Having successfully launched the Lunch Room to great acclaim, Collins Square continues to further expand upon its premium food and beverage offer at its prime lynchpin location between the Docklands and Melbourne’s CBD.

Located on the ground floor of 727 Collins Street in the stylishly fitted Collins Square, Mr Collins has opened to delighted patrons with a new array of dining options for Lunch Room regulars and first time visitors alike.

With a fashionable upmarket look designed by blackmilk interior design, Mr Collins incorporates the rustic feel of traditional European dining with the slick modern touches that will make the location a hit with the local work crowd and visitors to Collins Square. An open plan bar in the centre and a feature wall of hanging meats along with a comfortable amount of seating not only inside but outside provides a great ambience in a wonderful new space.

Due to the irregular exterior streetscape, the food court is partially subterranean creating a dramatic moody environment. The irregular food hall floor plans with its organic curved spaces add to the cavernous spatial experience.

The ambience and design concept was to create a food hall that emulates the iconic laneways of Melbourne in a sophisticated setting. Tone, mood, shadow and light are introduced to capture the feel of the Melbourne Streetscape. Dark and moody and contemporary architecture features bring to life this semi subterranean space.

The low ceiling space was a challenge allowing minimal room to create the major architectural ceiling feature. Randomly spaced structural columns needed to be considered when planning the seating layout of the food hall.

The spatial planning was to consider an alternative to the traditional food court feel and avoid an endless sea of tables. The use of sweeping booth seating helped to break up the space creating nooks and crannies, these catering to the discerning corporate market. Comfort and privacy were a consideration when programming the space.

The selection of materials such as the glazed brick work, terrazzo floors and hand crafted veneers were intended to create a high end design ambience and to appeal to the high flying corporate sector that inhabit the towers above.

The heavy use of black was a major consideration in selecting the colour palette. Black inherently adds a sense of sophistication; this was balanced with the richness of walnut and oak tones creating a formal yet warm environment.

The special feature that ties the concept together would undoubtedly be the ceiling which comes across as a feat of architectural impossibility and amazement. Timber fins undulating inverted peaks and troughs shooting off into all directions adding to the subterranean experience.

The dramatic Tom Dixon pendant lights clustered in formations following the sweeping booth seats below appear to float creating a beacon drawing the patrons further into the space.

A favourite design solution is the introduction of steel screening created from half spherical steel with bowl like elements suspended from the ceiling with planting incorporated. This adds a quirky element of greenery which is an important aspect of habitation of underground spaces.