Architects Ink’s client’s brief was to evoke the experience of a contemporary French bistro with a focus on boutique wine sales.

Access to a hotel license led the owners to pursue a unique combination of uses within the tenancy. This presented the design team with the challenge of integrating a variety of functions within the one space; fine dining, bar, private dining, coffee servery, retail wine sales and fine wine sampling. Through optimal spatial planning a compromised and cluttered space was avoided.

Located on the corner of Gouger and Mills Streets in Adelaide, the first challenge lay in transforming a raw, cavernous ground floor tenancy into a warm, inviting space.

The approvals of both the building owner and building architects were required at various stages throughout the design process meaning there were often three clients to satisfy.

The vast facade of full height glazing of the corner site almost dictated the location of the more utilitarian spaces and consequently determined the available space for bar, retail and dining. The glazing did present the opportunity however to entice Gouger street users and contribute to street ambience.

With a limit to back-of-house storage, approximately 4200 bottles of wine needed to be accommodated within the retail area. The ‘wine wall’ was created as a separation between the restaurant and bar providing a distinct focal point for both zones. The Australian Oak monolith stands floor to ceiling, spanning 11m in length and 1.2m in depth beckoning the aspirational consumer.

There was always the risk that with the quantity of goods that needed to be accommodated could diminish the ambience of the space. Yet mirrors, carefully considered lighting and open shelving, allow customers to visually connect to the spaces beyond whilst still maintaining a physical sense of intimacy in that zone. These elements create a striking visual as the reflection of the bottles appear infinite, giving the space a sense of drama.

The materiality in this space is crucial in defining the aesthetic and functionality of the various areas. Tessellated tiles, Oak parquetry flooring, rich timber panelling and brick bond wall tiles reference the traditional French bistro style and give the space character, human scale and a classic palette to last the life of the venue. [nextpage[