Architectural design – whether residential, retail or industrial – must not only respond to specific current requirements but also allow for flexibility and change as the use of a building evolves over time. This, and the ‘need for speed’, characterised our approach to the creation of a retail space, Melba Food Hall, in West Brunswick.

The goal was to re-imagine space, converting a motor mechanic’s workshop into a market-style food hall in just six weeks. The project needed a mark of quality: Melba Food Hall needed to get noticed, attracting custom not only to itself but also to the somewhat worn-out precinct. A flexible layout was needed; as a new business, the owners wanted to be able to readily adapt the space to different product ranges as they grew to understand their customers’ needs.

Starting with what was essentially an empty warehouse, our approach included the use of shaped, floating panels. This avoided the time and cost to fully line the building. Careful selection and use of lighting, a subdued palette and the use of native timbers created light and space and allowed Melba’s fresh product to show itself off.

tags: commercial, creative re-use, retail

A series of projects for Magic Hand Car Wash have allowed us to explore the potential in spaces such as disused service stations and shopping centre car parks. These images from a recently completed project in Springvale Road show details of the cafe fitout, which consider practicality and OH+S issues alongside corporate aesthetic requirements.

tags: adaptive reuse, commercial, retail

Mitchell McCabe has been a menswear outlet in the heart of Clarendon Street South Melbourne since 1901. Current owner Andrew has been running the shop for the past 10 years. The shop is rich with history and in proposing a colour scheme for the project we tried to use colours that were clearly contemporary yet still worked comfortably with the Victorian feel of the interior space. The strong colours were contained in shop displays whilst the wall and ceiling colours were subdued.

VISIT Mitchell McCabe

tags: colour, commercial, refurbishment, retail

From empty space to open doors in just six weeks. Our goal was to quickly convert a motor mechanic’s workshop into a market-style food hall with a mark of quality for Melba Food. The new business needed to get noticed; it needed to attract custom not only to itself but also to the precinct. A flexible layout was needed too – to allow product range variation as the business grew. Careful use of lighting and shaped, floating panels avoided the time and cost to fully line the building. Native timber and a subdued palette created light and space and allowed the product to show itself off.

tags: adaptive reuse, colour, commercial, retail