Image Credit : Photography: Tom Ferguson Photography
Project Overview
Bar Lettera, located on the fifth floor of Citadines Walker North Sydney, draws inspiration from Theodora Cowan, Australia’s first female sculptor. The design evokes a modern artist’s apartment with smooth marble, raw hardwood, and ceramic sculptures, using warm hues inspired by Australian landscapes to create a refined, inviting space.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Jordan Design Studio Team:
- Sophie Jordan, Director
- Rachael Lantry Hill, Senior Designer
- Renee Liptak, Junior Designer
Project Team:
- Building Guild, Builder
- Fellow Hospitality, Hospitality Consultant
- SUPERHAUS, Branding
- Construction Assignments, Project Manager
Project Brief
The design brief called for an elevated, distinctive restaurant and bar that seamlessly transitions from day to night, catering to an all-day dining concept. With the proximity of numerous offices and local residences, the design needed to attract both hotel guests and the public while maintaining budget constraints.
Designed by Fitzpatrick + Partners, 88 Walker Street is an 181-meter tall building, the site is characterized by its extensive glazing and double-height dining area. The base build featured a corporate aesthetic, which presented challenges in creating an intimate and warm atmosphere. To address this, strategic spatial planning was employed, introducing layered elements and varied volumes to balance and transform the space into a more inviting environment.
To ensure a seamless transition from day to night, we meticulously curated a material palette that complements both environments while creating a distinctive and vibrant atmosphere, we based the palette around the Australian landscape.
In terms of appealing to a variety of audiences, we ensured the venue offers a variety of seating zones: oval booths for power lunches, cozy armchairs for couples, and long banquettes for flexible group seating. This thoughtful layout ensures comfort for all occasions while promoting an efficient workflow.
Project Innovation/Need
Our muse for Bar Lettera was local North Sydney resident Theodora Cowan, Australia's first female sculptor, whose artistic soul guided our approach, creating a modern artist’s apartment feel, in the sense that everything is handcrafted.
Rounded sculptural forms dominate the dining space, creating a relaxed atmosphere for patrons. In contrast, the rectilinear forms of the kitchen and bar impart a structured feel. This careful balance of form and function ensures harmonious yet distinct experiences in the differing zones, enhancing the venue's overall ambiance.
The venue juxtaposes eclectic materials within a cohesive 1970s Austro-Italian theme, featuring mini stone mosaics against curved marble inlays and plush rounded banquettes against diagonally laid rectilinear timber floors. Fabric canopies soften the mezzanine, while soft sheers diffuse views of neighboring buildings. A column with varying diameters, mirrored in table bases, adds playful, unexpected details. Layered lighting grounds the space, transforming a corporate setting into a vibrant, dynamic venue.
Bar Lettera effortlessly blends historical reverence with contemporary elegance, celebrating local heritage and art through a refined, captivating space that engages both guests and the public.
Design Challenge
The building's architecture is impressive but tends towards a corporate aesthetic, with extensive glazing enveloping most walls. Combined with the double-height dining area further posed a significant design challenge, as we needed to infuse the space with intimacy and warmth. Additionally, as the venue is situated on the fifth floor we needed to create a distinctive design to set it apart.
Below is an overview testimonial for how JDS has addressed project challenges.
'We chose Jordan Design Studio (JDS) to design The Ascott Limited, Australia's first food and beverage venture based on their expertise in hospitality design and their human-centric approach – qualities and values we often seek when working closely with emerging designers. Our collaboration with JDS on the Bar Lettera project was not only seamless but also a delight, encompassing everything from initial concept to final execution. Their proactive involvement throughout the construction phase ensured smooth progress, timely delivery, and adherence to budgetary constraints, showcasing their unwavering commitment to excellence and consistently surpassing our expectations. JDS's bespoke design approach and innovative mindset have significantly shaped our debut in the Australian food and beverage scene, establishing Bar Lettera as a pioneer for our future venues. Their pivotal role has been instrumental in The Ascott Limited, Australia's success, setting a new benchmark for our hospitality offerings.'
Daniela Chiu
Senior Design Manager
The Ascott Limited, Australia
Sustainability
Material excellence was at the forefront of Bar Lettera's design, emphasizing innovative and resource-efficient approaches. We prioritized locally sourced, high-quality materials to enhance durability and aesthetic appeal while maintaining a unique and inviting atmosphere.
The material palette includes locally sourced timber for custom joinery pieces, offering a warm charm that complements the modern artist's apartment theme. The use of mini stone mosaics and curved marble inlays, whose geometry plays on the existing raked columns, not only adds luxurious textures but also showcases our commitment to innovative design.
Energy efficiency is integral to our lighting strategy. We employed energy-efficient LED fixtures and designed layered lighting systems that adapt to various times of day and activities, optimizing energy use without compromising ambiance.
To enhance resource efficiency, we designed flexible and adaptable furniture and fixtures. This adaptability allows for easy reconfiguration and replacement, reducing the need for frequent renovations and minimizing waste.
Incorporating these thoughtful practices ensures Bar Lettera not only meets high aesthetic standards but showcases innovative and resource-efficient hospitality design. Through careful material use and strategic planning, we have created a space that is as functional and captivating as it is enduring.
Interior Design - Hospitality - Eat & Drink
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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