Image Credit : Milica Kostic / Geoff Bartlett
Project Overview
Hobart craft brewer Fox Friday has made it to the mainland with its new Melbourne taproom, just a short walk from Richmond’s busy Bridge Road precinct. In tandem with architects Place Form Space, Studio Y has transformed a former stainless steel workshop into a multifunctional space, boasting a brewery, taproom, and offices for the Tassie beermakers.
The 200-plus capacity venue is the first Victorian endeavor from owners Benn and Sarah Hooper, who purchased Fox Friday from its founders in 2019. Since their takeover, the brewery has seen a steady rise in popularity, serving up its colorful range of IPAs across Australia – and now, in its own Melbourne home.
The new Richmond location shares qualities of the original brewery in Hobart but with a greater flair for theatrics. Heightened ceilings and a retractable rooftop make the space feel expansive and harmonious with its environment, while a homey central fireplace contributes to the warm and traditional atmosphere.
A transparent glass wall separates the brewery from the taproom, offering direct sightlines into the intricate workings of the 15-hectolitre brewhouse, with numerous taps pouring Fox Friday’s core lineup of beers and inventive limited releases.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Studio Y + Place Form Space
Project Brief
The build needed to set the tone for Fox Friday’s expansion into mainland Australia. Studio Y sought to elevate the identity of the Hobart flagship into something that felt premium and would stand out against the other designer brewpubs in the Richmond area. The resulting venue is one that’s equally befitting special occasions as it is casual family dinners, with materials carefully selected to fulfill this brief.
The client wished to evoke a sense of longstanding heritage with a nod to Texas, which was achieved with the use of raw steel, solid timber, and weathered finishes by specialty painters Scanlan & Makers. The American-inflected vintage industrial feel is further rendered through ample use of leather and red brick, with low ceilings and timber wall paneling creating a cozy, lived-in atmosphere.
Finally, a new facade (that brings to mind fox ears) harmonizes the formerly separate buildings and enhances the historic ambiance.
Project Innovation/Need
Two existing buildings were integrated to create the vast Fox Friday brewery and taproom, which created an opportunity for Studio Y and Place Form Space to explore dramatic features, such as a retractable roof system that stretches across the expanse of the venue – allowing for ample natural light during the day but revealing a starry ceiling once night falls.
Design Challenge
The main challenge of this project was the integration of two pre-existing buildings into one space for Fox Friday. Through strategic interventions such as opening up the existing precast elements and connecting different sections of the building, a distinctive interplay of spaces was created. This was broken up into zones by Studio Y – some large, some more intimate – with different seating arrangements, such as booths or communal tables, to create texture and avoid the vast space feeling stark.
Given the scale of the venue, there was a risk that the bar could potentially feel too far away from some areas. Studio Y’s floor plan carefully positions the main bar as a focal point from all zones, encouraging patrons to naturally gravitate towards it without wayfinding.
Sustainability
Studio Y pushed for a very classic design for Fox Friday to ensure that the fitout would be timeless and wouldn’t need to be updated any time soon. Fox Friday is an example of a classic old-work industrial aesthetic that will stand the test of time. Studio Y also made use of the existing features of the original buildings – the structure, red brick, and concrete floors – to reduce the amount of additional materials required.
Interior Design - Hospitality - Casual
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors where people eat and drink - this includes bars, restaurants, cafes and clubs. Judging consideration is given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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