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Reserve Restaurant
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Federation Square |
When setting out to create a distinctive dining experience in a development known for its originality and flair, interior designers have two options - either go with the flow or stand against the tide. Designers Kerry Phelan and Paul Hecker from HeckerPhelan chose the latter option and have garnered some welcome attention as a result. This two-storey dining complex is part of Federation Square, a distinctive, multifaceted development in Melbourne's central city. The fitout consists of five different outlets. These are a large bar and café on the lower level, a formal restaurant on the upper level and three auxiliary bars. "We didn't want to make the restaurant and the bar a poor man's version of Federation Square. We didn't want them to be overshadowed," the designers say.
Instead, they decided to give each space a personality of its own by selecting theatrical lighting pieces in the bar and creating a rich layering of colour in the restaurant upstairs. Their vision has caused a stir in Melbourne's lively dining scene, with one critic comparing Reserve's interior to "a slutty Versace frock".
The designers thought this description was not only a fun but also an insightful analogy because they gain much of their inspiration from fashion. They also selected furniture and fittings that stand out from the norm. The chandeliers in The Victorian Wine Bar, a simple but effective cluster of 40 light bulbs, were imported from Holland. The chandeliers hang above a number of heavy-looking round tables in the permanent dining area of the bar. Other furniture, such as the red and white stools, can be easily moved. This mix of permanent and temporary furniture fits well with the bar's multiple use. It is open for breakfast and gradually transforms from a sociable café into a pumping, late-night bar.
The focal point of the room is the bar. The designers have overlaid the basic architectural elements with mirror upon mirror, creating depth, texture and a reflective quality that draws the guests to the glittering heart of the room. Connecting the bar to the restaurant on the floor above is a stairway lined with mirrors that reflects the change in environment from bustling bar to grand, silver-service restaurant.
"Dining out should be, above all else, an experience, so a restaurant is a space in which you can be exaggerated, theatrical and overt when designing the interior," the designers say.
The dominant colour in Reserve is turquoise and the favoured material is mirror glass. Silver wallpaper with a matt base and a polished pattern covers the wall opposite the windows. On the floor, a pattern of gold circles swoops and swirls around the lush blue carpet. Three sofas run the length of the room, creating an impression of languor and luxury. The sofas, which are covered in a richly patterned Designers Guild fabric, have a practical as well as an aesthetic appeal, as they allow seating of up to 50 people in a relatively small space.
At the end of the room is a waiters' station that consists of a series of mirrored cocktail cabinets. Breaking this elaborate mix of turquoise and mirrors are sober, white-linen tablecloths. The white cloth not only signals that the restaurant specialises in fine dining, it also prevents the colour from overwhelming the room. "We use white in the same way that other people use colour," the designers say.
The bold and vibrant interior has been matched by Reserve's menu to create a distinctive dining-out experiene
AN EXTENSIVE "wine precinct" has been opened in Melbourne's controversial new Federation Square gallery area.
The Victorian Wine Precinct, located in the Atrium opposite the National Gallery, contains a wine bar with Victoria's most extensive wine cellars. The precinct includes The Wine Bar, The Cellar, Reserve restaurant, the Bouquet outdoor bar and YouMe Coffee Bar and Patisserie
http://www.victorianwineprecinct.com
http://www.victorianwinebar.com
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