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Architects: Giant Design
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Photographs:Andrew Worssam
Text description provided by the architects. Following the success of the Giant designed Lane Cove café, Saxon Wright, was looking to take his existing boutique roaster business to the next level by opening a flagship store within the Sydney CBD.
Known for being serious about coffee, from its farming to the final roasting, Saxon knew the time was right to launch his brand within the competitive CBD market.
The new site is grand in its location and scale; a high ceilinged corner tenancy, with full height glazing and lots of natural light. Using the established palette of polished concrete, aged brass & zinc, warmed up with reclaimed bricks and honey toned timbers, we recreated the vintage industrial aesthetic and threw in some big-city glam, with brass mesh, a custom-made brass wire milk crate chandelier and a lush wall of living ivy.
The larger site meant we could really strengthen the dedication to espresso. Separate ‘white coffee’ and ‘black coffee’ workspaces allow the morning rush customers to be catered for at the front of the store, independent of those seeking a more personal or serious coffee experience at the cold drip and espresso counter to the rear.
The main entry doors spill onto the point of sale, where a brass-clad counter fronts the open kitchen and runs the length of the room. In the centre, the white coffee station is given weight, courtesy of a zinc-clad bar, with intricate riveting details.
Not to be outdone, the black coffee station sits on an oversized table with a brass mesh skirt, lit with warm LED lighting. There, a dedicated barista can talk you through the roast of the day, surrounded by a gallery-like wall of retail display shelves that read more like an exhibition of sexy coffee hardware.
Similarly, we were able to create a more generous dine-in experience than had been possible previously, with the seating area separated from the L-shaped workspace by an oversized timber bench seat, complete with brass-caged pendant lights hung from the steel structure above timber-inlayed zinc tables.
Adding to the feeling of generosity is the sense of height within the dining room, which is accentuated by the timber-clad columns that reach up into the services zone. This is painted-out light grey and extends across the ceiling to the timber-clad bulkhead above the kitchen. White-washed tongue-and-groove panelling adds to the airy feeling, while warm brick walls are softened with macramé pendant plant holders.
Like Lane Cove, the reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with Pablo & Rusty’s CBD looking every bit as classy and authentic as the team operating her.
