Projects
Plum Cafe
Café, Restaurant & Bar − Cuba Mall, Wellington
A long-time Cuba Street haunt, Plum’s turn-of-the-century Parisian bistro styling evokes the atmosphere of an impressionist café in Montmartre. The design explores the notion of an extended dining table, reaching deep into the space with a shared sense community. Moments of intimate exchange flourish across oak tables. The raised bar provides an exquisite centrepiece, dressed in black tiles and brass trims, whilst large mirrors extend the height of the room.
This re-fit of the existing café has revolutionised the business, transforming it into a highly successful eating and drinking spot, while retaining its faithful regulars.
Speight’s Ale House
− Wellington
A livery fit out of the Speight’s Ale House in Wellington required adherence to the custom country style that all Speight’s Ale Houses refer to.
Boxo
Take-out eatery − The Terrace, Wellington
Boxo on the Terrace is a food store serving ‘Asian inspired food with attitude’. The bold entrance confronts you with the menacing grin of the Boxo creature. The graphics of Boxo’s marketing medium is fused flawlessly with the clean lines of the architectural approach.
The planning arrangement simplified the kitchen production line, rationalising the assembly of catering and integrating the viewing of meals being made as you wait. This slice made at eye-level introduces an inquisitive feature to the uncomplicated interior.
The predominant wall unit is broken into five panels and integrates large amounts of storage to the rear. Unadorned black framing provides a border to the Boxo trademark, menus and a pass to receive your meals. White inserts within the frames make homage to the subtle gestures of traditional Japanese paper screens, suitable to the cuisine’s Eastern sway.
Thorndon Bowling Club
Residential fit-out of the old Thorndon Bowling Club
− Wellington
A high-quality residential fit-out of an old commercial building. Converted to spacious family living with a light and airy feel. The old and the new complement each other in a stunning result.
Sir Breadwins’
Sandwich Bar − 114 Lambton Quay, Wellington
A family business in its third generation, Sir Breadwins’ originally opened its doors to a hungry lunch crowd in 1970, making it the CBD’s oldest surviving sandwich bar.
Modelled on the Greek milk bars of the 1960s, the design incorporates the owner’s heritage, acknowledging the long-standing tradition of Greek hospitality in Wellington’s food industry. The process of custom-made sandwiches is celebrated through an array of colourful ingredients on display. Customers are treated to an individual performance of food preparation; the actions of slicing, dicing and arranging fresh ingredients are all reflected through a mirrored wall behind.
With queues reaching out to the footpath during busy lunch hours, the energy of this space enhances the existing streetscape. The fit-out incorporates a reflection on the past, which gives this space a warm welcoming atmosphere.
Juanita’s Kitchen
Fit out for Residential Kitchen − Wellington
This kitchen was built to the owner’s brief of a spacious kitchen with lots of room to move around for the whole family. Plenty of bench space and cupboards were a must.
Kaffee Eis
Gelato Bar & Café − Oriental Bay, Wellington
With two prime waterfront locations in Central Wellington the boutique gelato bar and café have become ice-cream meccas to Wellingtonians.
Designed to house dozens of luxury gelato flavours, the shop’s glass display freezers dominate the majority of prime floor space. Boxed shelves displaying bottled drinks line the walls, doubling as functional storage space for excess stock. A New Zealand-European fusion is realised in this modern establishment – part iconic Kiwi dairy, part gourmet European boutique. Kiwi Hokey Pokey ice-cream in a cone will never taste quite the same after sampling freshly-made Tartufo gelato.
Peppermill
Delicatessen & Café − 4 Norrie Street, Porirua City
Operating as a licensed café, restaurant, deli and function venue, this design evolved from the traditional European delicatessens. High quality detailing, the materials used, and elegant framing of merchandise engender a timeless classic design. The style and sophistication of this upmarket establishment has raised the bar for local cuisine.
Essity
Beauty Retail Store − Wellington International Airport
2009 PERSONAL DIVISION WINNER − RETAIL DESIGN AWARDS
Between the check-in counters and main terminal concourse/departure lounges of Wellington International Airport, rich colours and textures of a full-height glass and timber wall define Essity. Like a beautiful evening gown, the glass wall appears to dance and float along the passage with its structured layering.
Showcasing predominantly New Zealand skincare products the client’s brief called for a design that catered for not only high-end commodities but also for everyday travel essentials. The practical yet elegant timber shelves juxtaposed with an extravagant glass wall blur the lines between price brackets, and where one can indulge in a beautifully packaged skincare range, or a box of tissues or a toothbrush can be grabbed before jetting off.
Inspired by rich tones in the pages of a glossy magazine, materials were chosen that are complementary and sit harmoniously with the essence of the products. Elements in the fit out are clean and sophisticated, and lighting and materials add to the warm atmosphere where customers are welcome to test and try. The decision to steer away from typical retail lighting that works on exposing flaws was forgone for a moodily-lit resolution that was kinder on the skin. Recessed ceiling troughs lined in brass contain ordered spots, enabling a broad compass to light the expanse of shelving.
Graphics on the far wall reaffirm the branding of the store, where a contemporary take on botanical drawings create a velvety backdrop to silky crisp lines of the joinery elements.