‘What’s the bar going to be called?’
‘We’re not sure yet …… any suggestions?’
…………..’How about ‘Temperance’?
‘Wasn’t that a religious-like movement against alcohol?’
‘They blamed all social problems on the consumption of alcohol.’
‘Would you guys like another?’

“This project continues for us the question of what is the significance, relevance and role of ‘the traditional pub’ in our society?  Does ‘context’ have a place in this interpretation and how can we contribute within this questionable mix? We inherited a tired pub with only its 3rd title owner, a locally heritage listed façade and an interior that delivered vodka slush puppy’s to the punters. Our brief was to provide a ‘euro styled’ traditional pub clearly aimed at a mainstream market and we were lucky to have great client who is acutely aware of the importance of design. But how could we reinstate some integrity back into this place and at the same time deal with fashionable Chapel Street-a high rotation landscape where ‘look’ often supersedes substance.

At the commencement of the project the budget was capped. An early feasibility study identified that significant cost savings could be made by reusing some of the existing services. We adapted and reused the existing mechanical plant and air conditioning system and also decided to retain the existing kitchen allowing only for commercial cleaning and reinstatement of equipment. The heritage-listed façade facing Chapel Street needed to be respected however the newer rear extension facing a side street could be altered. Previous renovations had tried to make the new work look like the old resulting in a ‘muddied’ façade. We decided to remedy this and clad the rear façade with hoarding timber to redefine the old and relatively newer parts of the building. This also allowed us to clarify our points of entry. The rear portion of the floor plate belonged to an 80’s addition

with no redeeming features so we peeled part of the roof away to accommodate new smoking regulations, opened up a wall to engage with the street and moulded a new ceiling to accentuate the repositioning of a new staircase.

The new layout was anchored by rediscovering the origins of the building and exposing its hidden and remaining structure. This framework provided the ‘releasing agent’ for us to realign the floor plan and redesign closer to its inherent spatial bones. The stairs were repositioned into the centre of the venue, which offered a more socially interactive outcome and also left the superseded stair void free for pure spatial connectivity. Our office warmly refers to the stair as ‘Manola’ (after manola blahnik) making obvious reference (if not post modern cheekiness) to the fashion strip of Chapel Street and the stairs appearance as an abstracted high heel shoe. We also tailored the spaces framed by the spatial bones by trimming and synchronising their spatial form focusing on creating a variety of social spaces in line with expected patrons. We ‘coloured’ these spaces with a relatively humble palette of materials and finishes with qualities that we felt had the innate capacity to moderate some the visual ‘noise’ along Chapel Street-almost like a stabilising panacea.

Throughout the duration of the project our intent has been to progressively overlay the site with a reasoned approach. That is to say we have attempted to apply a considered design, one that we would like to think can lay claim to an outcome deserved of its appearance…even on Chapel Street.”

‘Temperate’ temperance is best, intemperate temperance injures the cause of temperance’

-Mark Twain