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Venue: Munich Brauhaus by Urban Purveyor Group.

Architects: Techne Architecture & Interior Design

I

’m a bloke. So until some sheila showed me a coupla weeks back, I had no idea what Pinterest was.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. Pinterest has been on my radar for a couple of years now. But it’s also true that Pinterest excites women’s pleasure receptors a little more than men’s. The ‘browse and discover’ aspect of it is doubtlessly delightful, but (and I know this is a terrible generalisation) men tend to want something, find it, tag it, file it, move on.

That said, paradoxically, it was Matt ‘Smooth Operator’ Mullins who opened my eyes to the relevance of Pinterest to venue readers. We know many readers file, bookmark, and photocopy stories out of venue to add to mood boards. Pinterest is now the online mood board of choice, so naturally, we’d like to be involved.

Introducing: venue’s Pinterest page.

So here’s my idea. Here at venue editorial HQ we’re frantically uploading all the best shots of venue interiors in the 10 years of publishing the magazine. Yes, some will be a little ‘vintage’ in nature, but my view is ‘who cares?’. Pinterest is about inspiration and that inspiration might come from a colour, a chair, a light or a carpet design.

So, as you’re cruising Pinterest, grabbing inspiration like dumplings from an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, I’d love you to comment on venue pins. I’m hoping and expecting operators, interior designers, punters, architects to all have their say. Of course, Liking the image and Repinning it will give me a much better idea of what you’re digging. Which is important because of the next step: I’ll include the most popular image(s) in my weekly venue inspiration e-news. It’s as simple as a great photo with some key snippets of information that allow you to be inspired and get in touch with suppliers. If you’ve made a pithy comment about the image or provided some illuminating information about some aspect of the fitout in the photo, I’ll include that as well.

Can’t wait. This is going to be fun.

Christopher Holder Editorial Director, chris@venuemag.com

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CONTENTS March 2015 No 60

Venue: Coogee Pavilion AV Supplier: Technical Audio Group

issue sixty 2015 Subiaco Hotel C o o g e e Pav i l i o n Munich Brauhaus

Justin Hemmes has pulled off something typically idiosyncratic.

It feels a little like Phileas Fogg’s conservatory.

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60

Merivale unveils more of the Coogee Pavilion

9 771832 143005

Venue: Munich Brauhaus Architect: Techne Architects

Bars & Clubs

14 Coogee Pavilion, Sydney 24 Casablanca, Sydney 28 The Lock-In, Sydney 30 Grand Trailer Park Taverna, Melbourne

Pubs

18 Subiaco Hotel, Perth 32 Railway Hotel, Melbourne 44 Munich Brauhaus, Melbourne

Gastropubs

26 L’Hotel Gitan, Melbourne 52 Grand National Hotel, Sydney

CONTACTS: Advertising Office: (02) 9986 1188 PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 Editorial Office:

Restaurants

(03) 5331 4949 PO Box 295, Ballarat, VIC 3353 Editorial Director:

22 Chiara, Melbourne 30 Marini’s, Kuala Lumpur 40 Jamie’s Italian, Brisbane

Christopher Holder (chris@venuemag.com)) Publication Director: Stewart Woodhill (stewart@venuemag.com) Publisher: Philip Spencer (philip@venuemag.com) Art Direction & Design: Dominic Carey (dominic@alchemedia.com.au) Graphic Designer: Daniel Howard (daniel@alchemedia.com.au) Circulation Enquiries: (subscriptions@alchemedia.com.au) Accounts: Jaedd Asthana (accounts@alchemedia.com.au)

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Double Bay 54 Something Quite Unique

— Furniture Special Alchemedia Publishing pty ltd (ABN: 34 074 431 628) PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 info@alchemedia.com.au All material in this magazine is copyright © 2015 Alchemedia Publishing Pty Ltd. The title Venue is a registered Trademark.

Apart from any fair dealing permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. The publishers believe all information supplied in this magazine to be correct at the time of publication.

They are not in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. After investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, prices, addresses and phone numbers were up to date at the time of publication. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements appearing in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility is on the person, company or advertising agency submitting or directing the advertisement for publication. The publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, although every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy.

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13 Smooth Operator 14 Music Connection 56 F&F News 58 AV News 60 LX News 62 Preferred Suppliers 66 You Wish: MOTT32, Hong Kong

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J

ust when you thought it was safe to go back into contract, Choice magazine is at it again!

For the record, at different times over the past 15 years, I’ve had pouring rights contracts with both the big boys. And at other times, I’ve had no contract with anyone. Like every publican I know, I decide when I’ll enter a contract, and I decide what the terms of the contract will be. And like every publican I know, my contract has absolutely no impact on the number of craft beers I offer my patrons.

That’s between me and my patrons and neither CUB nor Lion Nathan ever get a say in it.

But that’s not the way the story gets told.

Because obviously, its not a very interesting story. A far more interesting version would have you believe that the big foreign-owned brewers force poor, foolish, unsuspecting publicans onto contracts, pressuring them to sign for the specific purpose of shutting out humble Australian-owned craft breweries. Big headline. Loud talkback. Heaps of web-traffic to Choice and to whichever craft brewer it was who pointed the finger.

WHICH CRAFT? But it’s not true. There’s one big misunderstanding at the heart of this whole conversation: a pouring rights contract isn’t how a big brewery dictates the terms of supply to a publican… its how a publican dictates the purchase of beer from a brewery. Choice’s argument is predicated on the fact publicans are, at best, puppets bent and swayed to the will of their suppliers… or, at worst, money-grabbing bastards who ignore the will of their customers to conspire with big brewers to keep craft brewers out of the game. Neither of these alternatives is true — both are grossly insulting.

Australia’s pubs are the best friends craft brewers have got. Pubs are where people learn to drink craft beer. It’s where they see many craft beers for the first time. It’s where they experiment with something new. I well remember 15 years ago, when the first green shoots of life sprang up in the craft beer industry.

Some amazing young brewers rolled up their sleeves, sold their houses and put everything on the line to follow their dream of being gainfully employed as a brewer of beer. About then, we did exactly the same thing and started our first pub. And we’ve grown together, side by side with many of these guys. In fact, the only beer we’ve always served in our pubs, every day, every year since the very beginning isn’t from CUB or Lion, it’s a craft brand brewed by a couple of guys in Richmond.

WHO’S THE ENEMY? I can understand there are some craft brewers out there who see CUB and Lion as their enemy. And maybe people at the big breweries feel the same way about craft. And to some extent I get it — every beer brand is competing with every other. But much more important than that, every beer brand is competing together, against every wine brand, every cider, every RTD and tragically, against a range of illicit substances too. And then brewers and publicans together are competing against a

whole range of other distractions: Nintendo, horse riding, iced tea. Why one group of players would so vehemently trample the decisionmaking process of another set of players, just to compete with a third set of players is beyond me.

Here’s something else beyond my understanding: I know my customer is always right.

Bad parma? My fault, the customer is always right. Don’t like your table? My fault, the customer is always right. Bad service? My fault, the customer is always right. If you’re a craft brewer, you’ve got three customers: your punters, your bottleshops and your publicans. And picking a fight with any one of them, telling them they’re wrong, is just plain stupid.

I see how it can happen, mind you. Small business is tough – we’ve been knee-deep in the small business struggle every day for 15 years. Not a day goes by we don’t worry about revenue, about supply costs, about competitors, about shifting market moods. And all the time you know you’re in the fight of your life to make your dream a sustainable reality. I understand sometimes you just want to lash out at whoever you reckon might be making life harder for you. But remember this: when craft beer makes up 4-5% of the beer market, and pubs like mine – even with a contract – offer punters craft beer on 20-25% of our lines… Well, you don’t need a calculator to get the fact we’re pushing craft products far ahead of their market share. We are creating demand for these products out of nothing. We are the marketing arm of many small craft breweries.

LINES OF CREDIT There are plenty of reasons publicans sign a pouring rights contract. Some publicans I know just like doing business with CUB or Lion. Others just know their market really only wants Carlton Draught, for instance, and everything else is incidental. A few mates of mine — often the guys who do their own bookkeeping — like to keep their suppliers down to a manageable number. One publican I know (who doesn’t have a contract) often tells sales reps he does have one, so he doesn’t have to tell them he doesn’t like their beer. And a lot of publicans I know have contracts with both CUB and Lion.

They decide the beer they want to sell, it happens to include beers from both the big boys, so they sit down and work out the details. Then they sign up.

Every contract we ever had involved beautiful brand new beer lines, along with coolrooms, compressors, glycol machines and whatever else it takes to produce good quality beer. In fact, with help from our suppliers, we’ve invariably doubled the number of beer lines in our venues.

So sure, I could not enter a contract. Would I change my product lineup? Not one bit. Know what would change? I wouldn’t have a coolroom. Wouldn’t have cold beer. Wouldn’t have new beer lines. And guess what else: I’d have less lines to be able to share with amazing new craft beers.

Brewers and publicans together are competing against a whole range of other distractions: Nintendo, horse riding, iced tea. . .

SMOOTH OPERATOR Small beer? Or brouhaha?

Matt Mullins is a partner in Sand Hill Road hospitality group

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Just like the collaborative relationship you have with your food and wine providores... have an ongoing conversation with your music supplier

MUSIC CONNECTION Hand-crafted food for thought Phil Brown is the National Business Development Manager at Nightlife Music

R

eaders of venue are a discerning lot.

You are well aware of the continuing trend amongst Australian consumers towards a more authentic, handcrafted product. Similarly, you see the role consumer media has played in uncovering the importance of knowing the origin of food and the story behind each wine or craft beer on the list; something the industry has known for a long time.

Once the domain of cutting-edge players in our industry (the same ones who helped expand the changing palates), bespoke food and bev has now become mainstream; proving once again that the best ideas are often the ones you borrow from someone else.

The challenge that arises when striving to appeal to the hand-crafted consumer is having a supply chain where the commercials make as much sense as the narrative.

HAND-PICKED SUPPLIERS Getting closer to suppliers is an obvious way to help determine any issues on the supply side of the relationship and build more certainty around cost. On top of that is also a great way of knowing more about the origins of each item; presenting an opportunity to understand quality and even hone custom products to play on the law of scarcity. Venue operators continually have to make calls about quality; balancing this with rules around supply and profitability.

In addition to a productive relationship with suppliers a large part of the solution comes down to measurement — actually knowing what makes a particular product a quality item and having a way of measuring that to guarantee value for you and a consistent outcome for your customers.

Ultimately, it’s great to be able to see such vibrancy on offer throughout all levels of the industry. For people who are passionate about this space, times have never been so good!

These consumer trends for quality, scarcity and authenticity have played out across all industries and although most hospitality operators have embraced the changes in food and beverages, I would argue that, again, it is only the cutting-edge players that have embraced this across their entire business. Of particular concern is music. This is one area that hasn’t kept pace in this pursuit of quality and diversity throughout most venues. Again, I think a big reason for this oversight is operators not really knowing what a quality product looks like and being able to measure the elements that will underpin both value and consistency in this area.

So what does quality look like when it comes to music in a venue? Moreover, how do you get the commercials right?

QUALITY FUNDAMENTALS

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Quality starts with the room itself and the sound system. We’ve all had a meal where we end up having to yell at our friends to have a conversation, or scream at the staff to place an order at the bar. Sometimes this liveliness in the acoustics is part of the experience, like if you’re after a street market feel, but in most

environments this is a real subconscious turn off. Beyond the commercial benefits of delivering a better customer experience, if you get your acoustics right (without sacrificing the aesthetics) you could save a truckload on your sound system.

The next measure of quality is the content itself. Just like the collaborative relationship you have with your food and wine providores, you should also have an ongoing conversation with your music supplier. This is essential to ensure your soundtrack is hitting the mark, especially as your venue transitions through the day. This collaboration ensures you not only have music that matches the way your venue evolves, but you also have enough content to avoid the same 100 songs going round and round for months on end. The ultimate way of guaranteeing your music is spot on is employing a quality DJ who sticks to the brief and handpicks each track for the room, but the financial impost of paying a good DJ makes this economically unsustainable outside of peak trade times.

Once you have a plan for song selection you then need to pay attention to the fidelity of the content and how it actually plays. The migration from CD to iPod to streaming has seen improvements but there are still major issues delivering music through these platforms. Purists have a problem with the sound quality of streaming but the bigger problem in venues is having the confidence the volume won’t fluctuate dramatically from one track to the next, stop completely when the playlist ends or drop away to nothing during an extended ambient break. Fluctuations in the quality of your music should be as unacceptable as fluctuations in the quality of your food. The impact on your crowd when the music drops away or screams in volume is a jolt to their consciousness — phones are pulled out of pockets, watches are checked, plans are made as to ‘where’s next?’.

Finally, the real question you need to answer is how much do your customers care about music. A stupid question really, because of course they care. In reality though music is often overlooked in a busy modern venue and the impact, and therefore the opportunity, of getting it right is underestimated.

The same principles apply to your music as to your food and beverages: music needs to be an authentic, handcrafted product. In the same way that knowing your food origins and having a close relationship with your produce supplier can result in custom products; having a close and collaborative relationship with your music provider will carve you out a niche by consistently delivering an experience that matches your customers discerning tastes.

Back in the Pavilion ‘Friendship, family, fun and food’ – all with an ocean view.

Story: Christopher Holder Coogee Pavilion: 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee NSW merivale.com.au/coogeepavilion

P

hew. December launches are fabulous in theory but it does put the staff and operations through a baptism of fire. When venue paid Coogee Pavilion’s Operations Manager, Kay Fiehn, a visit late January he had the look of a man put through the wringer. “We’ve just had a huge Australia Day long weekend and this has really be the first moment we’ve had time to think and reflect.” venue’s timing, as ever, was impeccable, then.

As a brief primer here’s what you need to know about Coogee Pavilion: It was the erstwhile Coogee Palace, a notorious dive. It’s now an utterly transformed Merivale venue under the aegis of Mr Midas Touch, Justin Hemmes.

The ground floor (which opened mid 2014) and the Coogee Pavilion Rooftop refurbs are now complete, with a middle floor due for completion later in the year.

BEER ’N’ PING PONG The ground floor offers a variety of dining experiences and is the ideal location for family get-togethers, weekend breakfasts, coffee dates, light snacks and catching up with friends. There’s an approachable buzz about it.

You might normally think twice about wheeling in a double pram and your grandparent into a venue with a large horseshoe bar, but no need for such qualms at the Coogee Pavilion. In that respect it’s got somewhat of that continental Europe family friendlessness about it.

Get the tribe together; everyone will find a food option that suits; crack open a bottle of wine; let the kids run amok.

And here’s the genius: a huge chunk of the ground floor venue is devoted to the kids. Ping pong tables. Yes! An oversized wall-mounted magnetic Scrabble board.

Triple Word Score! A petanque pit. Trés magnifique!.

Even a retro barber’s shop for hipsters to indulge in a trim with their craft beer. Merlin’s Beard!

It really is unlike anything else going around at the moment.

STAIRWAY TO HAVEN

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Upstairs is another world. An adults’ playground. And, again, here’s the genius of Justin Hemmes: The city curfew is biting, resulting in revellers finding late night refuges further from the CBD and Kings Cross in places like Paddington and Newtown… and Coogee. The Coogee Pavilion Rooftop has the beating heart of a classy nightclub. Sure, wile away your Sunday afternoons on the spacious deck, but Rooftop really comes into its own as the place to be late into the evening.

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“We’ve stayed true to our music policy and this means we’re limited to a small number of DJs, but it’s creating the atmosphere,” noted Fiehn. “We’re being careful to limit attendance to people who will appreciate the fitout and what we’re aiming to do here.”

In other words, Fiehn and his team have no problems attracting the cool crowd, while keeping at bay the locals stumbling in off the street wondering ‘where the old Palace has gone’.

Have a snoop through the photos, doubtlessly you’ll agree that Justin Hemmes has pulled off something typically idiosyncratic. It feels a little like Phileas Fogg’s conservatory. Akin Creative (with Kelvin Ho and Emilie Delalande riding shotgun) worked with Amanda Talbot, Justin and Bettina Hemmes to bring Rooftop to life. From verdant copses of greenery to mismatched Moroccan tiles, each bar possesses an entirely different aesthetic. Beautiful chairs covered in sketches of exotic birds and tables painted by local artist Mayriel Luke complete the stunning interiors.

ALL DAY, BABY, ALL DAY It’s a rare venue indeed that is equally adept at serving fresh juice and a ristretto at 7.30am as it is a perfectly concocted tipple at 1.30am. In some ways it’s easy to think that because Justin Hemmes imagines it, it must be possible, but the truth is in the meticulous planning, design and operation of such an audacious endeavour. It’s also easy to think: ‘lucky bastard; talk about falling on your feet’. The fact Coogee Pavilion feels so natural — that there’s nothing apparently incongruous about ‘ping pong’ and ‘adult playground’ in the same property — is a testament to Merivale’s vision and execution.

Akin Creative: (02) 9043 3166 or www.akincreative.com BSeated Global (Furniture): 1300 727 637 or bseatedglobal.com.au

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Justin Hemmes has pulled off something typically idiosyncratic. It feels a little like Phileas Fogg’s conservatory.

METICULOUS SOUND

To call Justin Hemmes a perfectionist is like calling Daniel Ricciardo a ‘fast driver’; he takes perfectionism to a whole new level. With sound, this means imagining a patron’s experience in every seat in the venue. The result is a PA with granular control; levels can be tweaked often down to the per-loudspeaker level. This isn’t the thriftiest approach to installed sound — “we need two more speakers over here, here and here” — but it’s the only way Hemmes can precisely balance the room to his liking, guaranteeing the right experience for everyone. Then, it is for Glenn Rayner and others in the Merivale AV team, along with system integrators Bump Productions, to turn that vision into reality.

Practically, this means a lot of loudspeakers and a lot of amplifier channels. Often when you see dozens of speakers in an installation, costs are cut by running them in a high-impedance daisy chain. Such ‘100V line’ setups are far easier to install and cheaper to spec but you do sacrifice a level of audio quality and control. There are no such compromises at the Coogee Pavilion. Six- and eight-inch Martin Audio loudspeakers (principally from the AQ installed range) pepper the venue. Except for the subwoofers, there is very little effort made to conceal the PA. Again, this a Justin Hemmes philosophy. He understands the importance of great sound and he’s happy for the loudspeakers to be placed where they need to be — loudspeakers are part of the fitout as much as the furniture or lighting. You’ll be thanking him for such a outlook come Friday night at the Rooftop when the DJ’s sound levels are effortlessly ratcheted up, and the party atmosphere finds a new gear most venues only hope to emulate.

Bump Productions (Installation): (02) 9699 1166 or bump.com.au Technical Audio Group (Martin Audio, QSC): (02) 9519 0900 or info@tag.com.au

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NEW GENERATION A landmark Perth pub is readied for a fresh epoch.

Photos: Acorn Subiaco Hotel: 465 Hay St, Subiaco WA (08) 9381 3069 or subiacohotel.com.au

T

he Subiaco Hotel has reopened after a marathon 16 months of renovations.

It’s a significant upgrade of services as well as the interiors and sets up the landmark pub for another generation of hospitality.

The hotel was opened in 1897 and has been one of Perth’s favourite watering holes for many years. The business has been owned by the Monaghan family since 1971 and was Perth’s first gastropub. Michael Monaghan attributes its success to the emphasis on good food, great atmosphere and a great location, but he admits it was time for a major freshen up.

“Undertaking a project such as this one was never going to be easy, however the result is something we’re all very proud of,” said Michael.

“Our patrons have been extremely supportive and patient throughout the process, and we hope the reward will be a venue which they can continue to enjoy for many years to come,” he added.

The hotel’s multi-million dollar renovations include a new outdoor rooftop terrace, a mezzanine level, upstairs function room and an expanded lower level, fitted out with funky design and all-weather seating conditions.

STOUT HEARTED RENO

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The redevelopment presented many structural and programming challenges. Renovating and upgrading such a facility is not for the faint hearted The owners Michael, Judy and Bianca worked closely with the architect, Christou Design Group, to create a setting that flowed and captured their approach to food, drinks and entertainment from breakfast until late. The design brief was developed and Christou has merged and transformed the old and new into a vibrant, warm space with a balance of calm and a sense of theatre with mirrors, lighting and an exciting palette of materials and detailing.

Easy flow from one area to another has been achieved by creating a mezzanine area located in the space between the existing ground and the upper floor. Here there was just sufficient headroom to locate all the bathrooms. This has resulted in increased space on the ground plane to expand the kitchen and BOH areas and in-

crease the floorspace for eating and drinking in greater comfort. This design move was the catalyst for the transformation.

The former open courtyard has been reorganised into a space that can open or close to the elements, depending on the weather conditions. the courtyard is a double height with louvered clear storied windows and a translucent roof. Via this courtyard patrons can access the mezzanine areas, an upper level roof deck and the Supper club.

HONEST MATERIALS Low cost material have used within the courtyard such as glass face cement render, exposed steel framing, polished concrete floors and an in situ concrete bar.

Plywood balustrade panels to the stair and bridge entry to the Supper Club, brass slats over the courtyard bar and black butt wall panelling provide warmth and texture to the courtyard.

The refined detailing of the bars and joinery has been executed by Paul Morris from Join. The detailing, involving timber, marble and metals such as steel, brass and concrete has been crafted to create individual identity for the front bar, cafe bar, courtyard bar and Supper Club bar.

Furniture has been carefully selected and arranged to express flow and space, catering for communal tables, high tables, couples or small groups and casual lounge areas.

CUSTODIANS OF SOMETHING SPECIAL Judy Monaghan in her interview with venue refers to a tension that exists in ‘keeping up with the times’ yet fulfilling the timeless role of being a corner pub. It’s not always an easy balance, especially when all around you the hospitality landscape is blooming with bright, shiny new bars and clubs.

Fortunately, the Monaghans have responded in a measured way, making the most of what they have, while protecting their investment.

No doubt, venue will be checking in with the Monaghans in another 20 years to look at the next big renovation.

Christou Design Group: (08) 9285 6888 or christou.com.au

MEGA SOUND A big pub with high ceilings requires as many smaller speakers as you can afford to keep the volume from each loudspeaker as low as possible. Jeff Georgiou of Megavision knows this as well as anyone, he’s responsible for plenty of the better pubs and bars in Perth. He’s installed a phalanx of QSC Audio loudspeakers for this job. Lots of ADS52 five-inch speakers, with ADS82 double-eight-inch models where more volume is required while the front bar gets a pair of QSC 12-inch speakers and subs for DJ nights.

A big pub needs lots of zone control. Mostly to fine tune levels. The Subiaco Hotel supports 10 separate audio zones. Running the show is a QSC QSys DSP system that happily routes any input to any destination.

Taking care of the same job but in video world is a Crestron Digital Media frame, sending hi-definition video from any source to any destination screen or projector. Speaking of which, a Hitachi projector provides a 120-inch image in the front bar. If you’re view is obscured you’re likely to be looking at the 80-inch Panasonic LCD monster.

Nightlife Music video is piped throughout. It’s audioonly in the restaurant and video+audio elsewhere. Judy Monaghan likes what Nightlife does for the venue: “It works out well. On the whole, the song selections are perfect. And it prevents staff interfering with your choice of music!”

Some three Crestron 10-inch touch panels are strategically dotted about the venue for easy control of levels, sources and destinations of audio and video. Megavision customised the control interface especially for the job. It’s the ‘Gucci’ option rather than the ‘Big W’ option but it’s a worthwhile area to invest in.

Megavision: (08) 9444 6556 or megavision.com.au Nightlife Music: 1800 679 748 or nightlife.com.au TAG (QSC): (02) 9519 0900 or tag.com.au Crestron: www.crestron.com.au Panasonic: panasonic.com.au Hills (Hitachi): 1800 685 487 or hillssvl.com.au

The courtyard is now enclosed thanks to a louvred roofing system. It is light, bright and open with a central shady tree.

You can see the stairs leading to the mezzanine bathrooms.

Moving the bathrooms was the masterstroke that freed up groundfloor space.

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CORNER MARKET Judy Monaghan, Director Subiaco Hotel, talks about the anatomy of a big corner pub reno. venue: How’s life in the new Subiaco Hotel?

Judy Monaghan: Everyone is responding to the new spaces really well. It’s been a tumultuous period We’ve gone from a state where our focus is on completing a large building project to quickly refocussing on the staffing and operational aspects of opening an expanded business. venue: What brought you to the point of significantly reinvesting in the hotel?

Judy Monaghan: It’s been 20 years since we’d done a renovation on the hotel. It’s a 117 year old building and physically it was crumbling a bit. So it was clear some work needed to done to the building but a cosmetic touch up wasn’t going to ready it for the next 20 years. The other driver for the renovation was competition: there are a lot of other sexy places opening up around Perth and we knew we needed to inject a new freshness into the hotel. venue: What needed to change and what should stay the same?

Judy Monaghan: The Subiaco Hotel is an iconic pub that’s been on this corner for a very long time. It has a cult status and a loyal following, so we knew we should be very careful about how we reshape it and not lose any of the good aspects. That was the brief to the architect. The hotel has had renovations since its inception but it really was a matter of not doing it in a hotch-potch way but strategically with a masterplan, ensuring it would be fit for the next generation of customers. venue: Did you use the the refit as a chance to upgrade back of house facilities?

Judy Monaghan: We did. And to be honest that where the business was weak. When we did the renovation 20 years ago we didn’t tackle some of those issues — storage and deliveries were all hard work. We thought if we could reshape the delivery, cool rooms and the back of house aspects it would positively impact the

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bottom line, through efficiencies.

I’m one of those people who would rather be spending money on the customer-facing aspects of a renovation, so it is frustrating to plunge so much money into the plumbing, electrical and drains. But we know that it will affect the performance of the business. Efficiencies were important as well as customer perceptions. venue: And what about the kitchen facilities?

Judy Monaghan: We’ve extended the kitchen. Go back 20 years ago and we were the first gastropub in Perth and our guys were producing a huge volume of food from a pokey kitchen. We knew investing in an expanded kitchen would be wise. We did that by pinching some space from the courtyard. venue: Robbing Peter to pay Paul?

Judy Monaghan: Well, you are dealing with an existing structure and the restrictions on space it necessarily entails. We were relying on a clever architect to think outside the square. The building ceilings are very high and he devised a way of just squeezing in a mezzanine where we could relocate the ground floor toilet block. It gave us the space and flow we desire. In fact, from every space you can see another space, beckoning you to go and have a look without visual blockages. venue: The courtyard is something special.

Judy Monaghan: We’ve always had a courtyard but it was previously open to the elements. There would be days where we’d have to decide if we’d lay out the outdoor tables or move them indoors. We now have a louvred rooftop that means we can reliably operate the courtyard for dining 365 days a year. venue: Trendy bars come and go, but you’ll always be a corner pub.

Judy Monaghan: Exactly right. Which is why we’ve stayed true to our pub roots. The front bar is earthy, not too trendy, and a reliably comfortable place for afterwork drinks. Christou Design Group has fulfilled the brief very well in that regard.

The bar keeps the elements of a traditional front bar, with strong organic materials and colours. There is new emphasis on casual dining in comfortable, relaxed surroundings.

Sydney street artist, Daniel O’Toole, was flown in to create some bold and dramatic wall art in the front bar.

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RAISE A GLASS Chiara: 705a Collins Street, Melbourne www.chiara.net.au

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For readers in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and elsewhere you may need a background briefing on what and where Melbourne’s Collins Square is. For Melbourne readers, listen up as well, as you’re probably just as in the dark. This is Docklands. If you head out of town on Collins Street there’s a point where traditionally ‘here be dragons’ and you go past Southern Cross station into the unknown.

Collins Square currently plays host to 7000 office workers.

With a total of five towers to be built, within five years it’s likely to house 20,000. That’s right, there will soon come a time when the Melbourne CBD can’t fail but to know about Docklands. Conversely, within a few years Docklands domiciles and wage slaves will expect, nay demand, high quality F&B options on their doorstep.

Fortunately, the Collins Square developers are a step ahead of us. They see a need for a high quality restaurant for suits to do business over a braised cheek. That restaurant is Chiara. Thinking I was being culturally sensitive to my Gaelic cousins, when I spoke to General Manager Glenn Tobias, I pronounced it Keeera in my best Irish brogue. I was soon put straight. It’s ‘Kiara’: italiano for skol… or perhaps to be a little

less crude: bottoms up.

Chiara is built for a purpose: oiling the wheels of commerce.

Let’s not be under any illusions, you won’t find mum with her McLaren dragging three kids under five years into Chiara for a bubbacino. It’s strategically positioned. And it’s as masculine as a Rio Tinto takeover bid… perhaps.

Here’s what I found out from Walker Restaurant Group, GM, Glenn Tobias.

$5M FITOUT venue: Initial press had Peter Evans and Fat Duck alumnus Gavin Baker fronting the consortium. Who exactly is behind Chiara?

Glenn Tobias: Collins Square Restaurant Group, which in turn is owned by the developer Walker Corporation. It’s our job to launch a portfolio of F&B outlets that best serves the Collins Square development. venue: What’s in the portfolio thus far?

Glenn Tobias: We currently have Bar Nacional, a café called Long Shot, and now Chiara which also houses a catering service. venue: So what’s the big-picture vision?

Glenn Tobias: To have a range of offerings that means people

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living and working in and around Collins Square aren’t forced to leave the area to find a place to eat and drink. venue: Talk us through Chiara. It’s a $5m fitout. That’s a bigtime investment.

Glenn Tobias: It is. But we wanted it to be beautifully appointed. We wanted a fine dining restaurant that meant that if you had an important client visiting you knew you had a dining destination on your doorstep the equal of any other in the city. venue: If you’re planning the Collins Square F&B outlets like pieces on a chess board, how do you avoid being safe and vanilla?

Glenn Tobias: A successful restaurant always has passion and belief behind it. We know that. We have an awesome team of chefs and we have a lot of belief in the product we’re offering. venue: Heading the restaurant design was Sydney-based studio Loopcreative. Pleased with their work?

Glenn Tobias: We were impressed. They prepared a number of realistic 3D renders and to their credit the restaurant was a total realisation of those visualisations. No nasty surprises, it all went like clockwork.

DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS & LAYOUT Loopcreative’s design comprised an aged bronze bar with seating for 20, the main restaurant seating 120 on custom-built leather banquettes, and a dedicated private room wine cellar for 16. Upstairs is the chef’s table for 12 (Top Left) and the 400sqm production and catering kitchen.

The furniture is predominantly classic Thonet Bentwood chairs with Italian marble tabletops. The banquette styling is based on an old car seat with similar stitching and proportions. The barstools were designed in conjunction with BSeated Global, and combine an elegant low-profile sled base with a beautifully comfortable leather seat. Loopcreative used the UK firm Established & Sons for the suspended saucer bar lights and the NY-based company Workstead for the perimeter pendants.

The materials are natural and honest, with oak parquetry flooring, inset carpets by Designer Rugs and a Catherine Martin-designed wallpaper feature.

Loopcreative: (02) 9698 6888 or loopcreative.com.au 1

BSeated Global: 1300 727 637 or bseatedglobal.com.au

2 Established & Sons (Corona Pendant): establishedandsons.com 3 Space (Kaori Chair): spacefurniture.com.au

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PLAY IT AGAIN SAM Casablanca: 16 Cross Street, Double Bay NSW (02) 9328 4411 or www.casablancasydney.com

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Story: James Dampney AZB Creative: (02) 9029 1840 or enquiries@azbthecreative.com DJW Projects: (02) 9114 9993 or info@djwprojects.com.au PAVT (EAW, Powersoft): (03) 9264 8000 or sales@productionaudio.com.au

Situated in the heart of the sophisticated Double Bay shopping district, you will find Casablanca, a nightclub dripping with style and elegance that has been turning heads ever since its launch last year. It has been built in the space formerly occupied by the Embassy Nightclub, which enjoyed success during the 1990s.

Palm fronds guarding private booths, beautifully designed bars with that perfect touch of lighting, and a lounge area complete with a dancefloor and a gold disco ball are just some of the visual treats Casablanca has to offer.

“Owner Eric Jury saw a gap in the market in the revamped and ever-illustrious Double Bay area,” said Poata Okeroa, Casablanca’s managing director. “Double Bay was the place to be in the ’90s, with the hottest restaurants and clubs around town.

Casablanca has very much become part of the 2014 revival.”

A sizeable space, Casablanca is able to house up to 450 guests at a time. Within that space lies a superb blend of offerings sure to satisfy every need. There are the gorgeous burgundy and gold Bordeaux Booths, where medium-to-large groups can gather and enjoy plenty of room for whatever social occasion has brought them together. There is a separate row of private booths, complete with a dedicated waitress ready to provide bottle service and expertise while you sit nestled among those palm fronds. The Eastern Lounge is where guests can enjoy a perfectly orchestrated sharing menu, boasting morsels sourced from – in Casablanca’s own words – the Garden, the Paddock and the Sea. Patrons searching for that perfect touch of luxury to host their private function need look no further

than the Moet Gold Lounge, which doubles as the Members Only Lounge and has its own cocktail bar. And, of course, it’s all topped off by the dancefloor, where some of the hottest DJs will carry you through to your night’s conclusion.

Okeroa description of the interiors is really quite something: “Eric’s vision was brought together by designer Alex ZabottoBentley and showcases rich, island-inspired colours amidst extraordinary Moroccan-style chandeliers and furnishings fit for a king or queen,” Okeroa said. “Zabotto-Bentley describes his creation as ‘a fantasy combining a number of beautiful nightclub evening experiences from the 20th century’.

“It’s a large venue, so we needed to make it warm, yet accommodate a wide array of events and theming at all times. We have successfully created an amazing canvas to work with across the board for all occasions.”

A great club requires a great sound system. DJW Projects’ Dave Coxon got the call. Dave knew the venue since the good ol’ days when a certain Rene Rivkin was the proprietor. Credit to the original EAW MK series PA that much of the system simply needed a service and tune up. Brand new EAW DCS2 subwoofers were installed and the latest in Powersoft K series amps were used to drive the revamped rig. The DJ booth now has the latest in Pioneer control.

The nightclub has managed to provide something totally unique to the Sydney bar scene and fill a clear hole in the market place: “There really was a gap in the market in the Eastern Suburbs for a venue of this calibre and location,” Okeroa said.

“Casablanca never wanted to be just another venue.

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LE PUB Next-gen Reymonds launch next-gen gastropub.

Story: Christopher Holder L’Hôtel Gitan: 32 Commercial Road, Prahran VIC (03) 9999 0990 or lhotelgitan.com.au

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efore you get any ideas, Jacques isn’t back. Well, not exactly. Jacques Reymond shut the doors of his eponymous fine dining establishment last year and coincidentally his kids have launched a gastro pub shortly after, L’Hotel Gitan. Antoine Reymond is quick to clear things up: “He is a partner and a mentor but this is the time for his children to take the next step. We opened Bistro Gitan four years ago and this our next big move. It was coincidental that Jacques had a little more time on his hands and could support us in the manner we needed.”

PUB TALK Three of Jacques’ four children have followed in the great man’s footsteps: Nathalie, Edouard and Antoine. And after successfully establishing their bistro have been looking at opening a gastropub.

Antoine Reymond: “We’ve been fascinated by the idea of opening a gastropub for years, even before we started the bistro. The idea of taking over a beautiful old hotel has always appealed to us. A pub is a fantastic thing in itself — pop in for a glass of wine; spend time with family and friends… That’s the concept: to take on a local pub that people treat as a ‘local’ but take the standard of food and service up a few notches.”

The Reymond turf is the leafy south east inner suburbs of Melbourne — South Yarra and Prahran.

Finding the perfect location took time, nearly a year, in fact. “It’s lucky we all see eye to eye when it comes to the bigger picture. So when we found the property, we all knew it was a great fit. We wanted a big open kitchen, we knew we wanted a bistro but we also wanted a front bar area that welcomed casual drinkers.”

FOOD FOCUS The building dates back to the 1860s. Prior to the Reymonds moving in, it was the Hotel Max, which exalted in the building’s art deco refit of the 1930s. SJB architects set to work with Leeda

Projects to extensively remodel the space, while staying true to the site’s heritage. An open kitchen is the hero, strategically positioned between the bistro and dining room so as to be observed from just about anywhere. The focal point of the kitchen is a ruby-red rotisserie, large enough to roast a whole lamb à la broche.

Chef Adam Smith is at the helm of the kitchen.

Diners can sit inches from the action at the bar featuring an antique bronze finished brass plate and curved edges, which mimic the façade and divides the ground floor into three distinct areas — drinking, casual and formal dining.

rary dining expectations. Working closely with the Reymond family on this project has been particularly rewarding and together we have created a French deco-inspired theme putting a new level of elegance and sophistication into this local landmark,” said Parr.

Frank Rossi from Leeda Projects is thrilled with the outcome. “This design was uniquely challenging, so it was very satisfying working with the he team to resolve the challenges.

I built Jacques’ original Williams Rd restaurant way back when, so now working for the next Reymond generation is very satisfying,” he said.

REFIT ‘A’ TEAM

EURO U TURN

Antoine reflects on a refit process that was intensive, yet ultimately hugely satisfying: “SJB listened to our vision and responded magnificently.

We wanted to retain the art deco feel but it had to feel much more than a pub, and SJB has given us something special. It was a very detailed, exacting process, perfecting every last tiny piece. It was an interesting process.

“Leeda Projects was an equal part in the equation as well. We consider Frank [Rossi, Leeda Projects director] as a great family friend. It’s the fifth restaurant fitout Frank has done with the Reymonds, and he’s not just contributing on a building front, but on a consultation front. He has so much experience to draw on — what works and doesn’t.

“Each week we’d sit down with SJB and Frank and shoot ideas around. It was a fantastic team.

The design and the finish of the refit is perfect — we’re very pleased with the result.”

Lead designer and local Prahran resident, Andrew Parr of SJB Interiors, was excited to be involved in the project: “The hotel has been a familiar feature in our neighbourhood for generations.

It was important we honoured the architectural history and style of the building, while reimagining the spaces within the context of contempo-

Establishing a gastropub looks to be a savvy move for the Reymonds, given fine dining’s star is currently on the wane, but Antoine doesn’t believe for a minute that its goose is cooked: “Fine dining isn’t dead. Sure, since the GFC the fine dining scene has slowed down, but people still want high quality food and service. Our restaurants are more of a reflection of us. Dad’s was a reflection of him and his history, and itself is emblematic of the Melbourne food scene of the last 25 years. But arguably, dining has become more relaxed, with more bar dining and more theatre. People love the theatre of the kitchen; they love to feel involved.”

And the food itself? Although not French per se is infused with French influences, “even the shepherd’s pie has been prepared in a French method!”

In fact, Antoine reckons French, or at least European, cuisine making a return: “Melbourne is going back to European food. After a long period of huge Asian influence and some American influence, I feel there is a shift back to European.”

Mais oui.

CONTACTS SJB Interiors: (03) 9686 2122 or sjb.com.au Leeda Projects: (03) 9357 6320 or leeda.com.au

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LOCK ’N’ KEY The Lock-In: 7A/2 Huntley St, Alexandria NSW (02) 9699 2225 or groundsroasters.com

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Here’s a fabulous little speakeasy. The Grounds of Alexandria offers up The Lock-In as a private hideaway within The Potting Shed Bar & Eatery. Hidden behind an imposing door, The Lock-In offers an escape from the humdrum of the day and unwind without disruption. Like all good speakeasies there’s some schtick about getting in. The Lock-In requires a key.

Don’t expect just to waltz in there like some kinda gangbusting Chicago cop.

Vince Alafaci and Caroline Choker of Acme&Co designed the new space, which comprises a personal bar stocked with small-batch spirits manned by hand selected bar staff.

Ramzey Choker, Co-Director of The Grounds of Alexandria said: “We created The Lock-In as a place guests can enjoy without being disturbed. A place where they can escape their everyday lives — drink, eat, and experience a whole lot of banter”.

The food offering will be fittingly suave to suit the room and atmosphere with three irresistible dining options to choose from. ‘The Potting Mix’ will see diners take their time

and indulge in their choice of The Potting Shed menu delights from jumbo prawns, to chargrilled lamb cutlets, pulled pork or holmbrae chicken and more. As a second option, ‘A Fine Feast’, sees the wait staff personally prepare a mouthwatering feasting table for all to share including an enviable selection of meats, salads and loads more. Thirdly, the ‘Master & Chef’ offering takes things to a whole new level with guests enjoying their own private chef serving them with everything you could ask for, also including a delightful range of fresh locally sourced seafood.

The Lock-In should also work famously for functions and events, with a maximum capacity for seated dining at 20 persons and maximum for cocktail-style service at 40 persons.

COOGEE PAVILION Sydney

24 Moons Alumbra The Arthouse Hotel Australian Outback Spectacular The Bank Hotel The Botanical Bungalow 8 Brisbane Hotel (Perth) Club Marconi Discovery Establishment Half Moon Hornsby RSL Ivy Katuk Kudu Lounge Luxe Bar The Mean Fiddler The Met Oxford Art Factory Slip Inn

TRAILER PARK TREASURE Grand Trailer Park Taverna: Cnr Bourke & Exhibitions Streets, Melbourne

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Story: Paddy Macrae Twig & Co.: twigand.co

I suppose there’s a first time for everything, but being invited along to the launch of a caravan park (sorry, trailer park) as a venue writer I had never put particularly high on the list of possibilities. It’s the only one in Melbourne city’s 3000 post code though, so for interest alone I thought it warranted a quick look, sans boogie board and sunburnt kids. The truth is, Trailer Park falls short of what I consider to be a passable family holiday destination. No boom gate, no 20c-activated BBQs, and no swimming.

But what it lacks in sleeping arrangements it makes up for in visuals and edibles. The Grand Trailer Park Taverna on the corner of Bourke and Exhibition Streets is the newest ‘burger & shake’ bar to Melbourne and it must be said, it’s a contender.

For those familiar with the area, it was once Happy Palace, which was a funny sort of a place. Good fun, and happy, but always struggling to nail exactly who it was. Grand Trailer Park has no such identity qualms. The first thing you notice when you get to the top of the stairwell entry are the modified Winnebago and Airstream caravans you can sit and eat in.

It’s the brainchild of Josh Lefers who is no flash on the hotplate dreamer, either. His Pawn and Co. on Chapel St is in the top 5 most dazzling bars in the world (Forbes Magazine), and he’s a man for whom time spent getting it right, is time well spent.

He’d had the trailer park concept on the back burner for years, so when he and co-founder Dani Zeini (of Dandenong

Pavilion fame) found the space they knew it was a match. He called in the services of Ash Naulty at Twig and Co. for the refit, and everyone is overjoyed with the result. It was built on a budget, but Lefers doesn’t see this as a limitation, “We were careful not to overspend but instead do what we want to do creatively. That challenge was a welcome one.”

The sound system was retained from Happy Palace, and although Lefers hasn’t written off giving it a boost in the future, for now he says it’s perfect for their needs. “We’re somewhere between a restaurant and a bar”, and for something that puts a relaxed social environment first, this is apt.

The lighting design required a more rigorous overhaul, and the challenge was twofold — how to create the nostalgic vibe of the caravan park, while fostering intimacy for patrons? The answer appears to be through thoughtful use of multiple lighting zones. The central chandelier of Happy Palace stands, a survivor of the handover.

Zeini took to the kitchen and since they opened their doors has been pumping out burgers to complete with the best of them. A significant portion of the fitout investment ended up in the kitchen, Josh tells me. “Dani was very keen on making sure we really upgraded the kitchen to something that’s pristine and can make the food we want to make.

“I think it’s the combination of design and the offering itself that makes it a winner.”

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BACK ON TRACK The Railway Hotel: 29 Chapel Street, Windsor VIC (03) 9510 4050 or therailway.com.au

Mr Mitchell: 0402 028 103 or andrew@mrmitchell.com.au 1

Mondo Luce (Alti Lighting Barro Spotlight): (02) 9690 2667 or mondosyd@studioitalia.com.au

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Tait: madebytait.com.au

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Nomi Furniture (Woodstack Chair): nomi.com.au Instyle (Ecoustic Panels): www.instyle.com.au

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The Railway Hotel on Melbourne’s Chapel Street has undergone a couple of renovations in the course of venue’s lifetime.

There was the one back in 2005 and again in 2009. The team at Mr Mitchell have been the common thread throughout, developing a strong working relationship borne fruit in the current refit.

With the appointment of 2014 Young Chef of The Year finalist Simon Tarlington (from Quay, Sydney) to Head Chef, Anna Musker and her team at The Railway Hotel agreed it was time to refresh both the interior and exterior of their popular Windsor pub.

The brief was familiar: create maximum impact while keeping the costs to a minimum. Previous experience with this particular venue gave Mr Mitchell the inside running in understanding operational constraints which also meant an opportunity to review the design to improve the customer experience.

The environmental impact of the design was an important consideration, requiring careful consideration of the choice of materials and furnishings.

Key areas that required attention included acoustic insulation to reduce noise during busy periods, creation of more intimate dining spaces, lending a high quality hotel restaurant ambience, and finally the addition of flexible dining and drinking spaces in the popular outdoor terrace/beer garden on the first floor.

Mr Mitchell looked afresh at the original architectural detailing of the circa 1927 building, alighting on the basis of a new geometric design concept. The shapes (a diamond overlaid with a cross) are repeated in the timber detailing of the first floor windows, providing a distinctive motif for a number of other design elements throughout, including interior and exterior screens.

A fresh colour palette of cool greys and aquamarine sits comfortably beside accents of black steel, charcoal wool felt, crisp white walls and milk-washed timber. Bright copper in the pendant lights and bar panelling and bold yellow paint detailing provide a strong juxtaposition of colour and texture.

Existing furniture was repurposed, refurbished and recycled

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where possible. Interior timber dining chairs and tables were given a new lease on life by the team at Tait, with the addition of a fresh powdercoat colour and sustainably sourced Acoya timber slats.

New acoustic treatments were expertly incorporated into the restaurant area through the use of environmentally sustainable Ecoustic panels from InStyle, while GECA-certified fabrics on the new banquette, partitioning and decorative screens also dampened the sound in a pleasing way.

The most popular section of the hotel has always been its north-west facing first-floor beer garden. In order to maximise the seating options for outdoor dining and allow full orientation to the northerly aspect, you’ll now find lounge areas to the front of the terrace, overlooked by built-in timber banquettes, backed by bar height tables and planters, all with wonderful north facing aspects, taking advantage of views of the newly completed Windsor Plaza and city skyline beyond.

ALL ABOARD Searoad Ferries: www.searoad.com.au

Nexus Designs: (03) 9690 2277 or nexusdesigns.com.au 1

Cult Design (About a Chair): 1300 768 626 or cultdesign.com.au

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Anibou (Artek Stool): 1300 264 268 or anibou.com.au

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Sorrento and Queenscliff are both very affluent seaside villages. These two towns look at each other over the narrow mouth of Port Philip Bay. Melbourne’s elite have their holiday houses (or indeed, if you’re the Fabulous Mr Lindsay Fox, your main abode) either side of the bay, eyeing off each others cruisers, private moorings and helicopter pads.

Driving from one side to the other is a marathon four-hour trip. But fortunately there’s a ferry. But as ferries go they were more like suburban buses of the sea.

The MV Sorrento changes all that. Nexus Design has done a real job on the Searoad Ferries’ car and passenger vessel, creating a totally new direction. The maritime-inspired concept focused on soothing colour palettes, simplicity and symmetry in custom-detailed joinery and cleverly-selected finishes which are subtly but definitely Australian.

The café design was a key aspect. It needed to allow for a variable number of staff servicing coffee and food for the general port and starboard areas as well as the Portsea Lounge at the front of the ferry. Nexus studied the old layout and completely reworked it to be more efficient for staff and more appealing for customers. The menu was also changing away from chips and Chiko rolls to fresh sandwiches, wraps and regional food with different requirements for storage and display.

With bathrooms and services running down the spine of the

ferry, Nexus could keep one side of the craft different to the other, responding to different users. The port side of the vessel is more communal with its plywood banquette and cafe tables.

Starboard is focussed on the coffee collection zone and ‘hot desk’-style working zone with on-board news TVs and wi-fi access. Traditional relaxing ferry seating pays tribute to what was the old ferry.

The array of loose and fixed furniture items look great, selected specifically to enhance the maritime feel. The classic, curved birch Artek Stool 60, designed by Alvar Aalto in the 1930s, were used in combination with high-tech polypropylene ‘About a Chair’ by Hay. The 111 Navy chair was originally designed for the US navy in the 40s, while the 111 is an upcycled, post-consumer waste version where each chair is made from 111 recycled PET bottles. In these pristine coastal areas litter is a highly relevant topic.

Sailor stripes have been a nautical signature since the mid 19th century in France and so it is with the custom Axminster carpets — celebrating the tradition of ocean-going life.

Flos Mayday lights by Konstantin Grcic were another cheeky nautical-inspired industrial design feature.

Accents of vertical stainless steel trimmings are incorporated into joinery and are a nautical feature throughout.

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Twin Treat Modesto Marini brings a new level of sophistication to KL… and a decent cocktail.

Story: James Dampney The Marini’s Group: www.marinisgroup.com

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ince relocating from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur late last year, I’ve taken the time to explore many of the varied hospitality offerings available. Good food is everywhere; from the famous Jalan Alor, packed with its outdoor vendors open until the small hours, to the polished western-style cafes in the shopping centres littered across the sprawling city. But one element that’s proven much harder to locate is a decent cocktail. Far too often, care and attention to detail is replaced by the desire to mass produce, with quality suffering significantly as a result.

Attempts at starting an evening with a nice, straightforward negroni are replaced by dismal substitutes that taste more like D-grade orange juice than a clean aperitif. Ditto with an ‘old fashioned’, which can arrive with the look and taste of a watered down scotch and coke, even at venues that pride themselves on their cocktails.

Thankfully, however, there is a ray of sunshine on the Kuala Lumpur horizon in the form of The Marini’s Group. Restaurateur Modesto Marini left his native Italy in the late 1980s, working in kitchens in London and Singapore before taking up residence in KL in 1995. Keen to open his own venue in the city, he wanted to elevate the level of style and sophistication in its hospitality scene, and it began with Marini’s on 57.

TOWER BURGHER KL’s most famous piece of architecture is the Petronas Twin Towers, once the world’s tallest building. Impressive by day, sundown is when the towers come to life, lit up from floor to spire to produce two stunning beacons that dominate the skyline. Alongside them a third tower was built, which doesn’t impact upon the two main structures and is comprised mostly of offices. It also had an empty space up on the 57th floor, just as Marini was in the market.

“I was skiing back in Italy when I received a call to view the site,” Marini recalls. “And I saw its potential immediately. The Twin Towers is an iconic building and Tower 3 was just completed in 2011. I’ve always loved its modern, futuristic design and I had high expectations. When I laid my eyes on the empty space, I instantly started mentally dividing it up into a restaurant, a bar and a cigar lounge.”

After riding three separate lifts, and with ears popping from the rapid change in air pressure, we arrive. A 360-degree panorama, it has the best view of the towers in KL.

IN ITS ELEMENT The restaurant and lounge are both beautifully designed. White tablecloths, wood panels, rich leather and superb lighting are the order of the day. They sit on either side of the main bar. With its neon lighting, metal and glass finishes and flat screen televisions, it isn’t exactly this writer’s cup of tea. But the packed house indicates it clearly appeals to a broad demographic — and the view is to die for.

Just here to sample some drinks, we head to one of two outdoor areas that lie on the enormous floor space. Exposed to the elements in a city where the weather is typified by intense humidity and sudden downpours, astroturf covers the

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When I laid my eyes on the empty space, I instantly started mentally dividing it up into a restaurant, a bar and a cigar lounge floor. Yet the areas are still elegantly finished with high-backed chairs, comfortable red cushions and some well-placed pot plants. And one of the towers is so close you can almost touch it.

MELLOW SUNDOWN Once the obligatory selfie is out of the way, it’s time to sample the element of the venue that takes second billing only to the stunning backdrop – the cocktails. A negroni is ordered, optimism mixed with trepidation. Surely the bartender will do justice to this impressive outlook? Thankfully, he does. With the right mix of gin, vermouth and Campari, it has the bitterness and dash of sweetness required. It’s a good start. A pisco sour, an espresso martini and a mix of vodka and various juices called a Mellow Sundown are all presented and enjoyed.

Some nibbles accompany the drinks and it doesn’t take long before my guest and I quickly decide we want to stay longer. Pizza and pasta is ordered and arrives without fuss, capping off a superb evening.

In a few short years, Marini’s On 57 has become one of Asia’s best-known venues, alongside the likes of Ku De Ta in Singapore and the Sky Bar in Bangkok (which gained fame in the second of the Hangover movies). Benedict Cumberbatch, Tiger Woods and past and present Malaysian prime ministers are some of the guests to have frequented the venue. TV shows The Apprentice, Asia’s Next Top Model and Masterchef have all also been filmed there.

MISSION POSSIBLE Marini has since opened a steakhouse called Marble 8, which fills another hole in the KL market — access to top-quality, dry-aged beef. It also offers a different, yet equally stunning view of the Twin Towers.

Sticking to the theme, he also opened M Marini Caffe in the shopping centre at the base of the towers. With caviar and champagne on the menu, it has an air of elegance and quality. “Each of the outlets have their own unique offering and are tailored to the different preferences of our guests, while offering luxury dining experiences,” is how Marini explains it. And he isn’t done yet.

“We are always open to opportunities, in and out of Malaysia, when the time is right,” he said.

“The possibilities are endless.”

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Luvvly Jubbly Superstar chef Jamie Oliver’s growing Jamie’s Italian empire has a new outlet in Brisbane’s city centre.

Story: Lucie Robson Jamie’s Italian Brisbane: 237 Edward St, Brisbane QLD www.jamieoliver.com

L

ike its siblings in Adelaide and Perth, the long-awaited Brisbane restaurant is housed in a historic location: the heritagelisted Rowes Arcade building. Opened in November last year, Brisbane is the biggest of the family of five (which also includes Canberra and Sydney), with a proper two-level layout and capacity of 240.

Since its foundation in the UK in 2008, the Jamie’s brand has grown to 30 restaurants worldwide, capitalising on Oliver’s star power and friendly approach to Italian cooking. In Australia, the Jamie’s brand is controlled by the Keystone Group, which took over Pacific Restaurants last year.

Karen Westfield is the Jamie’s Italian Australia General Manager. She says the well-known dishes and unique atmosphere work together to create something special that Australians want: “Great-quality rustic Italian food at amazing value, coupled with a friendly, buzzing atmosphere,” she says.

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WHERE ELSE BUT QUEENSLAND Westfield explains what makes the Brisbane restaurant at home in Queensland. “Each of our restaurants has something unique about them and Brisbane is our only venue on two full levels,” she says. “The design has some real Queenslander styles in it, such as the stained coloured glass at the entrance, and plenty of timber throughout.”

She says the high ceilings and exposed tubing on the ground level create a more industrial, yet intimate feel: “almost of a club lounge”.

Although each Australian location has custom interior design, they adhere to a theme that Westfield describes as “rustic”, although they do all feature a signature chandelier.

The chandeliers are designed by London firm Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS), which consulted with Australian design firm peckvonhartel on all the Jamie’s Italian restaurants downunder. peckvonhartel was enlisted to translate a design concept originally created by MBDS in the UK, focusing on the theatrical nature of visiting a restaurant and the relaxed, collective enjoyment of Italian cuisine in different cities around the world.

CASUAL, ECLECTIC, FUN peckvonhartel describes the collaboration thus: “MBDS did the concept design and peckvonhartel developed the design and produced the construction documentation, coordinated the building services consultants, and provided ongoing advice during the construction phase of the project.”

The team took around 10 months to bring Jamie’s Italian Brisbane to life. Bright colours and an eclectic variety of materials put a Queensland twist on the familiar look of Jamie’s Italian Australia. It’s “casual, eclectic, fun, warm and welcoming”.

ITALIAN EXPERIENCE The Brisbane experience allows for a variety of environments, tastes and encounters. Entering from the street, the hungry Jamie fans encounter ‘Jamie’s Bar’, featuring a neon sign and a sparkling marble bar ‘island’ dedicated to the art of antipasti, with meat and vegetables hung from on high.

That’s just one of the stand-out design elements, according to peckvonhartel. Another is definitely the “island antipasti bar adorned with cured meats flanked by an open dining area furnished with brightly-coloured industrial stools and booths,” as it’s described by the designers. Or, “a spectacular chandelier comprised of oversized silver-tipped lamps extends from the entry deep into the restaurant to engage passers-by and entice them into the bustling eatery. Exposed sandstone walls and timber floorboards reveal the character of the original building.”

The main restaurant level is downstairs and there’s another bar down there as well. Throughout the two floors, bright lamplight gleams off the polished timber and illuminates the bright hot pinks, yellows and blues of the seating and tiling. Recycled timber and corrugated iron, metal chairs, leather upholstery and copper trim details stand out as insightful uses of material.

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STAMP OF APPROVAL The man himself approved of the Brisbane restaurant’s character. In an interview with the Courier-Mail last year, Jamie Oliver enthused about the Queensland-inspired touches like the leadlight glass, and said that he was impressed with the grand traditional building. The newspaper reported upon the restaurant’s opening that up to 45 chefs will be working in the big kitchens, making a sizeable amount of pasta.

STRUCTURAL REVEAL peckvonhartel believes that it’s quite evident what Australian diners like about visiting Jamie’s Italian: delicious food with some extra celebrity power. “The food is, of course, tasty yet reasonably affordable. The casual, welcoming and fun dining atmosphere and having the chance to be part of the Jamie Oliver brand.”

The key to maintaining the relaxed atmosphere is in the design. “An eclectic mix of furniture, booths, lighting, colours and materials have been introduced to create a fun, exciting yet relaxed dining atmosphere for guests,” noted our peckvonhartel spokesperson.

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peckvonhartel says that the building’s original structure presented some challenges in the transformation process. “The configuration of the staff, bathroom and back of house storage spaces presented a real challenge as the original fabric of the building revealed some surprises. A large structural concrete beam meant we couldn’t punch through a wall to provide a route for deliveries so we had to find another solution for getting deliveries into the restaurant.”

The challenges were overcome and the future of the Jamie’s Italian brand looks bright. Westfield says that the company are always keen to scout new locations for Jamie’s expansion around Australia, although nothing has been confirmed at this stage. The match of menu, celebrity and design has so far proved delectable.

CONTACTS peckvonhartel: (03) 9934 7333 or www.pvh.com.au Arcon (Builder): www.arcon-nsw.com.au MBDS: www.mbds.com

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HAUS RULES Urban Purveyor Group takes its beer hall concept to Melbourne. Skol!

Story: Christopher Holder Munich Brauhaus: 45 South Wharf Promenade, South Wharf VIC 1300 686 424 or munichbrauhaus.com

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U

rban Purveyor Group is the big dog of Aussie beer barns. After a hotly contested beginning, where beer cafés hit the Australian scene with a vengeance, the Urban Purveyor Group’s blend of fun and serious Euro beer has arguably won the day.

Urban Purveyor Group (UPG) ‘owns’ a large chunk of The Rocks. Founder, John Szangolies, has called the area home since the ’70s. Now, the Argyle, Ananas, Saké, Löwenbrau Keller all operate as independent venues but as a whole represent a diverse portfolio of successful hospitality offerings. Clearly, here is a group that has really got its groove on.

From The Rocks epicentre, UPG has strategically rolled out iterations and variations on the theme. There are a number of Bavarian Bier Cafés around Sydney, and Saké is now in Brisbane and Melbourne.

The Munich Brauhaus is UPG’s first foray out of the Sydney city limits with its bierhaus concept.

And it’s ambitious.

Not only is it enormous (14m x 70m, 900-capacity) it’s situated on South Wharf, a precinct where the ‘jury’ left some time ago and has yet to return. And just in case UPG wasn’t sweating over the location enough, the cargo shed site housed a previous F&B concept that was largely built but never opened (a food hall filled with shipping container kitchens).

Colonial First State has taken over ownership from the Plenary Group and things are on the move again. But South Wharf is yet to prove itself.

LOCAL KNOW-HOW UPG engaged Melbourne-based Techne Architecture, relying on its local knowledge to pitch the design in a way that Melbourne would best appreciate. That said, UPG knows a thing or two about building and launching a beer barn. It uses the same trusted builder for every job, and the same was true of Munich Brauhaus. UPG is accustomed to being very hands-on with the build and making alterations and decisions on site, on the hoof.

Techne had to get with the program: there were multiple design iterations and decisions made on the spot regarding various aspects of the fitout.

It’s not an approach for the faint hearted — costs can blow out and/or deadlines go unmet — but UPG is stout hearted and knows what it’s doing.

Giles Freeman from Techne, picks up the story: “The project turnaround timetable was very tight for all involved and working within a heritage covenant added substantial complications. The scale of works and the level of detail required a very capable build team, which we luckily had”.

WOOD YOU MY DEER The shed is broken down into three distinct zones. The Jager Bar makes up the first zone of the bierhaus and creates a relaxed, comfortable environment. A vertiginous log wall, patterned to resemble the forest floor, and the horizontally placed fully-grown deer walking across it (pictured top right), create the focal point in the front bar and add a rustic, woodland feel.

“The deer came from the builder’s farm,” noted Freeman. “At one point we were discussing how many we might need to complete the fitout so he was on the phone placing an order with his son!”

Directly above is the Mezzanine floor with

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an open kitchen and dining area. Diners have a 180-degree view of the bars below, enabling them to take in the log wall feature from a sophisticated private bar setting. Custom joinery on the bar itself features a traditional Bavarian hunting scene.

The second zone houses the main action, the dining hall, which follows the traditional model of long tables built to withstand serious communal carousing. Custom furniture and bespoke lighting have been created to ramp up the woodland atmosphere, and ornamental, oversized timber antler chandeliers hang throughout.

Next, the Wunder Bar lets diners observe the proceedings below from another Mezzanine floor. Large glass steins hang from the joists above the bar, shining brightly and sparking above patrons placing drink orders.

Set in the quietest corner of the Brauhaus is the Private Function Room, surrounded by decorative timber and tapestry panelling, sitting below the Mezzanine level.

The waterfront border of the Brauhaus has been designed to encourage casual interaction with passers by and detract from any obvious beer-hall references from the outside with its small, intimate seating arrangement.

finish. Low-profile Posh Audio loudspeakers take care of background music duties elsewhere.

Managing the zone control is an Audac M2 Matrix processor. Niftily, it has a built-in mobile app that means staff can control and monitor levels wirelessly from an iPad. This AV install is a step up for UPG. It’s a significant investment that will doubtlessly be rewarded. Saying that, on a busy weekend night, the sheer hubbub of the punters is damn-near up to the noise restriction level allowed even before the sound system has been switched on!

SHREK WITH BEER?

It’s a fine line between the playfully irreverent and the downright kitsch, but UPG has a sixth sense for this now: don’t get too bogged down in the beer snobbery; maintain professional yet friendly service; allow the design to encourage larger groups to hang out and linger; and provide a good-value food menu that allows patrons to share and linger some more.

You might think the lashings of lederhosen, and cuckoo-clock chic steps crosses the line but UPG manages to pull it off… maybe not with a straight face but more with a knowing smile.

As for whether the Munich Brauhaus can help AUDIO: iPAD CONTROL make South Wharf a cool destination? Well, just It was important for each eating/drinking zone perhaps. Early signs are positive. to have independent level control of the sound system. It’s a large open space that could quickly turn into a musical shemozzle when the crowds arrive. The only way of dealing with such a space is to keep the level of individual loudspeakers as low as possible. But to have enough loudspeakers to ensure everyone in the house hears a direct, clear signal. Pulse AV instantly understood the challenge and spec’ed a suite of products that would best fit the different requirements of each of the zones. Void Acoustics Venue loudspeakers are distributed through the dining hall, which also hosts the DJ/band stage. Double 12-inch subs help reinforce the lows, but this won’t be used as a full- CONTACTS blown band room, so much as a party room. Void Techne: (03) 9600 0222 /or www.techne.com.au Indigo speakers are upstairs in the function space. Audio Logistics (Void, Posh, Audac): The speakers are in a distinctive black high-gloss 1300 859 341 or info@audiologistics.com.au

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Sweet Bavarian Music

Nightlife Music was brought in to help deliver the unique Bavarian sound to complete the Munich Brauhaus experience. Having previously worked with Nightlife across their group, UPG knew Nightlife would provide them with a unique but sustainable sound. The brief was Polka, and Nightlife delivered, with a multizone, bespoke soundtrack of German Pop and Polka.

Nightlife’s Music Manager, Matthew Lymbury, says “we created a unique Polka sound but we were also careful to ensure we can supply a constant flow of more relevant genres as well. Strong theming often works best when you blend and flavour a soundtrack with it, rather than playing it straight.” This subtle blending creates an atmosphere that customers find comfortable and relatable whilst still maintaining the essence of the venue.

Nightlife Music: 1800 773 468 or www.nightlife.com.au

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DOUBLE TIME Five star suburban luxury with a twist.

Story: Christopher Holder Intercontinental Hotel Double Bay 33 Cross Street, Double Bay, NSW 2028 www.intercontinental.com/doublebay

T

o understand the new Intercontinental Double Bay is to understand the village of Double Bay itself.

Double Bay inhabits a special place in fabric of Sydney. Opulent, classy and authentic, it’s an uncommonly pleasant place to eat, drink, shop and socialise. It may only be 15 minutes to the city or 5 minutes to Kings Cross but in many ways you could be in Noosa — such is the feeling of away-from-it-all comfort.

It’s not everyday a new five-star hotel comes along, and the Intercontinental Double Bay isn’t your everyday hotel. Upon its launch late 2014 it’s resumed its role as a hospitality hub of Sy dney’s favourite suburb.

I say ‘resumed’ because Intercontinental Double Bay resides in the old Ritz Carlton. Built in 1991 and rebranded as the Stanford Plaza in 2001, the hotel shut its doors in 2008, whereupon it was purchased by Royal Hotels Australia which signed a management agreement with InterCon-

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tinental Hotels Group (IHG) in July 2013.

The refit is impressive. Under the ministrations of architects Bates Smart the old property has been lovingly rejuvenated to reflect modern expectations without needlessly throwing out all the architectural elements of the Ritz Carlton.

OPEN COLLAR COMFORT As venue wandered through the property with the hotel’s communications manager Jasmine Cook, it was clear just how far removed we were from the CBD — again, not geographically but certainly philosophically. Initial feedback suggests the Intercontinental Double Bay hosts more leisure travellers than, say, the downtown Intercontinental, and also more long-stay clients. As you’d expect, there’s still plenty of business travellers, but more open-collar than buttoned up — entrepreneurial types who work unplugged and/or have their commitments come to them.

With that, the facilities are more relaxed and

in the case of the rooftop are more resort style.

The design is not so obviously masculine as a city counterpart. There are softer tones and the bespoke lighting flourish in the lobby (from lighting designers, Electrolux) is a filigree touch of beauty.

MOOR IS MORE Like all the good things in Sydney, the best way of accessing the hotel is from the harbour. Only five minutes walk to the ferry, wend your way through Double Bay’s many delicious distractions to the lobby. Better still, book a private mooring. I’m sure the Double Bay Intercontinental’s concierge would be only too delighted to assist.

CONTACTS Bates Smart (Interior Architects): www.batessmart.com MAV Sydney: www.mav.com.au Brintons (Carpet): brintons.com.au 1

Prototype (Furniture): 1300 799 376 or prototype.net.au

FEEL THE QUALITY Bates Smart’s Studio Director Brenton Smith: “Ritz Carlton in the ’90s had a global rollout with certain design settings — dark and inward facing; typically American and quite heavy. That said, they used quality materials — timber panels; beautiful stone in the lobby. While the palette wasn’t what you’d use now, there was a real sense of quality. The hotel was built in a traditional Regency style, with proportions to match.

Adhering to our Bates Smart philosophy of ‘retain and reuse’, we didn’t automatically rip everything out and start again. We retained a lot of the marble, the cornicing detail and the timber panelling; we reinvigorated and freshened those elements in a much more Double Bay way.”

Prototype supplied the two leather tup/lounge chairs and the coffee table. The tubs are vintage leather custom made at the Prototype factory and the tables were also custom made in timber with a glass top.

1

HOME SUITE HOME

There are 150 guest rooms. The Royal Suite is the most palatial (from $5500 a night). Bates Smart’s Studio Director Brenton Smith: “Walk into a room and you exhale. There’s no crazy carpet pattern or strong colours clamouring for attention, this is a place of relaxation. The feel is more residential, less a corporate hotel and more a luxury residential feel in a suburban context.

“The Royal suite tested our luxury apartment design skills. It’s intended to be a home away from home with a very domestic feel — a lot of layering with plenty of indirect lighting.”

The suite features luxurious furniture and sourced designer pieces from some of the world’s most reputable furniture designers, including the drinks cabinet, custom made

by Prototype with steel detail, a high bar table sourced locally in Australia, custom made lounges and a large imported solid stone coffee table.

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JUMPIN’ GIN JOINT The Stillery is the hotel’s concept bar. Gin is the thing. There are 60 varieties on the shelf with the aim of lifting the number to 200. If you want to really get a sense of what Stillery is about, drop in for a High Martini – a twist on the traditional high tea, with petite housemade sweets and savouries matched to martinis. The marble and leather-clad Stillery encourages guests to mix with locals in a relaxed setting with a subtle nautical theme, paying tribute to the nearby bay. “It’s the super yacht of bars,” observes Bates Smart Studio Director Brenton Smith. “We hope the blend of public and private spaces in the hotel will create a sought after destination, encouraging a sophisticated mix of external and hotel guests, creating a social vibe similar to somewhere like the The Standard in LA. “The Intercontinental brand standards are quite rigid in the rooms but the F&B options are a lot more informed by the location, especially the Stillery. The colour of the back bar was originally inspired by the blue of a Bombay Sapphire gin bottle.

But it’s also about the colours of the harbour. There are some yacht design elements, including the rails on the bottle racks and the skeletal ‘rigging’ of the feature lighting.”

ROOFTOP JEWEL Bates Smart’s Brenton Smith: “For us, the jewel in the crown is the Rooftop Pool and Lounge. The space presented a fantastic opportunity where we were able to frame bay views in an intimate setting. We wanted to create a relaxed texture and rawness to the space, referencing traditional Mediterranean resort areas such as the Amalfi Coast or Mykonos, so materials are light and cool, the limestone splitrock wall is quite warm, and the cabanas feature navy blue and white stripes that recall classical beach-side umbrellas.

“The daybeds bookend the pool and are designed to accommodate two couples.

There are a pair of small side tables and you could feasibly stay there, eating and drinking, all day if you wished. They also serve to conceal the rooftop plant that’s not so far away as well. So it’s all about the harbour views.”

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THOROUGHBRED The Grand National Hotel: 161 Underwood Street, Paddington NSW (02) 9363 4557 or grandnational.com.au

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Woods Bagot: (02) 9249 2500 or woodsbagot.com JCP Constructions: jcpconstruction.net

This is Lance Burrows’ big gamble. After serving a long ‘apprenticeship’ at the Ryans Hotel Group, including a stint as General Manager of Bar 333 and as the licensee of the alwaysheaving Ryans Bar at Australia Square, Lance is taking that big leap of faith. All the years of planning and dreaming… The Grand National Hotel is it. This is his baby.

Actually, business partner Ben Tregoning would also like to think of The Grand National Hotel as his baby, but it’s Lance Burrow’s name above the door. And he’s under no illusions as to what he’s got himself into: “Paddington is a tough area.

But we’re not here to make a quick buck, we’re here for the long haul.”

noted Burrows. “But the previous owners were in a groove: the restaurant was the main game and the pub side of the operations was lacking. So, we’re pleased to inherit the name but everything had to change.”

Not to say Lance didn’t recognise the importance of a great food offering — far from it. In fact, after some hunting he lured Ananas sous chef Martin Sutedja to head his kitchen, and designated the rear of the pub for eating. But a suburban corner pub needs a vibrant front bar.

“To be frank, the layout of the pub was a mess,” observed Burrows. “We knew we needed help, so we engaged Woods Bagot, who we consider to be the best in the business.”

AS MUCH AS PADDINGTON CAN BEAR

GO WITH THE FLOW

Paddington is a suburb in transition. The classic Paddo terrace houses are being snapped up by DINKs (double income, no kids) and it’s an area that sees its residents not thinking twice about ducking across to Double Bay, Kings Cross or Surry Hills. Fortunately, when Lance took on pub everyone knew The Grand National.

“There’s a general recognition of the name, that’s for sure,”

Woods Bagot Associate Linda Boronkay has been with the Sydney office for a year or two now after a stint in London as a restaurant and bar specialist, most notably working with Jamie Oliver on a number of projects. The aim was to create a pub that was a seamless space for customers to move between drinking and dining: from the front bar which is more masculine and sports focused, through to a back bar which is

softer, featuring a conservatory-style garden room.

“As soon as we walked in, we knew we needed to do something about the floorplan. We reoriented the interiors to create a free-flowing space with bold graphics and bespoke light fittings creating a contemporary look. In the pub, we went for a green reminiscent of a more traditional British pub space, while white and blue lends the restaurant and a conservatory-style garden room a fresh, cool look,” says Linda Boronkay.

TAKING SHAPE The front bar features booths, bar stools and ample standing room, while the spacious, light-filled back area is geared towards casual dining. Authentic materials — like dark-stained timber, brass, blackened steel and exposed brick — tie the two spaces together. The design also incorporates bespoke joinery items such as timber tram seats, large banquette in dining space and wall lights throughout creating tailored interior spaces reminiscent of the past.

A strong graphic-driven design approach has resulted in a series of geometric shapes and elements, such as rounded arch-

es, circular brick reveals and a continuous pattern on the walls of both spaces that determines the position of the wall lights.

A STAYER, NOT A SPRINTER Once the flush of a re-opening is over, it takes patience and nerve to set the course of a venue, being responsive and sensitive to feedback without resiling from the big-picture vision.

“It take between 12 and 18 months, I reckon,” concluded Burrows. “Initially, I’d estimate that around 25 percent of our patrons preferred the venue the way it was. That’s okay, we’re building our own clientele.

“We see ourselves as a gastropub rather than a restaurant in a pub building. The food has to be great, and it is, but you don’t then have to head to the Paddo Arms [undergoing a Merivale refit] or Double Bay for a drink after dinner.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve done here. Woods Bagot were so enthusiastic about the job, and our builders JCP Constructions, which did a fine job — the finishes and detail in the fitout are a credit to them.”

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SOMETHING QUITE UNIQUE BSeated Global: 1300 727 637 or bseatedglobal.com.au

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Project: Ivanhoe Designer: Sibella Court, The Society Product: Berlin Bar Stool The Difference: “Sibella required something hardwearing yet elegantly French in style. We provided a custom weave and colour to the Berlin stool for the project.”

Project: Shed 5, South Wharf Melbourne Designer: Rod Faucheux, Loopcreative Product: Standard Dining Chair The Difference: “This heritage-listed industrial space needed simple, minimal furniture to reflect the narrative of the building. The Standard dining chair is well constructed with a custom powdercoated colour finish to the legs.”

Selecting the right furniture can be a minefield. If you have no budget or no imagination then things are perhaps a little ‘easier’ — either spec the $50 aluminium nightmare you can afford or order the same replica chair everyone else has.

For the rest of us, the task is a little trickier. There’s a bewildering array of furniture on the market. What’s even more frustrating is, despite the dizzying breadth of options, sometimes it’s still impossible to find something exactly right for your venue.

BSeated Global takes a different approach. Company Founder, Daniella Menachemson, has steered her business away from being a catalogue supplier into something altogether more sophis-

ticated: “Some time back, BSeated Global took the approach that we’re not just selling off-the-shelf catalogue product; that we would not use a cookie cutter approach. Everything we do is custom. Not necessarily ‘custom’ insofar as each piece has been modified — although we can certainly do that — but ‘custom’ in that we tailor the furniture for the client through careful consultation.”

That consultation means you can work with the BSeated Global interior designers to determine what furniture works best for their business. Colour, style, configurations, floor layout; the solution will truly be bespoke for your venue. Daniella explains: “We work with plenty of high-profile interior

Project: Rubyniks Café Product: Classic Bentwood Barstool BST18 The Difference: “We worked with Rubyniks’ owners on this traditional bentwood stool, deciding on a two-tone effect — combining a beautiful grey Pantone with natural beech.”

designers and happily defer to them when it comes to biggerpicture design matters, but we’ve got the in-house expertise to advise on any and all issues relating to colour schemes and furniture selection.”

Furniture selection and customisation. BSeated Global prides itself in its ability to supply bespoke designs… even if that means realising your back-of-a-serviette creation from first principles. “We’ll take your sketches and work with you from CAD stage all the way to 3D blocks and working prototypes,” explains Daniella. “We can design and manufacture something utterly unique.”

Project: Manly Wharf Hotel Designer: Kristy McGregor Product: McGregor Stool The Difference: “Kristy hand drew the design of the stool and we took it from there — producing a CAD drawing and production sample — to create a simple, comfortable, yet incredibly robust, stool that would withstand the rigours of a extremely popular venue.”

UNITED COLOURS OF PANTONE BSeated Global latest initiative to inspire designers and venues owners is, as you might expect, all about colour! Daniella and her team are working with Pantone’s colours of the season to demonstrate how colour can be combined and counterpointed to maximum effect. We’ve chosen a few examples here that demonstrates the ingenuous and innovative use of colour, where BSeated furniture sets off the interior design in a special way. We then invited BSeated Global’s Founder Daniella Menachemson to comment on how they worked with the client to achieve outstanding results.

55

Congo Beat

Anja & Dixie Chairs

Ross Didier is gearing up to unleash his latest range, the Congo suite of chairs, tables and stools.

As a taster, here’s the Congo chair. Mod-inspired and a little bit hipster, Congo is urban, chic and street smart, perfectly at home in a tailored café or hospitality project. Congo has an American Oak frame, crafted with solid mortise and tenon joins in Australia, and a high quality seat and back that you can have upholstered in a wide range of fabrics and leathers to suit your project. From: $594.

The Anja and Dixie chairs have landed. The Anja range features a solid beech frame available with timber ply seat or upholstered pad seat in your choice of fabric, frame can be stained or painted finish. It’s available in a side chair and stool. The Dixie range features a solid beech frame available in variety of stain colours and user specified fabrics.

Both are designed by Cantarutti, made in Italy, and known for its high quality spin on contemporary designs. Both ranges are exclusive to James Richardson Furniture.

Catapult Design: (02) 8001 6646 or catapultdesign.net.au

Caesarstone Concetto

Stay: Going Places

Concetto is a collection of surfaces hand-made from individually cut and bound semi-precious stones. A unique blend of art, nature and technology, Concetto will doubtlessly be very difficult to ignore in any interior. It will also respond well to being backlit which makes you think what it would look like as a bar front or indeed as an extra special bathroom feature.

Stay is available in three standard heights. It can be flat packed or assembled. The stool’s universal aluminium bracket connects the timber assembly, allowing for various heights while maintaining a unified relationship between each version. This universal bracket also provides super stability and strength and is lightweight. Introducing various colours to the brackets adds an intimate, playful quality to a balanced durable form. Priced from $560 apiece.

Caesarstone: www.caesarstone.com.au

56

James Richardson: (03) 9428 1621 or jamesrichardson.com.au

Zenith: 1300 013 013 or zenithinteriors.com

Saké Smile The Urban Purveyor Group has opened a new Saké Restaurant & Bar outlet, this time on street level under the refurbished InterContinental Hotel in Double Bay (see the full hotel story elsewhere this issue). We’ll take closer look at the fitout by Melissa Collison Interior Design next issue. In the meantime it’s worth admiring the Andreu World Smile chairs and stools. The solid timber Smile is light yet strong.

The chairs are stackable and all the designs come in either a slat or board back. Photo: Jessica Hromas.

Kezu: 1300 724 174 or kezu.com.au

Six New Woods Karndean Designflooring has expanded its collection of sophisticated wood designs as part of its LooseLay Series Three launch. The stylish new hues tap into the trend for popular oak tones, fashionable rustics and deep greys. Inspired by nature, the collection’s six new woods feature the light, blonde hues to striking, warm ginger tones. Popular in commercial environments for its unique designs and easy-fit approach, LooseLay is an innovative format of luxury vinyl flooring boasting enhanced acoustic properties and excellent environmental credentials.

Karndean: www.karndean.com

Soundcraft Ui Mixers3

Healthy Greens

Soundcraft has two ‘stagebox’ mixers to choose from: Ui12 (eight mic amps) and Ui16 (12 mic amps).

Each features an integrated, onboard wi-fi router and can be controlled via a tablet, PC or smartphone — up to 10 control devices simultaneously. In addition, both feature built-in signal processing from dbx, Digitech and Lexicon, fully recallable and remotecontrolled mic gain and phantom power, along with four-band EQ, high-pass filter, compressor, de-esser and noise gate on input channels. There’s a 31band graphic EQ, noise gate and compressor on all outputs, plus an RTA on inputs and outputs. Priced very well.

The Greens North Sydney has transformed the existing bowling clubhouse to take full advantage of the harbour views and create a hub for food, fun, family and friends. Lilly and Nathan Fasan (both ex The Grounds of Alexandria) took on the challenge and engaged Gray Pucksand on the interiors. They collaborated with Double Roasters of Marrickville on the coffee, while Bar Manager Matt Le Rade (The Roosevelt, Palmer & Co) has created a playful cocktail list. The PA is an all-Bose affair and built for energetic background music. Beyond AV designed and installed the system citing the company’s support and availability of stock as the key reasons for choosing Bose on the tight turnaround.

Jands: (02) 9582 0909 or sales@jands.com.au

Midas Rack Attack

Bose With Ease

The Midas M32R takes the functionality of the M32 and shoehorns it into a rackmount form factor. You get 17 faders, the display is a tad smaller than on the M32, the onboard input count is halved and the assignable section has gone. But the brains are the same, and it’s scalable via its AES50 connections.

It’s a great little venue mixer you can wheel in and out that’s, of course, controllable via the iOS/ Android app.

Bose Professional expands its range of Danteenabled ControlSpace offerings. The new ControlSpace products: ESP-1600 engineered sound processor; EP22-D and EP40-D endpoints; WP22B-D and WP22BU-D wall plates, were designed for a wide range of installations that benefit from Dante connectivity including worship facilities, education, conference centres, hotel meeting and ballrooms, sporting and live performance venues and others. Bose has also designed a nifty mobile remote control app. ControlSpace Remote, a new installer-configured mobile device app, designed specifically for end user wireless control using Android and iOS mobile devices.

National Audio Systems: (03) 8756 2300 or sales@nationalaudio.com.au

58

Beyond AV: (02) 9554 6781 or beyondav.com.au

Bose Professional: 1800 659 433 or pro.bose.com

Big In Romania This 1500-cap superclub in Romania caught our eye. The club has a potent Martin Audio system based around the W8VDQ, at the heart of an advanced sound and lighting infrastructure costing over a $1m, and boasting 65kW of sound. The 18 W8VDQ full-range enclosures are complemented by 10 WS218X floorstanding subwoofers and four ASX subs mounted under the stage. Two XD15s were commandeered as DJ reference monitors with a pair of XD12s for infill. The club design was masterminded by Gosho Studio in collaboration with 49Studio. “The main idea was to use old luxury trends, that were common in art-deco style, so that we could obtain a retro-modern look that has a fine elegant touch,” explained Gosho Stefanov.

Technical Audio Group (Martin): (02) 9519 0900 or tag.com.au

A&H Pacs a Punch Allen & Heath’s Qu-Pac combines a built-in touchscreen and iPad control app. Much is borrowed from the original Qu series mixers — 16 mono inputs, three stereo inputs and 12 mix outputs on the rear panel, which can be expanded to 38-in/28-out by connecting to Allen & Heath’s family of remote AudioRacks over Cat5 — only without the faders. Qu-Pac’s full-colour five-inch touchscreen gives easy access to all functions so you’re wholly reliant on your iPad. Technical Audio Group: (02) 9519 0900 or tag.com.au

-20 In The Shade

Flook Bloom

Some 34 giant backlit lampshades recently lit Quebec City’s Cartier Ave thanks to the creative types at Lightemotion — whose concept it was to create an art gallery floating in space. These hanging lampshades give the avenue the cozy warmth of a residential interior. On the other hand, they’re large enough to obviously be an impressive art installation, and spectacular enough to get locals and tourists onto the city’s frosty streets in the dead of winter.

Jan Flook is an industrial designer based in Melbourne who trained in Florence, Milan and New Zealand. His name rhymes with ‘Look!’, and it’s time to look at a striking pendant named Bloom: a rounded powder-coated white aluminium shade with yellow silk orchids cascading from the interior. If you want to see more of Mr Flook, check out his work on Black Milk’s Atlantic restaurant interiors at Crown.

Jan Flook Lighting: www.JanFlookLighting.com

Lightemotion: www.lightemotion.ca

Lighting Triumph

Pickle’s Mr Big Shot

Not a bad backdrop to work on for a lighting designer. Jeff Freeman employed Clay Paky SuperSharpys to illuminate the Arc de Triomphe for the festivities, as hundreds of thousands of revellers congregated in front of it or watched at home on television. The display saw the monument spectacularly video-mapped, with Freeman using 18 of the super powerful Clay Paky fixtures, supplied by rental company Magnum, to complement the visuals.

Located in Unley, SA, is the funky cafe Pickle In The Middle. The modern cafe interior (designed by Enoki) has a playful feel and incorporates Satelight’s Mr Big Shot pendant lights. These metal feature pendant lights float slightly angled above the main counter, providing light for food preparation and spotlighting delicious treats within the display cabinet. A solo yellow Mr Big Shot has been strategically placed within the row of white pendants to highlight the cash register area.

Show Technology: (02) 9748 1122 or www.showtech.com.au

Satelight: (03) 9399 5805 or info@satelight.com.au

60

iGuzzini: Tricked Up Here’s a neat little Trick for outdoors. The iGuzzini Trick comes in a number of varieties (either recessed or wall-mounted in a couple of sizes) but you get the idea: its thing is control, clarity and range. Trick is capable of generating spectacular geometrical effects with well defined shapes: circles, concentrated lines, various combinations of decorative graphic elements, as well as a grazing light effect. It can be installed on surfaces or recessed, putting together a number of luminaires to deliver different effects. iGuzzini is now readily available in Australia and have recently opened a Sydney showroom. illuminotecnica: (02) 9571 7777 or www.iguzzini.com

Bala Pendant Lights Bala is a contemporary lamp holder, designed by Ben Wahrlich for Anaesthetic. Completely designed from the ground up, it combines precision machining and the finest European componentry. Beautifully simple as a single elegant pendant light, Bala is also a clever building block to form other pendant, ceiling, wall and floor lights. Each of which can be custom designed for specific projects, available on request. Made in Australia and priced from $230.

Anaesthetic: info@anaesthetic.com or anaestheticdesign.com

PREFERRED SUPPLIERS ACCESSORIES

SJB

One Productions

AMX Australia

www.sjb.com.au

www.oneproductions.com.au

www.amxaustralia.com.au

Allplastics Engineering Pty Ltd

Squillace Architects+Interior Design

Pioneer

AVICO

www.allplastics.com.au

www.squillace.com.au

www.pioneer.com.au

www.avico.com.au

Bar Icon Group

Techne Architects

Production Audio Services

Axiom

www.bar-icon-group.com

techne.com.au

www.productionaudio.com.au

www.axiompl.com.au

JamFactory www.jamfactory.com.au

Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects

Sennheiser

Beyond AV

Kennards

www.tzg.co.au

www.sennheiser.com.au

www.beyondav.com.au

Mezzanine Wine

Webb Australia

TAG

BE Productions

www.mezzaninewine.com.au

www.webbaustralia.com.au

www.tag.com.au

www.beproductions.com.au

PILA Group

Woodhead

Yamaha

Bose Australia

www.pilagroup.com

www.woodhead.com.au

www.yamahamusic.com.au

www.bose.com.au

www.kennards.com.au

Canohm

AMENITIES

AUDIO EQUIPMENT

www.canohm.com.au

AUDIOVISUAL & INSTALLATION

Clipsal

Dyson

www.clipsal.com.au

www.dyson.com.au

Clearlight Shows www.clearlight.com.au

Jet Dryer

DJW project

www.jetdryer.com.au

www.djwprojects.com.au Dynalite

Tradelink www.tradelink.com.au RBA Group www.rba.com.au

ARCHITECTS

BERGSTROM ARCHITECTS Suite 103, 3 Eden Street, North Sydney NSW 2060 T: (02) 8920 1499 F: (02) 8920 1599 info@bergstromarchitects.com.au www.bergstromarchitects.com.au

J Audio Supply and Design Professional Audio Systems (07) 5599 1551 info@jdistribution.net www.jdistribution.net

www.dynalite-online.com

Australian Venue Services Pty Ltd 5 Saywell Street, Marrickville, NSW 2204 1300 66 31 66 info@a-v.com.au www.australianvenueservices. com.au

EPSON www.epson.com.au Herma www.herma.com.au Impact AV www.impactav.com.au JBN Sound Ceiling www.jbn.com.au Laser Vision www.laservision.com.au

Jands Pty Ltd JBL - SHURE - Soundcraft 40 Kent Road, Mascot NSW 2020 (02) 9582 0909 www.jands.com.au

2RKS Architecture + Design

Venutech www.venutech.com.au

Bosch, Electro-Voice, Dynacord, RTS, Telex, Pro-Sound, Conference, Commercial, Critical Comms ph: 1300 026 724 boschcomms@au.bosch.com www.boschcommunications.com.au

Video Pro www.videopro.com.au YSI www.soundinvestment.com.au

www.2rks.com

Acoustica

Altis Architecture

Advance Audio Australia

www.altisarchitecture.com

www.advanceaudio.com.au

Arkhefield

Audio Logistics

www.arkhefield.com.au

www.audiologistics.com.au

Axil Architecture www.axil.com.au

Bose

Baenzigercoles

www.bose.com

www.baenzigercoles.com.au

CMI Music & Audio

Brand+Slater

www.cmi.com.au

www.brandandslater.com.au

Electric Factory

BY Architects

www.elfa.com.au

www.byarchitects.com.au

Funktion One

Cox Richardson www.cox.com.au

www.funkton-one.com.au

Group GSA

Group Technologies

www.groupgsa.com

www.gtaust.com

KP Architects

Hills SVL

www.kparchitects.com.au

www.hillssvl.com.au

Luchetti Krelle

Len Wallis Audio

www.luchettikrelle.com

www.lenwallisaudio.com

Marchese

Magna Systems

www.marchesepartners.com.a

www.magnasys.com.au

Make

McCalls

www.make.net.au

www.mccallsservices.com.au

Nicholas Associates

Meyer sound

www.nicholasassociates.com.au

www.meyersound.com.au

Peckvonhartel

Music Link

www.pvh.com.au

www.musiclink.com.au

Pikewithers

National Audio Systems

www.pikewithers.com.au

www.nationalaudio.com.au

SixDegrees Architecture

Night Works Audio

www.rohrig.com.au

www.nightworksaudio.com.au

Isis

62

www.sixdegrees.com.au

www.acoustica.com.au

AV System Consultancy & Design Theatre Planning & System Design Architectural Lighting Design NSW: (02) 9029 0281 sydney@designstage.com.au QLD: (07) 3367 2234 brisbane@designstage.com.au www.designstage.com.au

CONSTRUCTION

The Chillie Group Hostpitality Industry Specialists Hotels – Pubs – Clubs – Gaming – Bars Restaurants – Design Construction (02) 9453 4744 info@thechilliegroup.com.au www.thechilliegroup.com.au Arcon

JVG Sound Leaders in AV, Lighting, Hire, Production, Security and MATV NSW, QLD, NT, VIC, TAS 1300 584 584 (07) 5599 1222 admin@jvgsound.com.au www.jvgsound.com.au

www.arcon-nsw.com.au Australasian Retail Projects www.austretail.com Crown Commercials www.creationbaumann.com Gibbon Group www.gibbongroup.com.au Rohrig

ENTERTAINMENT

www.isis.com.au

Edge Commercial Interiors

James Clifford Construction

www.edgecommercialinteriors.com.au

www.liqmet.com

www.jamesclifford.com.au

Innersphere

Porter’s Paints

Leeda Projects

www.innersphere.com.au

www.porterspaints.com.au

www.leeda.com.au

Inset Group

Paynter Dixon

www.insetgroup.com.au

www.paynterdixon.com.au

Joshua Bacon Design

Premier Club Constructions

www.joshuabacon.com.au

www.premierbuild.com.au

Lime Design Interiors

Premier Building Group

www.limedesigninteriors.com.au

www.premierclub.com.au

Loop Creative

Quality Project Management

loopcreative.com.au

www.qpmgt.com.au

Merrill Design Australia

Ramvek

www.merrilldesign.com.au

www.ramvek.com.au

Moth Design

FLOORING

Nightlife Music Managed Music, Visuals and Digital advertising solutions For more information call: Phil Brown - National Sales 0404 556 727 phil.brown@nightlife.com.au www.nightlife.com.au

www.mothdesign.com.au

COMMERCIAL EDUCATION

Liquid Metal Technologies

Nexus Design

Finest international, local and custom-made tiles for the commercial, hospitality & corporate market.

182-186 Parramatta Road, Camperdown NSW 2050 (02) 9550 5204 www.belmondotiles.com.au

www.nexusdesigns.com.au Origin Didier Design www.origindidier.com.au

UNE Partnerships Facilities Management Frontline Management Project Management 122-132 Mossman Street Armidale NSW 2350 (02) 6773 0000 www.unep.edu.au accounts@unep.edu.au

DESIGN

Platinum Interiors www.platinuminteriors.com.au

DISPLAY

Samsung Electronics Australia Commercial Displays 8 Parkview Drive Homebush Bay NSW 2127 02 9763 9700 it.sales@samsung.com www.samsung.com/au/business

Playcom Customised Entertainment Digital Signage systems background music and music video Street 22, 89 Jones St, Ultimo (02) 8815 6600 info@playcom.com.au www.playcom.com.au

FABRIC Dickson-Constant www.dickson-constant.com Kvadrat Maharam www.kvadratmaharam.com

Paul Kelly Design 77 Bay St. Glebe. NSW 2007 (02) 9660 8299 www.paulkellydesign.com.au

Warwick Fabrics

V Screen Indoor/Outdoor LED Screens (07) 5599 1551 info@jdistribution.net www.jdistribution.net

Cavalier Bremworth Pure NZ wool carpet More than 30 carpet styles 1800 251 172 www.cavbrem.com.au

Gibbon Group Innovative, sustainable and high-quality interior finishes (07) 3881 1777 sales@gibbongroup.com.au www.gibbongroup.com.au

www.warwick.com.au

FINISHES Alloy Design www.alloydesign.com.au Axolotl Group

Tappeti Level 2, 13 - 15 Levey Street Chippendale 2008 T: (02) 9698 2735 F: (02) 9698 2788 designstudio@tappeti.com.au www.tappeti.com.au

Hitachi

www.axolotl-group.com

www.hitachi.com.au

Caesarstone

Innovizion

www.caesarstone.com.au

www.innovizion.com.au

Casf

JVC proffesional

www.casf.com.au

www.jvc-australia.com

Digiglass

Mitsubishi Electric

www.digiglass.com.au

www.mitsubishielectric.com.au

Dulux

Academy Tiles

NEC

www.dulux.com.au

www.academytiles.com.au

www.nec.com.au

Hot Metal

Amber Tiles

Panasonic

www.hotmetal.biz

www.ambertiles.com.au

www.panasonic.com.au

Hunter Douglas Architectural Products

Ardex

Philips

www.hunterdouglascommercial.com.au

www.ardexaustralia.com.au

Barbara and fellows

www.avico.com.au

Instyle Contract Textiles

Boral Timbers

www.barbaraandfellows.com.au

Sony

www.instyle.com.au

www.boral.com.au

Dasch Associates

www.sony.com.au

Interior Art Image

Brintons Pty Limited

www.daschassociates.com

Wilson Gilkes

www.interiorartimage.com

www.brintons.net/commercial

DBI Design

www.gilkon.com.au

Interior Decorative Coatings

Classic Floorcoverings

www.dbidesign.com.au

Viewsonic Australia

www.idccolourfield.com

www.classicfloorcoverings.com.au

Dreamtime

www.viewsonic.com

Laminex

DĂŠcor Stone

www.laminex.com.au

www.decorpebble.com.au

TM DESIGN GROUP PTY LTD DESIGNERS TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Studio 5, 11 Beach Street Port Melbourne, VIC 3207 Ian Macklin (Director) 03 9646 9932 0417 147 110 imacklin@tmdg.com.au www.tmdg.com.au

www.dreamtimeaustraliadesign.com

63

PREFERRED SUPPLIERS Designer Rugs

www.eurofurn.com.au

www.designerrugs.com.au

Form and Function

DTAC

www.form-function.com.au

www.dtac.com.au

Four Two

Eco Flooring Systems

www.fourtwo.com.au

www.ecoflooring.com.au

Furniture Options

Eco Tile Factory

www.furnitureoptions.com.au

www.ecotilefactory.com.au Forbo www.forbo-flooring.com.au Godfrey Hirst www.godgfreyhirst.com Gunnersen Inspirations www.gunnersens.com.au

Instyle Seating High Quality, Functional, Affordable Furniture for Hospitality, Commercial and Corporate. Australia Wide Delivery.

1300 309 889 info@instyleseating.com.au www.instyleseating.com.au

Globe West www.globewest.com.au Great Dane Furniture www.greatdanefurniture.com Hospitality Furniture Concepts

Thermofilm Australia Pty Ltd 27 Rosalie Street, Springvale VIC 3171 T: (03) 9562 3455 F: (03) 9548 3979 sales@thermofilm.com.au www.thermofilm.com.au

www.hospitalityfurniture.net.au Hughes Commercial Furniture

Alfresco Spaces

www.hughescf.com.au

www.alfrescospaces.com.au

www.interfaceaus.com.au

Iken

Celmec International

Karndean International

www.iken.com.au

www.celmec.com.au

www.karndean.com

Interstudio

Devex Systems

Living Tiles

www.interstudio.com.au

www.devexsystems.com.au

www.livingtiles.com.au

Insitu Furniture

EcoSmart Fire

www.insitufurniture.com.au

www.ecosmartfire.com

James Richardson

Gasmate www.gasmate.com.au

www.jamesrichardson.com.au

Jetmaster www.jetmaster.com.au

Jardan Australia

Keverton www.kevertonoutdoor.com.au

www.jardan.com.au

Pure Heat www.pureheat.com.au

JMH Hospitality Furniture

Realflame www.realflame.com.au

www.hospitalityfurniture.com.au

Solamagic Australia

Matt Blatt

www.solamagic-australia.com.au

InterfaceFLOR

National Tiles www.nationaltiles.com.au Polyflor Australia www.polyflor.com.au Rms Natural Stone www.rmsmarble.com Rocks On www.rockson.com.au Stoneart Concrete Polishing www.stoneartaust.com.au

Prototype Commercial Furniture Manufacture, Tailor and Supply Commercial Furniture 31 Paringa Road Murarrie QLD 4217 1 The Crescent, Kingsgrove NSW 2208 1300 799 376 info@prototype.net.au www.prototype.net.au

www.mattblatt.com.au Nufurn

Tascot Carpets

www.nufurn.com.au

www.tascot.com.au

PGR Furniture

The Andrews Group

www.pgrfurniture.com.au

www.theandrewsgroup.com.au

Pomp Furniture

The Seatery Custom Upholstery Specialist Factory 3, 24 Longstaff Road Bayswater Vic 3153 (03) 9720 0042 enquiries@theseatery.com.au www.theseatery.com.au

The Rug Collection www.therugcollection.com.au Tsar Carpets and Rugs www.tsar.com.au Casino Consoles Australia www.casinoconsoles.com.au Whitecliffe Imports www.whitecliffe.com.au

www.pomp.com.au Robert Plumb www.robertplumb.com.au Ross Didier www.origindidier.com.au Schiavello www.schiavello.com Sebel www.sebelfurniture.com Space www.spacefurniture.com.au Stylecraft www.stylecraft.com.au

FURNITURE

FURNITURE

OX Engineering Group Pty Ltd Specialists in architectural metalwork,displays,metal fabrication and Signage 23 Britton St Smithfield NSW 2164 (02) 9616 7444 www.overexposure.com.au

Tait www.tait.biz Aero Design

Zenith Interiors

www.aerodesigns.com.au

www.zenithinteriors.com.au

INTERIORS

Blok Furniture www.blokfurniture.com.au

B Seated Australia Leading Supplier & Manufacturer of Commercial Furniture.

7/22 Mavis St , Revesby, NSW 2212 1300 727 637 www.bseatedglobal.com.au

FABRICATION

HEATING

BINDI Furn www.bindifurniture.com.au Cafe Culture www.cafeculture.com.au Capital Design Works www.capitaldesignworks.com.au Catapult www.catapultdesign.net.au Chairbiz www.chairbiz.com.au

Bromic Heating Head Office: 1 Suttor Street, Silverwater, Sydney NSW 2128 1300 276 642 F: (02) 9748 4289 www.bromic.com.au

Di Emme Creative Solutions Chiaro Screens - MetaFinish MetaFlex - Stonini Unit 3, 87-89 Moore Street Leichhardt NSW 2040 (02) 9550 0811 www.diemme.com.au

Comax www.comaxaustralia.com.au

Contempo Furniture Pty Ltd Design and Manufacturing of Commercial Furniture and Lighting, specialising in unique metal finishes; Metal Spinners and Sheet Metal Fabricators (02) 9726 6794 www.contempofurniture.com.au

64

Crown Doors International

Cult www.cultdesign.com.au Corporate Express www.ce.com.au CF Design www.cfdesign.com.au Evostyle www.evostyle.com.au Eurofurn

www.crowndoors.com.au

Climate Australia Specialists in Outdoor Temperature Solutions Unit 6, Enterprise Industrial Estate 8 Tilley Ln Frenchs Forest NSW 2086 (02) 9977 3474 or 0414 48 5555 www.climateaustralia.com.au

Ke-Zu www.kezu.com.au Smartstone www.smartstone.com.au Somfy www.somfy.com.au Tint Design www.tintdesign.com.au Woven Image www.wovenimage.com.au Woven Wall www.wovinwall.com

LIGHTING

Skyspan Umbrellas www.skyspan-umbrellas.com Supershades

Jands Pty Ltd Vari*lite - ETC 40 Kent Road, Mascot NSW 2020 (02) 9582 0909

www.supershades.com.au Vergola www.vergolansw.com.au

POINT OF SALE www.jands.com.au

Fedeltapos www.fedeltapos.com Impos www.impos.com.au

J Lighting Architectural/LED/ Stage Lighting (07) 5599 1551 info@jdistribution.net

Micros Systems www.micros.com Omnipos www.omnipos.com.au Redcat www.redcat.com.au

SECURITY EOS www.eos.com.au

www.jdistribution.net

Stanby Security Services www.securityservices.net.au

NPA Specialised Lighting Components Wholesale supplier of lighting components, specialising in custom neon, cold cathode systems, LED general lighting and architectural LED systems.

(07) 5597 2554 sales@npalighting.com www.npalighting.com

Nightkey www.metropolisfremantle.com.au OPOC www.opoc.com.au

SIGNAGE Albert Smith Group www.asggroup.com.au Face Visual Marketing Group www.facevmg.com.au Fen Systems Australia

Balanced Technology

www.fensystems.com.au

www.balancedtech.com.au

Fremont Design

Display Design

www.fremontdesign.com.au

www.displaydesign.com.au

Sachr Sign Strategy

Euroluce www.euroluce.com.au

www.sachr.com.au

Haron Robson www.haronrobson.com.au Innermost www.innermost.com.au Illumination Physics www.illuminationphysics.com LSC www.lsclighting.com LSW www.lsw.com.au Mance Design www.mance.com.au Mega Vision www.megavision.com.au Optic Fibre Lighting www.opticfiberlighting.com.au Passive Lighting www.passivelighting.com.au PointOfView www.pov.com.au Pulse Show Lighting www.pulse-ent.com.au Satelight www.satelight.com.au Show Technology: www.showtech.com.au Studio Italia www.studioitalia.com.au Tenrod www.tenrod.com.au Yellow Goat www.yellowgoat.com.au Xenian www.xenian.com.au WhiteLite www.whitelite.com.a ULA www.ula.com.au

OUTDOOR LouvreSpan www.louvrespan.com.au

MOTT32 Hong Kong

MOTT32 is a beautiful Hong Kong restaurant built into an underground vault that once housed expensive family heirlooms for wealthy Chinese immigrants. Before the renovation it was rundown and gloomy space without the benefit of any natural light. Designers, Joyce Wang Studio, took on the job and the transformation is impressive; impressive enough to win a coveted gong for best interior of 2014 at an international awards competition and festival in Singapore, as part of the Inside — World Festival of Interiors.

Joyce Wang Studio combined traditional Chinese décor with industrial design elements, already popular in New York and London — the restaurant is littered with forgotten heirlooms, Chinese propaganda and industrial materials doubling as furniture and and light fittings. The lack of natural light meant the designer had to embrace the constraints of the venue and used them to create something theatrical and exclusive, starting with the entrance where guests are guided downstairs through a long, snaking corridor.

Inside the restaurant, bricks twist and turn and form shapes

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inspired by wind patterns. Light fittings are housed in metal mesh cages and former vaults become exclusive booths.

Delicate detailing combines with raw materials, such as concrete and metals, to create a bold design that sees Western and Eastern influences combine.

When receiving the award, Joyce Wang explained: “Winning the World Interior of the Year will mean so much to the team. We are a practice of 10 people and the project was very personal to the entire team. It was a Hong Kong project, it explored Hong Kong culture both past and present, which makes the project such a special one and winning this award even better.”

Inside: World Festival of Interiors 2015 will take place 4-6 November in 2015 and Joyce Wang will become part of the distinguished judging panel who will decide the next winner of the World Interior of the Year award.

Joyce Wang Studio: www.joycewang.com