The Melbourne Design Awards were announced on Friday 7 October, with the HASSELL team taking out the Interior Design, Hospitality award for their work on the Yarra Lane precinct and 3 of its new restaurants – Outpost Dining Room, Mopho Noodle Bar and Deba Sushi Bar.

The project team, led by interior designers Scott Walker and Rebecca Trenorden, worked in collaboration with Bird dela Coeur architecture to bring a lively, dynamic feel to the laneway, which runs off Chapel Street.

Each of the 3 restaurants was given a distinct style and personality, to create a diverse village high-street vibe.

Mopho Noodle, inspired by a hawker’s bazaar, features pendant lights, custom patterned bamboo panels and a stitched fabric canopy-like ceiling patterned with images of Shanghai models from the 1950s.

The soft fabric of the ceiling and the dark bamboo throughout the interior create a subtle sense of intimacy.

The open-plan kitchen becomes an interactive feature of the space, giving it a casual aesthetic.

Deba Sushi Bar is more intricate, with handcrafted touches. White gloss tiling with timber edges is reminiscent of a Japanese bath house.

A Koi fish mosaic backing the banquette seating area and noren curtains bring to mind the calm and serenity of a Japanese tea garden.

The third HASSELL-designed restaurant in the precinct, Outpost Dining, has a simple aesthetic – a communal, home-style feel that is reflected in its menu and communal dining style.

The design is straightforward and traditional – an old timber shopfront and exposed service areas give a sense of honesty and frankness. Limed timbers, tessellated tiling and hand-crafted seating provide warmth and add to the welcoming, communal atmosphere.

All 3 venues have done much to activate and enliven this new Melbourne laneway.

HASSELL
hassellstudio.com