Mammoth Café Makes its Mark

Published by
Lorenzo Logi
November 11, 2015

After making their mark with Richmond favourites Touchwood and Pillar of Salt and Northcote hotspot Barry, husband and wife duo Jamie and Loren McBride have just opened the doors on their latest café project, Mammoth.

A unique triangular tenancy wedged between Malvern Road and Beatty Avenue in Armadale, Mammoth is the next chapter in Jamie and Loren’s ongoing mission to further explore the potential of healthy, creative and contemporary café style dining. Engaging Melbourne architecture and interior design studio Technē converted the site based on a brief focused around creating a peaceful, happy space that had a nod to subtle reference points including West Coast USA, summer holidays and the aesthetic of Wes Anderson films.

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Working with a site that was irregular in shape and split into two distinct sections, Technē began by workshopping multiple potential floorplans in line with the client’s openness to exploring non-standard seating arrangements. In response, a sculptural front counter that incorporates bar-style seating greets guests and creates a central focal point of the room. A variety of seating styles capitalise on the natural nooks that are created by the site’s triangular floor plan. In addition loose seat and table settings, long benches, banquettes and bar seating at the central counter offer multiple configurations.

In finishing and decorating the space, Technē opted for clean, simple white walls to increase the sense of space and reflect the natural light. Splashes of blue are an instantly recognisable signature of the design, from the powder blue terrazzo flooring and powder-coated navy blue metal table legs, to the varying shades of the blue aprons of floor staff. American Oak benchtops and tabletops add warmth to the space, complementing the natural light.

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“Due to the nature of a small, triangular and split-level site, space planning for this project was initially a tricky exercise. However the quirkiness of the site quickly became an enjoyable design challenge for us,” says Technē senior interior designer, Jonny Mitchell. “From there, we sought out to reach a balance between functionality and aesthetic, with the added bonus of a very fun set of reference points.”

Mammoth Café
eatmammoth.com

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