The project turnaround timetable was very tight, for all involved and working within a heritage covenant added substantial complications. The scale of works and the level of detail required a very capable build team, which Techne luckily had.

The builders and joiners showed considerable skill and intelligence in their approach to a vast array of construction solutions. Techne thoroughly enjoyed designing a playful and festive space for a contemporary venue, which in itself seeks to be an interesting update to a revered tradition

The venue strives to be immersive, from the layout to the servings offered to the staff costume. Perhaps the most German thing is the way the patrons are pulled into the fray once the live German band gets into full swing. The beer hall lends itself to an all in communal atmosphere that can’t help be festive, creating a perpetual Oktoberfest.

The temptation to reflect the orchestrated colour and informal pomp of traditional Bavarian beer halls was definitely present. Techne countered by breaking the space into zones, as if each bar, beer hall and dining area was a room. The rooms themselves are bound by the mezzanines, themselves a fine joinery item of pale American Ash - a timber species chosen for it’s refined bleached colour. The expressed geometry of the mezzanine helps tie the design into the overtly austere truss and frame design of the existing customs shed. This allows a festively lit and furnished design to exist at ground level, it’s level of expressive kitsch tied to a recessive but purposeful bounding structure.

The different zones include the goods shed that sits on the bank of the Yarra flanked by Southbank Promenade.The area is extensively used by joggers, tourists and cyclists as well as those coming for the neighbouring DFO and those who work in the nearby business district.

The shed itself sits within other smaller hospitality venues. To
accommodate a substantial number of patrons (~900 pax) the
programme of the venue has been split between 3 distinct zones,
separated by 2 mezzanine structures. The zones, from entry to rear,
east to west, run as:

• Jager Bar & Main Bar. This zone is relaxed and cozy, hemmed in
by a bustling front bar, a robust fireplace and a towering log wall. The log wall is patterned to resemble the forest floor and to that effect a fully grown deer is walking across it, hung horizontally over the banquettes below. The mood is bustling but polite, receptive and warm.

• In the Mezzanine above and beside there sits the open kitchen, Back of House storage and the dining area above. Diners above have a 18o degree view over the Lounge Bar below, taking in the deer and log wall in a sophisticated cocktail environment. Patrons are served by a private bar, the bar itself is custom joinery inlaid with depiction of a traditional Bavarian hunting scene.

• Directly behind the mezzanine facing the Dining Hall is the stage,
a bare timber recess to accommodate speakers, presentations and
the inevitable Umpah Umpah Band.

• The dining hall itself follows the traditional model of long, aligned
tables ready to accommodate festive groups and their robust
celebrations. The groups sit on custom furniture beneath bespoke lighting and oversized ornamental timber antler chandeliers. There are opportunities for quiet seating flanking the group tables.

Behind the Dining Hall is the Wunder Bar, Private Function Room and Dining Mezzanine:

• The Wunder Bar serves the outdoor seating to the north (via a
concertina window & door) and the Dining Hall itself. Like the Jager Bar, large glass steins hang from the joists above, fully lit and designed to sparkle above those ordering from the bar. As in the first mezzanine, diners can observe the goings on from the mezzanine. Seating up there is small groups & banquettes.

• Below the Mezzanine against the rear wall is the Private Function Room. Set in the quietest corner of the Brauhaus the room is surrounded by decorative timber and tapestry panelling. Sash windows separate the room from the bar to the east and a decorative display encloses the room to the south.

• Outside the shed to the south casual café seating is gathered around the deli servery area, allowing views into the kitchen and over the cheeses and smallgoods.

To the north the border with the promenade is deliberately broken to allow casual interaction with passers by. The seating style is bold and the groupings small to keep the area from feeling like a beer hall spinoff, and to give the zone some warmth in winter and intimacy in summer.

• Internal Dining Hall          (Band / stage area)
• Lounge Bar                     (DJ area)
• Function Room
• Outside #1                      (Water side of venue)
• Outside #2                      (Function room outdoor)
• Outside #3                      (DFO side of venue)
• Mezzanine Lounge
• Mezzanine Dining

As well as the eight zones, audio is also provided to the bathrooms and hallway areas.

INTERNAL DINING HALL:
A high-power distributed audio design was used for this area. A combination of Void Acoustics Venu12, Venu8 & Venu6 speakers have been installed, providing constant audio coverage throughout the space.

These have been paired with a pair of Void Acoustics Mycro X dual 12” subwoofers, which were recessed into the front stage wall for a low-profile appearance.

This room features a small stage where bands play traditional German-style music.

The room is setup as a beer hall with large communal tables. As the atmosphere is very lively (and the crowds can get very noisy as they sing along with the band and clink their steins of beer) it was decided that a high-powered distributed audio system would be best for this space. The venues existing roof trusses were used to mount the speakers, helping them to blend-in with the décor of the venue and not detract from the visual aspect of the heritage listed roof.

The subwoofer grilles from the Mycro X subwoofers were removed from the subs and recessed into the front wall of the stage with the subwoofer cabinets installed behind, a testament to the tremendous level of detail in this project.

LOUNGE BAR:
The Lounge bar features a number of seating options including high tables and booths. A DJ booth has been built into a custom made ‘log’ table. Void Acoustics Mycro 6 and Mycro 8 speakers were combined with Mycro Bass 12” subwoofers to provide audio throughout this space.

Once again, the subwoofers were built into the wall joinery and the speakers were installed up high in the venue out of the sightlines of the impressive ‘log wall’.

OUTDOOR AREAS:
Audac WX502O weatherproof speakers were installed throughout the three outdoor zones. The water side of the venue features speakers finished in black to blend in with the existing roof structure. While white speakers were chosen for the DFO side of the venue.

MEZZANINE LOUNGE:
Four Void Acoustics Indigo 6Pro speakers were installed in the Mezzanine Lounge area and paired with a Void Mycro Bass subwoofer. The speakers - finished in gloss black - add a stylish touch to the space.

As the patrons would be a lot closer to the speakers than in the other areas of the venue, the stylish Indigo 6Pro speakers were the perfect choice, with their small size, stunningly good looks and ‘hifi’- type sound. The Mycro Bass sub has been installed up at the roof level so as not to take up any of the precious floorspace, in this small mezzanine area.

MEZZANINE DINING:
Ten compact speakers from American brand Posh Speaker Systems were installed above the timber detailing of this space, providing constant audio coverage throughout the area, without impeding on the sightlines through to the stage area of the Internal Dining Hall below.

SYSTEM CONTROL:
An Audac M2 audio matrix system allows simple control of the audio source selection and volume levels in all zones of the venue through its simple iPad interface.

Global settings ensure that the entire venue can be controlled by the simple press of a button or even by pre-determined timed events. So for example, once the band starts, all the manager has to do is select the ‘band’ setting and the entire venue will switch over to the desired settings for each zone of the venue.

The app is also compatible with iPhones, meaning that the manager always has control right from their pocket, for real-time, wireless adjustments to the system.