Jury comment
The jury loved this project because it is unapologetic. They applauded all the juxtapositions, the punk sensibility and the return of something very different to the dining and hospitality scene via Australian interior design. There’s a singular vision and confidence to the fitout, and it also looks very comfortable. The lighting is beautiful, and the designers have achieved a strong sense of sophistication and personality without using a lot of material. Of particular note is the art, which works to bring everything together, and the choice of industrial-style Flos wall lights that complement the interior design. The proportions and scale of the space are stunningly unified.
Design statement
Situated beneath Reine and La Rue at the junction of Queen and Collins St Melbourne – and in the basement of one of Australia’s finest examples of English gothic revival architecture – Purple Pit is a subterranean space transformed into a “five-star dive bar.”
The concept, dubbed “Harry’s Bar goes punk,” is a blend of design contradictions, juxtaposing brutalist elements with luxurious textures. The volume is divided into two main spaces: the bar and the lounge. The bar features stainless steel, smoked mirror glass, and concrete adorned with vibrantly confronting punk artwork by Marty Baptist and Ozzie Wright. In contrast, the lounge exudes sophistication and comfort with velour drapery and upholstery, luxurious deep-pile carpets, plush seating and Carrara stone tables.
Venue versatility and flexibility was essential, with the lounge featuring a perimeter banquette seat with two intimate corner settings. Loose dining tables, chairs and ottomans can be reconfigured or removed altogether.
Purple Pit is located in Naarm/Melbourne and is built on the land of the Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin.
Project credits
Design practice — Studio Massive with Latitude Group
Project team — Daniel Dalla Riva (interior design), Filip Bjazevic (interior and identity design)
The Award for Hospitality Design is supported by Space. The Australian Interior Design Awards are presented by the Design Institute of Australia and Artichoke. For more images of this project, see the Australian Interior Design Awards gallery.