The former Thonet showroom in Melbourne has been transformed into Bentwood restaurant, courtesy of Australian architecture firm Ritz & Ghougassian. The revamped space pays homage to its past life, while also highlighting the brutalist language of the original design.
A worn façade of red bricks serves as a reference point for the interior design, while also complementing the industrial vernacular of Melbourne’s Fitzroy suburb. Spanning 2,045 square feet, Bentwood embraces original elements like steel wall cladding and a ceiling of terracotta. Some of the maroon steel walls are perforated for glimpses into the kitchen, while red oxide primes the sheets of steel that adorn the gridded ceiling for vignettes of light and shade.
