The Sydney Dance Company has a new café/restaurant at their dance studios at Sydney’s Hickson Road Wharf, Pier 4.

Designed by Villa + Villa design studio, the space is open during the day and also transforms at night into a restaurant, making the most of its premier location and harbour views.

A highly adaptable space delivered on a small budget (the total cost was only $60,000 including design fee), the Dance Lounge includes a wine bar, lounge area and a multi-purpose dining space, able to be used as a café by day and dining room by night, and the space also works as a function/events space when needed.

Stripping back the interior to its essentials, Villa + Villa exposed hardwood beams, rough floor and furnished the space simply with bentwood chairs, aluminium tables and black curtains to divide the space.

In addition to these elements, there are special touches, such as round copper pendant lights suspended in the double height space, a grand piano, a birdcage complete with porcelain birds and orange feathers, delicate wire framed pendant lights at the bar and a couple of small framed blackboards, one of which is tucked behind a beam above head for an unexpected surprise.

Perhaps most striking are the illustrations which embellish the bar – completed by Eduardo Villa, architect and co-director of Villa + Villa (with wife and graphic designer Maria Muñiz-Villa).

The illustrations show iconic Sydney buildings, including the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Wharves themselves in simple black pen.

The financial crisis has meant that more and more clients are asking for interiors at cut price – this project proves it is possible to deliver a functional and aesthetic space without blowing the budget.

Villa + Villa
villaandvilla.com.au