Absinthia Absinthe Bar immerses guests in the best of absinthe’s storied past, offering 40 traditionally distilled varieties of absinthes served in the manner of the Belle Epoque. The exterior and interior design harmonize to evoke a feeling of ritual based on historically accurate serving paraphernalia, transporting guests to a past undiscovered.

The brief asked to create a space reflecting absinthe’s fraught cultural niche, a space that breaks new ground whilst remaining true to its historical context. The existing warehouse and shopfront was remodelled to accommodate the bar, utilising the existing bricks, retaining and enhancing the street art and adding the ‘garden green room’ enclosed pergola feature addition. Internally and externally, the backlit green cubes and hanging garden style planting announce the colour connection to Absinthe.

Merging historical ritual and glamour with a postmodern, grungy aesthetic provided challenging when trying to maintain respect for traditions whilst appealing to a modern audience. This was successfully achieved through collaborating with local Melbourne artists working in the medium of collage and street art to produce homages to the art of absinthe’s history. Using the body of work that has grown around absinthe’s mythos, an immersive chronology of the drink’s past is presented on every surface.

The driving design concept was to create an individualised space in which all elements describe an aspect of absinthe culture. As the clientele are intended to spend their time seated and being served, spatial and visual flow is centred on the tables. The bar is designed in reverse, allowing the staff to display and serve seated clients with ease. Each table holds a hand-crafted water fountain and intricate glassware and absinthe paraphernalia.

Whilst the ceiling is covered in custom tulip lights, a homage to Oscar Wilde’s Parisian escapades, providing general ambient illumination, each table is lit by a spot light; functionally allowing staff and clients to serve and consume the produce whilst creating a theatrical experience. The patron is then visually and metaphorically ‘transported’ to the world and history of Absinthe, indulging both literally and figuratively in the myths and realities of this unique drink.