Coffee and Chocolate is a boutique café located within the trendy Paddington precinct of Brisbane. The brief was to create a classy space which embraced the store’s branding while creating a comfortable and welcoming destination for both day and evening trade.

The design concept was to extend and engage the space with both edges of the tenancy - the street culture of Given Terrace and the view over the Paddington residential area. This was achieved by installing large bi-fold systems to both ends of the store which created ledges and seating spaces for interaction. The bi-fold systems also enable cross breezes through the store, negating the need for air conditioning while creating a sense of space reminiscent to sitting on the verandah of an old Queenslander – a strong characteristic of the area.

The design objective was to provoke differing spatial experiences within the store to appeal to the varying personalities and desires of customers throughout the day. This was created by changes in the ceiling level

where the ceiling over extraverted dining areas was raised to encourage interaction, and was lowered over nooks, hidey holes and service regions to conjure a sense of intimacy and privacy.

The building itself adds to the character of the street and, being an older building refitted many times over, presented various hidden opportunities and constraints. The total internal fit-out space is 86m2 which includes a kitchen catering for café style meals, pastries, cakes and of course, coffee and chocolate. An integrated branding and graphics package was delivered in assimilation with the fit-out to contribute to store recognition for future chain opportunities.

Coffee and Chocolate contributes to contemporary design practice by designing for the growth of this chain within an emerging hospitality precinct. Nestled in the context of a suburban inner city community this store demonstrates how thoughtful design can facilitate social interactions specific to suburban culture.