located in a former power station in melbourne, the ‘higher ground’ cafe hosts six intimate tiered platforms providing a series of private areas and layered division of the high open space. while the red brick industrial building is reimagined by australian practice designoffice, the interiors are complemented by creative studio pop & pac, which was responsible for the place’s identity, including cup design and wall decorations.
combining simple lines of matching materials, such as terrazzo, cork, painted steel, stone, black fiberboard, and solid timber, designoffice has defined each separate zone, while maintaining the same style in all the parts of the cafe to make it one whole. the rawness of the concrete columns is contrasted by plants scattered all over the space, serving as green dividers and natural decorations.
meanwhile, pop & pac’s work adds an airy feel to the place — the paper cups and wall coverings depicting foggy mountains make the visitors take the fresh and frosty breath — as if they were on a mountain peak — on this ‘higher ground’.
project info:
architecture: designoffice
fine art photography: brooke holme
collateral photography: foliolio
architectural photography: tom blachford
printing: planetware, hungry workshop & gunn & taylor
