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Designer: Zwei Interiors Architecture

Graphic Design: Salmon Design

City: North Melbourne

Country: Australia

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Text description provided by the architects. At 119 Howard, the focus is on the space as a stage in the theatre of life.

Set in what was originally a mechanics workshop, 119 Howard St, North Melbourne is the next chapter in Joseph Haddad's Melbourne coffee empire. The space is a warm tonal interplay of existing spatial elements with natural light and materiality, and uses residential references to create an environment that is a 'home away from home'

Howard St encourages customers to sit, stay, play and work within the space by creating a seating zone that wraps around the new centrally positioned, double height insertion.

While the coffee machine is located front and centre, seating nooks tuck around the counter line, even exposing the rear roaster to those positioned deep into the space – a subtle reference to the more serious and coffee centric Code Black in Brunswick. Seating is intentionally wide and comfortable with a focal round dining table generously positioned to the front. The new timber slatted mezzanine caps the counter-line, with the intention to open up the upstairs area as a long stay work zone and weekend overflow area.

With a friendly, irreverent graphic treatment and tone throughout, even down to the menu, one could feel is if they are at a quirky friend's house for breakfast.