RITZ&GHOUGASSIAN were tasked to create a space for Juno, an eatery for 80+ people with a retail offering. The project evolved from an agrarian vision, drawing upon materiality found in food production and creating a design that reflected these principles, celebrating the material and process. Looking to the farming landscape, fibreglass and galvanised sheds, stainless-steel equipment and timber framing ultimately formed our design language.
The eatery is panelled with a fibreglass grid, establishing a consistent rhythm throughout the space. The envelope is broken up with apertures of windows, and large farm-style sliding doors across the back of house areas, kitchen pass and pantry. A central coffee bench anchors the space, creating a functional divide between staff and patrons. Custom timber joinery, furniture and a thoughtful selection of chairs pair with the visible timber cross-bracing beneath each fibreglass panel. Patrons are immediately greeted with a generous sightline through to the internal courtyard of the building, veiled with shelves full of merchandise and food produced in-house. A bleed-through of floor finish from the courtyard into the retail area creates considered material thresholds that tie these spaces together.
The holistic use of transparent fibreglass allows one to view beyond its surface and amplifies the perception of depth and volume. Playful shadows beyond the warm, amber glow of the fibreglass panels reflect energy and movement from the back of house, colouring the generous horizontal volume and creating a space of refuge that envelopes the patrons within.
Completed 2022
Photography by Tom Ross
Office Statement
Architecturally
RITZ&GHOUGASSIAN established their architecture and interior design practice in 2015. Located in Melbourne, they focus primarily on the user experience and ones relationship to the built environment through an interiorised lens. Working across both public and private sectors a collaborative process ensures their work is considered and resolved.
Socially
Quintessentially each of their projects is developed within a social and physical contextual framework. They place an emphasis on locally sourced materials, craftsmanship and landscaping celebrating the characteristics of each site, creating engrained relationships between environment, material and trade.
Intellectually
Volume is loosely defined, held together in tension by the architectural shell, the original vessel. This vessel naturalises the externalities present in the immediate context creating harmony and a series of moments or pauses. Detailed studies of light, space and materiality create opportunities for design and the creation of spaces that are both profane and mundane, spaces of memory and imagination.
Coherent
Architecture, interior design and landscaping intersect through a cohesive design language. Materiality is reimagined both internally and externally for each project, creating a palette that is coherent throughout the whole design. This process underlines a reductionist philosophy aimed at expressing the architectural volume through a simplification of the elements.
Jean—Paul Ghougassian
Director
Jean-Paul pilots the interior design projects within the studio. His experience within the realm of design is unique and extensive having worked across a number of sectors. His oeuvre illustrates a high level of critical thinking and controlled spatial composition, and together with Gilad, he brings a holistic approach to the projects within the studio.
Gilad Ritz
Director
Gil leads the architectural discourse within the practice. His interest in architecture and the built environment stems from a focus in field studies and phenomenology. After initially studying economics at Monash University, he later undertook a Masters in Architecture at The University of Melbourne.
A highly rational thinker, with the ability to navigate constraints and work within a creative framework. Through the layering of time and patina, Gil sees architecture as constantly changing, negating its previous condition into something different. He is passionate about transforming simple and honest materials into something more precious.
Selected Awards
Office
+61 39824 0051
U5–589 Malvern Road Toorak
Victoria 3142 Australia
Enquiries
info@ritzghougassian.com
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New Business
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