Landing, which is situated amongst tree canopies, indigenous bush and sensitively landscaped gardens.

Greater Union Cinema Westfield Bondi Junction NSW

CONTACTS InterfaceFLOR: 1800 008 101 or www.interfaceflor.com.au Indyk Architects: (02) 93616850 or studio@indykarchitects.com.au

Indyk Architects has a healthy resumé of cinema fitouts under its belt, with one of the most recent being the Greater Union Events Cinema at Bondi Junction, completed in 2009. Indyk used InterfaceFLOR carpets throughout the cinema, with one of the central motivations being their environmental credentials, as all InterfaceFLOR carpets qualify for 100% Green Star Points. Shelley Indyk comments that they chose InterfaceFLOR for the cinema for a number of reasons. Firstly, “because they recycle old carpet and are more sustainable than many companies”. Other advantages of the InterfaceFLOR is the carpet is in tiles with smooth seamless joins to reduce slips and falls. The dense weave and low-profile construction minimises wear and is comfortable underfoot, not to mention the Protekt stain resistant coating that’s ideal for hospitality. The diversity and drama of the tiles is obvious in the Set Bar, with its striking contrast of black, white and red tiles in the lounge area leading into the more muted tones under the bench seating. For Shelley, the advantage of using InterfaceFLOR carpets tiles is “the freedom that the system allows you — of mixing textures and colours and exploring patterns and different design ideas”.

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Berth Restaurant Bar Café 45 New Quay Promenade, Docklands VIC (03) 9670 0199 or www.berth.com.au

CONTACTS Karndean International: 1800 331 170 or www.karndean.com.au

Perfectly positioned at New Quay, in Melbourne’s Docklands, Berth Restaurant Bar Café spans two levels, offering a panoramic view of the docks and the river from every angle. The flooring is Karndean’s Winter Oak from the Oak Royale collection. For the authentic look of hand scraped wood, each plank has a unique grain pattern — a distinctive mark of traditional oak flooring. The flooring is very low maintenance and extremely durable, coming with a 10-year guarantee, and is therefore ideal for a busy café/ restaurant. And it’s easy to install, which is always a plus in any fitout. Owner John Scardi concurs, “I chose Karndean floors because after 12 months research there was nothing that stacked up from a quality and visual perspective. The boards are great from a cleaning perspective, the non slip rating is great and if we managed to damage them it would be a quick and inexpensive fix. Overall I'm very pleased with the flooring and installation.”

Berth is a fine looking restaurant, not least as a result of the extra something Karndean’s flooring brings to it — a depth and attention to detail that is always the effect of a wooden look, harking back as it does to traditional fine-dining rooms at the same time as being highly contemporary.

Colonial Hotel 127 Victoria Road, Werrington NSW (02) 9790 7941

CONTACTS Tascot Templeton Carpets: (03) 9428 4925 or www.tascot.com.au Bergstrom Architects: (02) 8920 1499 or www.bergstromarchitects.com.au

Bergstrom Architects recently did up the Colonial Hotel and chose Tascot's wholly Australian made carpets. The over-riding reasons for the choice were “service and design”, according to Ania Bergstrom. “Tascot offered the right combination for the project.”

Given the size of the venue one of the key issues was acoustics, which is why carpet was chosen over other kinds of harder, more reverberent flooring; similarly, with carpets there’s no need to worry about slip rating.

The hotel’s requirements were the combination of style and durability. Ania says, “We were confident that the Tascot Axminster product would stand up to the wear and tear you would expect in a busy pub and you can also achieve a big impact with carpet. It can be custom designed specifically for the venue to create the desired effect. The only limit is your imagination.

“For this specific hotel we chose two different patterns based on the same colour palette — an opulent over-the-top design in the gaming room and a simple geometric pattern in the other areas. By using the same colour we were able to mill the carpets in one run without incurring additional cost.”

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Ladylux 2 Roslyn Street, Kings Cross NSW (02) 9361 5000 or www.ladylux.com.au

CONTACTS Whitecliffe Imports: (02) 9692 8822 or www.whitecliffe.com.au Bucich Art + Design: (02) 9357 6333 or thomas@bucich.com

When owner Scott Bayly recently renovated Ladylux nightclub he was gunning for a mix of 1960s James Bond with a splash of Baroque.

Sydney designer, Thomas Buchich, took this on and to really set off the piranha tank and Starck gun lamp he decided on a rich baroque-style carpet from Whitecliffe Imports. It’s a bespoke design backed with an integrated and odourless recycled synthetic underlay. The carpet was chosen for the manufacturer’s ability to produce a design in keeping with the innovative direction the club had taken. Out of all the possible constructions available Buchich chose the metallic loop product because of its innovative look and amazing cleaning properties. The delivery time enabled them to fine tune the design down to the wire and the product was manufactured and delivered from Germany in the space of five weeks from order.

Practicalities

Lino scores on a number of fronts: colour choice, durability, price and its green credentials… as the wind turbines in this Forbo shot do their best to impute.

All we are say-ing is give lino a chance.

Story: Steve Williams

76 Flooring Special The last time we had a flooring feature, we got to grips with OH&S issues [Issue 31]. There are, of course, a whole host of other factors to consider, such as practicality and cost. But this issue I thought I’d look at environmentally-friendly flooring… or more specifically one type of floor covering that’s spent quite a few years in the wilderness and is now enjoying a renaissance. It comes in a whole host of colours, is durable, smooth, can be cut into shape easily… Have you guessed what it is yet? Give up? A. Linoleum. Yeah… ‘lino’.

Hang on, isn’t lino the child of the petro-chemical age when we sprayed our kids with DDT and sprinkled asbestos on our Weeties?

No, it’s actually a natural product based on linseed oil. Oxidisation of this oil creates a thick, spongy mass that creates a form of cement which is then mixed with rosin or gumweed — a plant native to the west coast of the United States — to give it strength and flexibility.

Wood flour from plantation forests is then used to bind pigments, guarantee colourfastness and maintain a smooth surface, ensuring the lino maintains its vivid colour throughout its lifecycle (up to 25 years). Finely ground limestone is used to achieve a particular density. Ecologically responsible pigments, as opposed to those made from heavy metals like lead and cadmium, are used to create colours across the spectrum, while the backing of the lino is made from natural jute to create a hessian style finish.

So, there you have it: lino… nature’s alternative! Who’dda thought?

There are many advantages to using lino. It can be produced in a wide variety of colours, designs, textures and combination options, providing an ideal basis for creating all kinds of moods and atmospheres, suitable for use in a wide range of spaces including both light and heavy traffic areas, depending on functional and aesthetic wishes.

The surface can be treated to create a highly effective functional shield against scuffing, dirt and scratches. Aquajet cutting can be used for specially cut designs, such as logos or to create a particular aesthetic such as those seen in the foyers of theatres and clubs.

Invisible non-soiling welding rods can be used to create an appearance of seamless open floor areas.

For food preparation and wet areas there are multiple colour-

matched skirting and coving solutions. Combined with a top finish, linoleum is particularly easy and cost efficient to clean and maintain. Linoleum is also bacteriostatic by nature and biodegradable. It comes complete with a repairable water based finish, is stain- and chemical-resistant and even resistant to cigarette burns.

Linoleum is increasingly being specified by architects and interior designers for use as decorative surfacing. There are limited comparable natural products that are just as versatile, such as bamboo, cork and timber. However, as always, the most significant challenge these natural and renewable products face is from low cost, manmade products manufactured in developing nations with little or no environmental considerations and controls [boo hiss — Ed.]. To mitigate this concern, when sourcing products from overseas we look for products from suppliers that have an environmental policy and environmental accreditation that uses, for example, non-toxic and waste-free manufacturing processes that meet international environmental standards (ISO 14000).

There are a number of icons that denote environmental responsibility: Ecolabel, created in 1992 by the European Community; the Australian CSIRO rating stamp; Nature Plus, which is Europe-wide and originates from Germany; the Nordic Swan Label; Sustainable Materials Rating Technology (SMART) USA; Good Environmental Trust Australia; and Eco-labelling Trust, New Zealand.

In addition to these labels, Altus Group [plug alert! — Ed.], through its network of global offices, is able to offer clients complete assurance of product provenance and quality. Our consultants are able to visit plantations or factories in remote parts of Asia such as Indonesia or China and monitor the production processes from start to finish. FAT, or Factory Acceptance Testing, is increasingly being used to verify large quantities of materials prior to transportation, given that large projects cannot afford the risk of imitations and poor quality products.

A key advantage natural products have over their man made impostors is their undisputed durability and of course, their contribution to the longevity of our existence.

Steve Williams is a Director of Project Management at Altus Page Kirkland, International Property & Construction Consultants.

secure your copy of venue now issue thirty five

2010

Q

20 uestions with

Sensory Lab

HP &G’s

Siphoning The Love Back Into Coffee

� Flooring Special

Look Out Below!

Paul Hecker

page 68

page 64

MARCH

Nº 35 Shannon Bennett Flooring Special

$9.95 inc gst

35

9 771832 143005

Berlin Bar • The Attic • Outpost • C-Duce • Laruche & Many More Of The Latest Venues

*NEW_VENUE_COVER*.indd 4

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15/2/10 5:06:32 PM

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