LOCATION : MELBOURNE CBD, VICTORIA

Ramenya in Emporium Melbourne is the latest addition to its chain of restaurants in the CBD. A unique aspect of this project was the introduction of another food outlet under one roof. The shop tenancy was to incorporate another restaurant – 1000wat, a no-frills Thai eatery. The tenancy is to house both brands in a co-op fashion where both shops’ day-to-day operations functioned in tandem within the same space.

This was an opportunity to bring together 2 different specialised cuisines in a shared space. The brief called for a design which was robust enough to cater to the needs of both restaurants, be able to relay a clear separation of the brands to patrons, and still able to unify these elements under a single architectural gesture.

The main design idea postulated the adoption of 2 sets of perforated steel screens set perpendicular to each other. The screens worked well to offer a visual distinction between the 2 restaurants, as well as create a layered aesthetic akin to Japanese rice-paper screens with varying degrees of transparency. This provided visual depth and a sense of discovery, drawing patrons into the space itself.

An honest material palette was employed to inject a bit of Melbourne’s laneways into an otherwise ultra-polished shopping centre. The combination of unpolished steel, natural timbers and white-washed bricks stayed true to the restaurants’ street food style.

In collaboration with Michael Ong and Kitinan Kietgumjorn.

Photography by Fraser Marsden.

AWARDS

Australian Interior Design Awards 2015 - Hospitality category - Shortlist