As an artisanal bread maker, few rival the expertise of Baker Bleu. Established in Melbourne in 2016, the brand has since expanded to five locations across Australia. With the opening of Baker Bleu Cremorne near Richmond, there is now not only the opportunity to pick up a loaf of signature sourdough, but also the chance to sit, have a coffee and relax.

To create the Cremorne interior, IF Architecture was commissioned, with principal and project lead Iva Foschia and her team translating Baker Bleu’s philosophy Bleu into a tangible, elegant environment.

While the bakery is focused on producing exemplary products, the interiors that incorporate the café are equally crafted, with sustainability at the core of the design.

Recycled aluminium panelling echoes the alveoli (or air bubbles) of sourdough, while a polished stainless-steel countertop on the monolithic point-of-sale displays the baked goods wth sculptural precision.

Ceilings lined with the same recycled aluminium panelling help soften the acoustics, while grey terrazzo flooring is robust and serviceable, as well as beautiful in its simplicity.

Foschia explains, “Baker Bleu has always taken an integrated approach to sustainability, recycling ingredients into signature products. When we discovered the recycled aluminium panelling, we saw an opportunity to merge the brand’s industrial and environmental identity, create an aesthetic link to the bread itself and reinforce its commitment to sustainability.”

The design of Baker Bleu Cremorne is refined industrial, with the primary architectural intervention being an L-shaped joinery wall that guides circulation and frames views of the central bread display and menu board. This wall also balances connection and separation between the retail café and the commercial kitchen.

The main counter supports four point-of-sale terminals, while queues form around a large central American oak table curated with an array of products.

In Foschia’s design, the product is the hero and the minimal material and colour palettes enhance the Baker Bleu experience. Custom-designed suspension shelving with a minimal edge thickness are set into walls clad in galvanised steel, as is the nook for water dispensing.

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The seating area is delineated from the main purchasing area by a curved, mid-height galvanised steel wall that features a bench on one side and a banquette on the other. It embraces patrons as they sip coffee at round American oak tables and perch on matching stools. Another banquette seat runs the length of the street-facing windows, flooding the space with natural light and framing views of Cremorne life outside.

“Baker Bleu is the first venue to include a seating area, allowing us to introduce warmth and tactility – qualities central to all hospitality spaces. Blonde timber and upholstered banquette cushions add texture and softness, creating contrast against the industrial metal finishes,” says Foschia.

Lighting is expertly aligned to the product, spotlighting key displays and softly backlighting shelves. Large rectangular, wire fronted wall sconces add a touch of drama to the café and continue deeper within the store.

As a working bakery and café, Foschia’s design marries form and function. Surfaces are easy to maintain, yet the materiality brings lightness and finesse. With a grey-on-grey colour palette spectrum, Baker Bleu Cremorne is a welcoming and comfortable environment – whether for a quick visit or a lingering break.

Founded in 2009 by Iva Foschia, IF Architecture is renowned for its hospitality, residential and commercial projects. Foschia has been at the forefront of many of Australia’s leading restaurants, including Cutler & Co., Marion, Attica, Prince Dining Room, Etta, Suuppa, Auterra and Jardan stores in Sydney, Perth and Byron Bay, to name but a few. The studio’s design approach tells the story of a brand – its ethos and place – while always exceeding the brief.

With Baker Bleu Cremorne, IF Architecture has created a venue where the interior perfectly complements the art and act of baking. The interior is seamless, contemporary and svelte – a beautiful backdrop to a bakery that makes some of the best bread in town.

IF Architecture
ifarchitecture.com.au

Photography
Sharyn Cairns