Brewers Canteen

Matilda Bay Brewers Canteen designed by Di Mase Architects, Melbourne Based Designers

The bar at night

View of the operational brewing spaces surrounding the bar brewers canteen

View of the operational brewing spaces surrounding the bar

The Matilda Bay Brewing Company’s brief was unusual. They wanted to build a tasting room – in the centre of their working brewery. Their vision was for a bar that would feel like it was the brewers’ own canteen: a place for workers to share the rewards of their effort.

The space we started with was an empty section of factory floor with one wall and no ceiling.

In re-imagining the space we drew on the materials already in the area, as if the brewery workers were building the bar themselves: steel and timber, old bricks, cable trays, industrial heating and lighting.

An old timber workbench was used for the bar, with excess cool room panelling for its front. Standing steel drums became tables and stainless steel piping and cable trays made up the skeleton of an open ‘wall’ separating the bar from the factory. Concentrating the materials closely together gave the bar an intimate feel while keeping it connected to the vast space of the factory around it. The lighting design further enhanced the warmth of the space.

The Brewer’s Canteen proved so successful that it wasn’t long before we were briefed to work on a second stage. The Street Canteen would provide additional seating and a dining area and, in suitable weather, would open onto a quiet street outside.

While the new space was more enclosed than the original bar, we approached its design using the same industrial finishes and reused materials. Exposed brickwork provided a rough backdrop, contrasted with industrial light fixtures and naked vintage-style light bulbs.

The overall effect is a warmth similar to that of a naked flame. The Street Canteen is welcoming and casual, coming into its own on warm nights when patrons spill out to enjoy a light breeze off the nearby Port Melbourne beach.

Industrial bar in warehouse, Port Melbourne

Industrial bar fit out within factory workspace for Matilda Bay Brewery.

Matilda Bay Brewers Canteen designed by Di Mase Architects, Melbourne Based Designers

Our Matilda Bay Brewers Canteen – stainless steel, cable trays and industrial chandeliers.

Info
Project Leader
Angelique Brett – DiMase Architects
Contractor
Rodine – Brett McAllister / Rod Tegglelove
Building Surveyor
REDDO – Glenn Driscoll 
Photographer
Trevor Mein
Recognition
ArchiTeam 2012 Awards – Best Design (Commercial)
Eat Drink Design Awards 2012 – Highly Commended in Best Bar Design category
Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2013 – Shortlisted for the International Canteen category
Bar within a brewery factory

Brewery bar within working factory.

Matilda Bay Brewers Canteen designed by Di Mase Architects, Melbourne Based Designers

The canteen at night – a little beacon inside the brewery!

Matilda Bay Brewers Canteen

Matilda Bay Brewers Canteen

Looking towards the bar at dusk, Matilda Bay Brewers Canteen

Looking towards the bar at dusk

Bar within the Matilda Bay Brewery warehouse

Public Bar from within the brewery workspace at Matilda Bay Brewer’s Canteen by DiMase Architects.

Industrial aesthetic for public bar within Brewery workspace.

Industrial ceiling detailing for Matilda Bay Brewer’s Canteen – Stage 1 by DiMase Architects.

Central bar within brewery factory space

Central bar within Matilda Bay Brewery factory space in Port Melbourne

Details
Project Type
Hospitality Venue
Completion
2011
Full Architectural Services
Location
Port Melbourne / City of Port Phillip
Main Materials
Brick, Steel